Phillip Island (Victoria, Australia)

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Phillip Island Information

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Only 140km distance from Melbourne, and with a milder climate, Phillip Island is probably the top natural attraction in Australia. The wide range of accommodation, restaurants and man made attractions are first class, and the natural attractions are Internationally renowned.

Whether it be a day trip, or a few nights stopover, the Island has many areas of interest for all ages. When you get to the Island, the first stop is a visit to the Information Centre. Here you will find a wealth of local knowledge and information, about the best way to spend your time and discover the diverse range of exhibitions, entertainments and craft centres.

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Visit the spectacular and popular Penguin Parade, Australia's second most visited natural attraction. Or the Koala Conservation centre, and learn about their behaviour in their natural habitat. Take a cruise to Seal Rocks or French Island, go to Rhyll and visit the Maritime museum with local artefacts and a large shell collection. Visit the Heritage Centre and the Clock Museum and don't forget the natural attractions like "The Nobbies", "The Blowhole", Cape Woolamai and Seal Rocks.

There are a number of other attractions on this Island, including a World famous Motor Sports Track for cars and motorbikes. So timing is everything to either catch or avoid the motor oil fumes and extra crowds of petrol heads there.

The state of Victoria's biggest privately owned Wildlife reserve is also on Phillip Island, where you can feed much of the local wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies and emus. They also have tree top boardwalks for the viewing of the sleepy koalas.

Phillip Island is also well renown for its surfing and fishing. There are also wineries and great seafood to check out.

Australia's largest colony of fur seals also calls the area home and there are viewing areas and cruises available to get a closer look at these as well.

However the large amounts of seals and penguins, means that the island is also well renown for its resident sharks as well.

It's ease of access to the major city of Melbourne and its many and varied attractions have meant that Phillip Island has become one of the major tourist destinations of Australia, and no trip down under would be complete without at least a daytrip to this wonderful part of the country.

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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra

Australia - New South Wales - Sydney

Australia - Tasmania - Hobart

Australia - Western Australia - Perth

Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).

The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.

Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.

In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.

The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.

But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.

The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.

The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.

Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.

The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers.