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Best things to do on Phillip Island: Fish and chips, wine and penguins

Chloe CannBy Chloe Cann
From wine tasting to surfing, country walks and penguin spotting, this little corner of Gippsland has a lot to offer.

A seaside hotspot, Phillip Island has long been popular with holidaymaking families and international tourists, but there’s plenty more to this Bass Coast isle than just sun, sand, ice cream and penguins. Read on for our top seven things to do on Phillip Island.

1. Indulge in a wine tasting (and beer)

a hand holding a glass of wine at Purple Hen vineyard, Phillip Island
The idyllic Purple Hen vineyard produces premium cool-climate wines. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This little pocket of Gippsland is home to two cool-climate wineries with cellar doors. Going strong since 1993, Phillip Island Winery isn’t just some tourist trap: it produces a range of popular reds and whites (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir) and is also host to a gorgeous little boutique that dispenses fresh local produce as well as flowers, sourdough, cookbooks, candles and wine. You can dine here too.

Known for its pinot noir and shiraz, but with plenty of whites and sparkling on offer too, Purple Hen Wines is in a scenic spot. Take your time on a tasting at one of the tables inside, admiring the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows, or grab a glass (or bottle) of your favourite drop to enjoy one of the picnic tables outside on the grass.

Beer lovers aren’t left out of the equation either. In the main town of Cowes lies independent, sustainable and family-run taphouse Ocean Reach Brewing : come for a tasting paddle and stay for the burgers.

2. Watch the Penguin Parade

the penguin parade on Phillip Island
Phillip Island is a proud home to the world’s largest Little Penguin colony. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Perhaps Phillip Island’s most iconic and enduring attraction, the Penguin Parade is the home of the largest Little Penguin colony in the world, drawing in kids, animal lovers and tourists alike. Watch legions of the flightless birds waddle out of the surf and onto the shore before heading up to their burrows, arriving like clockwork at sunset every night. Tiered seating overlooks the picturesque Summerlands Beach, and there’s an underground viewing area too. Arrive early and exploit the interactive activities and wealth of information supplied at the attraction’s visitors’ centre.

3. Take a leisurely country walk

a man walking with his dog along the George Bass Coastal Walk, Phillip Island
Traverse the clifftop trail along the George Bass Coastal Walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

There’s a multitude of country walks to enjoy on this Bass Coast isle, many exploiting the rugged coastline views. Venture up to Cape Woolamai, the highest point on the island, from where you can gorge on 360-degree views of San Remo, Kilcunda and beyond. Take the Kitty Miller Bay Walk that leads to the rusted remains of a shipwreck. Waltz around Churchill Island, and you’ll likely encounter some highland cattle. Or hit one of the Conservation Hill And Rhyll Inlet Walks, home to the southernmost mangroves in the world.

4. Hit the surf

surfers at Surf Beach, Phillip Island.
Surf’s up on Phillip Island. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Home to Victoria’s first National Surfing Reserve , Phillip Island is a bit of a surfer’s paradise. A number of different surf schools operate out of family-friendly Smiths Beach, with its moderate and consistent swells, including Girls on Board , Island Surfboards and Archy Surf . But the beach is also home to ‘Express Point’, a barrelling reef break known in some surfing circles as the island’s premier wave. More experienced surfers might want to make for the world-class beach breaks of Woolamai, or Cat Bay’s left- and right-hand reef breaks.

5. Jump on a boat and spot some seals

seals swimming in the sea, Phillip Island
Seal Rocks is home to more than 25,000 fur seals. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Did you know Phillip Island is home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony? Pay a visit to this community of furry fellas with eco-friendly local operator Wildlife Coast Cruises . The company’s two-hour trip will take you within metres of the seals, which regularly approach the boat for a closer look, and on average, daytrippers will see more than 5,000 up-close, not to mention seabirds and pods of dolphins, if you’re lucky.

If you’re in the market for something a touch more high-octane, then give Ocean Adventures a call. You’ll speed along the island’s coastline on either a jet boat or thundercat, exploring the granite cliffs and caves of Cape Woolamai along the way.

6. Get your catch of the day

a couple heading to San Remo Fisherman's Cooperative
Make a beeline for the best fish and chips in town at San Remo Fisherman’s Cooperative. (Image: Visit Victoria)

From jetties and beaches to boat charters, there are plenty of opportunities to cast a line of this little isle, with local anglers routinely catching flathead, snapper, whiting, garfish, salmon, shark and squid. Try Reel Obsession , T-Cat Fishing Charters , or The Island Charter Boat for a day out on the water. And if you don’t have much success then don’t fret: you can pick up super fresh fish from the professionals at San Remo Fisherman’s Cooperative anyway.

7. Rev up your adrenaline

motorcycles racing at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Phillip Island
Witness the heart-racing Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Phillip Island is known for hosting the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix , and the World Superbike Championship too, but that doesn’t mean petrolheads have to time their visit to coincide with the MotoGP. Rock up at any time of year and you can still take a guided circuit tour, which gives you access to race control, the media centre and the winner’s podium. Or stroll through the History of Motorsport Display. Or buckle up and race around Australia’s largest four-lane GP, at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor Centre, which is home to a 760-metre scale replica of the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, overlooking the Bass Strait.

