Philip Island

What’s there to do on Philip Island once the Grand Prix is over? Let’s see how we can tackle this question….

Ingredients: beach, surfing, koalas, penguins, bushwalking, and motorcycles

Directions: Mix it all up on a hot day. Top it off with a car (or a bike, for those on a tighter budget) and plenty of sunscreen.

Ready to eat after a minimum aging period of two days

Read before visiting: Renting a car is essential. It’s only 26 km from east to west, but at night the roads aren’t lit, and it’s dangerous to ride a bike. Bike rentals range from 15 to 20 AUS$. Public transportation is limited during peak season and nonexistent starting in the fall.

WHAT TO SEE IN PHILIP ISLAND: CHURCHILL ISLAND HERITAGE FARM

Our first stop is Churchill Island Heritage Farm. It's a kind of nature park with all kinds of trails and outdoor activities—it's really cool if you're traveling with kids or if you like seeing animals in the wild (https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/churchill-island/)

It was inhabited by the indigenous people of a tribe called the Bunurong until the English arrived. The first thing the English did was build a house to house their leader and settle and cultivate the land, destroying part of the local flora in the process…

There are a couple of short trails that wind through the island and tell you a little about its history; along the trails, there are lookouts where you can spot all kinds of birds

Theoretically, they open at 10:00, but you can stop by earlier because there are several overlooks right along the road on the way to the farm, and you can enjoy them all to yourself before the tourists arrive.

Here's a map of the trails and points of interest, such as the farm

Yes, there's a farm!

For about 17.50 AUS$, you can visit it if you're interested in seeing how people worked on farms in the 19th century.

CABO WOOLAMAI

To the south, almost directly across from Churchill Island, we come across the Cape Woolamai Cabo Woolamai.

At its entrance lies a huge sandbar inhabited by Australia's most iconic wildlife: surfers

No matter what time of day it is, you'll find them there, in groups of three, four, or five, patiently waiting for the perfect wave, relaxing, or simply enjoying the day

Further south of the beach, there's a long trail that leads you to various spots (a lighthouse, an old quarry, or the stone pillars you see in the photo, The Pinnacles)

With any luck, you'll also come across some amazing travelers: an Australian species of shearwaters that migrate here from Alaska every September to lay their eggs. And there are about a million of them. No big deal.

At the northern tip of the island lies its capital, Cowes. I wouldn’t normally mention it were it not for a peculiar, unusual restaurant… they charge you just to sit at a table! Yes, if you order takeout, the price is normal, but if you dare to sit at a table, you’ll be hit with a 2 AUS$ surcharge! 😬 It’s a pizzeria on the corner of Philip Island Rd and Settlement Rd.

WHAT TO SEE IN PHILIP ISLAND: THE PENGUIN PARADE

There are two other great attractions here, such as the motorcycle track and the koala sanctuary, but the main reason the island is known for is the Penguin Parade 

On a small beach on the western side of the island, tiny penguins no taller than an arm’s length appear at dawn and dusk to head out to sea and return to land, respectively. The walk from the beach to their little homes takes no more than 30 minutes, but it’s incredibly funny to watch the penguins emerge from the sea in a group—they don’t dare to do it alone—and wobble their way across the sand.

Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed because penguins' eyes are sensitive to light—which is why they only come out at dawn or dusk—but for 26 AUS$, you can enjoy seeing them in person.

A couple of tips for anyone planning to go: you should arrive around 4:45–5:00 p.m. to get a good spot. There are three groups of benches when facing the beach: right, center, and left. The best spots are in the right and left groups, and within each group, choose the area closest to the center—there are sandy paths where the penguins will be walking.

Some reckless blogger decided to bike the 20 km from his hostel to there, only to find out on the way back that he couldn’t make it back at night because there were no streetlights on the road. Fortunately, a Natural Park employee took pity on him and gave him a ride back in his truck ☺️. Thank you so much, Garry, if you’re reading this.

And finally: if you’re going by car, check the undercarriage before you leave, since some penguins escape from their little homes and, for some reason I don’t understand, cars are irresistibly attractive to them… I once saw one get trapped/run over by a car at night; once again, my friend Garry came to the rescue of the poor penguin, which fortunately wasn’t hurt at all. Way to go, Garry 👏👏

For more information: https://www.penguins.org.au

Well, I hope you already know what to do at Philip Island… Next stop: Darwin, the Australian Outback—jungle, crocodiles, and all kinds of critters that can kill you quickly… or slowly 😬. Let’s see how it goes…

If you want to read more about Australia: https://999millas.net/category/paises/australia/

And, as always, whether you loved or hated this post, let me know in the comments!! 🙂

Texto y fotos : Mike !