Escape To These Phillip Island Camping And Glamping Spots

There’s a plethora of different camping and glamping options on Phillip Island – here we explore some of the Bass Coast isle’s best.

Family favourite Phillip Island has long lured holidaymakers to its shores with the promise of sea, sand, surf and (sometimes) sun. Plot your escape to this summer playground with our guide to the best Phillip Island camping and glamping spots, most of which are pet-friendly outside of peak season to boot.

The Sheltered Glamping Co

You won’t be left wanting with a stay at one of The Sheltered Glamping Co’s souped-up tents. The eco-conscious operator’s canvas bell tents come equipped with queen-sized beds, lighting, a heater, speakers, USB ports, power points, a kettle and a range of teas and coffee, plus access to a private outdoor heated shower and composting toilet, and a communal day tent.

Or you can opt for its super spacious, fully furnished safari tent, known as Emperor, home to a wood-fired hot tub that sits under the stars, an indoor wood-burning fireplace, a four-poster queen-sized bed and a king-sized bed hidden in a nook; it also has a fully equipped kitchen and Weber barbecue. Pitched on a tranquil and remote pocket of the island, you’ll find wallabies and echidnas roaming freely in these parts.

Address: Ventnor

NRMA Phillip Island Holiday Park

Not only is this NRMA Phillip Island Holiday Park situated just metres from the sea – with some of its powered camping sites located right on the waterfront – but it’s also only a 15-minute walk from the thick of the action in Cowes.

The pet- and family-friendly park is known to keep its facilities immaculately clean, and it has a few to offer: from a kid’s playground to a communal wood-fired pizza oven and fire pit, a barbecue area, a recreation room with arcade games and a TV, and even a herb garden that guests can use.

Glamping is also on offer here. The park’s handful of safari tents are just steps from Cowes Beach, delivering unobstructed sea views. And there’s perhaps no spot better to enjoy them from than the solitude of your own private, partially sheltered outdoor clawfoot bathtub. Other features include an electric fireplace, an en suite bathroom, and an outdoor deck with a barbecue.

Address: 164 Church St, Cowes

BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island

Located at the far western edge of the isle, just minutes from the bridge that connects Phillip Island with the mainland, and adjacent to the sprawling bushland of the Phillip Island Coastal Reserve, this Ingenia Holidays park is great for those who want to get away from it all. There’s also direct access to one of Phillip Island’s many beaches. If you’re craving a bit more civilisation, the shops, cafes and restaurants of Newhaven lie just 500 metres away; or you can walk across the bridge itself, to spend the morning or evening exploring the bigger mainland town of San Remo.

In terms of facilities, you’ll find all the usual suspects here: an adventure playground, a basketball ring, a games room, a TV and recreation room, a modern camp kitchen and undercover electric barbecues. But over and above that, the BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island also provides a seasonal outdoor cinema, a jumping pillow, and pedal cars for hire.

Address: 24 Old Bridge Dr, Newhaven

Amaroo Park Phillip Island

The holiday park located perhaps the closest to Cowes, just two blocks from the main street, Amaroo is in a prime position for those who like to be slap-bang in the centre of things. Unlike many of the other holiday parks on the island, this one boasts its own solar-heated saltwater outdoor pool, surrounded by chairs and loungers. A quiet site, with fewer facilities catering directly to kids than other parks, Amaroo is arguably aimed more at couples and friends, or those with older children rather than little ones.

Address: 97 Church St, Cowes

Anchor Belle

Located just on the edge of Cowes, and only 100 metres from the beach, family-owned and operated Anchor Belle ticks a lot of boxes and proves a big hit with kids: there’s an indoor heated swimming pool that’s perfect for Victoria’s unpredictable weather, plus a jumping cushion, a multi-purpose ball court, a playground, a recreation room, and a games room. Adults, meanwhile, will love the gas pizza oven, the park’s two hectares of greenery and bushland, the shady grassed sites, the accommodating and amiable staff, the clean facilities, and the good water pressure in the showers.

Address: 272 Church St, Cowes

Discover the best things to do on Phillip Island

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

The best camping and glamping on Phillip Island