Family-friendly activities

Penguin Parade and boat trips aside, there are a number of activities to entertain families on the island. Chief among them is Phillip Island Wildlife Park , where kangaroos, wallabies, emus, cassowaries, wombats, and koalas roam. Its grounds are spread across a whopping 60 acres and offer up-close encounters. A highlight for many visitors is the opportunity to hand-feed and pat kangaroos.

Those who have an affinity for koalas should head for the Koala Conservation Reserve , where treetop boardwalks wind through the Aussie bush. Guided tours are also on offer, promising a deeper insight into the lives of these sleep-loving creatures.

Older kids might get a kick out of the experiences at A Maze’N Things , such as mini golf, 3D mazes and a high ropes course.

Discover the best accommodation on Phillip Island

Chloe Cann
Chloe Cann is an award-winning freelance travel and food writer, born in England, based in Melbourne and Roman by adoption. Since honing her skills at City St George's, University of London with a master's degree in journalism, she's been writing almost exclusively about travel for more than a decade, and has worked in-house at newspapers and travel magazines in London, Phnom Penh, Sydney and Melbourne. Through a mixture of work and pleasure, she's been fortunate enough to visit 80 countries to date, though there are many more that she is itching to reach. While the strength of a region's food scene tends to dictate the location of her next trip, she can be equally swayed by the promise of interesting landscapes and offbeat experiences. And with a small person now in tow, travel looks a little different these days, but it remains at the front of her mind.
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The iconic Victorian beach where true Aussie surf culture was born

    Craig TansleyBy Craig Tansley
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    Torquay’s Bells Beach is considered one of the best surf beaches in the world.

    It’d be easy to think Australian surf culture was born around the right-hand point breaks of the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. These regions seem the epitome of how the world views Aussie surfers – bronzed (or burnt), languishing in warm water and sunshine. The reality is a lot different.

    The rise of surf culture along Victoria’s coastline

    surfers at Bells Beach in Australia
    Surfers stand on the shore at Bells Beach, where the country’s biggest surfing competition is held each year. (Image: Getty/Filed Image)

    True Aussie surf culture was born on the chilly waves of Victoria’s winters, when huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean hit cliff-lined beaches along the Great Ocean Road . These beaches were the ultimate proving ground – surfers from all over Australia arrived in panel vans and VWs to do battle with the biggest waves they could find.

    huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach
    Surfers take advantage of the huge swells from the Great Southern Ocean at Bells Beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    There are surf breaks all along this very picturesque coast – but those around Torquay were most revered. The ultimate test of a surfer’s ability – and durability – however, was Bells Beach: Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. Just beyond, the breaks at Jan Juc and Winkipop beckoned.

    an aerial view of surfers at Bells Beach
    Hit the waves along the picturesque coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Torquay became surfing’s Silicon Valley: HQ for the entire Australian surf culture revolution. Four young locals worked out of their backyards in Torquay to create two of the world’s biggest surf labels – Rip Curl and Quiksilver , which soon became the region’s biggest employers.

    surfers out at Bells Beach
    Surfers out at Bells Beach, Victoria’s most famous beach. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    Rip Curl started sponsoring the Bells Beach Pro in 1973 – and have done ever since. It’s been going since 1962 – making it the world’s longest continually run surfing contest. Held every Easter, it’s part of the world surfing tour. Spectators line its 30-metre-high cliffs to watch the world’s best take on enormous waves – it’s the ultimate coliseum for the sport and has inspired generations of Aussie surfers to join the list of heroes whose names are on its iconic bell.

    Follow the waves through Victoria’s surfing heartland

    Australian National Surfing Museum, Torquay
    The Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Just behind Torquay’s main drag, you can see all that history on display at the world’s best surf museum – the Australian National Surfing Museum . Here you can take your time absorbing the 100-year-or-so history of Australian surfing and check out the 150-strong surfboard collection.

    surfboards on display at Australian National Surfing Museum
    The museum holds surfing memorabilia, including a room dedicated to the history of boards. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    But classic Aussie surf culture can be observed in everyday life all over the Great Ocean Road and Torquay. Surfing dictates life here; no work is done until the big swells have come and gone. Just being here provides a window into 60-odd years of rebellion against convention; for no-one likes nine-to-five living on the Great Ocean Road.

    surfing memorabilia at Australian National Surfing Museum
    The varied displays celebrate the Bells Beach competition, surfing legends and Aussie surf culture. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    There’s less panel vans and VW Beetles these days, but surf culture still rules life. Surfers run this coast; you’re better off keeping out of their way when they’re running down past you to face the biggest swells – then hear them swap stories at cafes, restaurants and bars all around you.

    surfing at Bells Beach
    The beach near Torquay is Australia’s answer to Hawai‘i’s Pipeline. (Image: Visit Victoria/William Watt)