We woke up to a cold morning in Glenrowan and hit the road early. It was getting colder and windier as we headed south.
The Hume Highway was very bumpy in some parts and caused the vans TV antenna to break. We only noticed it when we stopped for lunch. Steve taped it up but it broke again. The second time it was hanging off the side of the van so Steve saw it from the car. More tape. Made it to the Caravan Park. It’s been added to Steve’s list of jobs.
We arrived at the island early that afternoon. We were staying in Cowes and the caravan park we were staying in (Amaroo Park) was in a perfect location, close to the shops, restaurants and the esplanade.
It was cold, windy and showery so there was a need for a wind break, Ugg boots, jackets and beanies! And a perfect night for penguin watching on the beach.
We chose to do The Ultimate Tour because you head out to a beach with only 10 other people and a guide.
We started with an information session to learn a bit about the penguins and the other wildlife we need to look out for on the tour. We were hoping to see some bilbys (which were introduced onto Phillip Island from mainland Victoria-Google it) along with wallabies, Cape Barren Geese (which are everywhere on the island and very pretty) and Shearwaters. And we saw them all! A bilby ran across in front of us when we were on the beach.
On our way to the beach the guide gave us lots of information about the penguins and the Native Parks efforts to save the penguins. The conservation area was originally a housing estate. The government bought back all the houses to create the conservation area and save the penguins.
We were given some night vision scopes and a radio for the guide’s commentary, a vest so we wouldn’t get lost, a red torch for our safety and not to shine at the penguins and a padded cushion/chair for comfort while we waited. An arctic jacket would have been a welcome addition! It was super windy and very cold! I was so thankful I was the only smart one with a beanie.
So we sat and waited. And they came! You could hear them coming. The noise they made (according to our guide) was huck. Such a cute sound. The guide estimated that at least 100 penguins walked by us. They would stop as they came out of the water to check for danger. They come in at sunset because the predatory birds have gone to nest for the night but they always stop to check. Then they all waddle as quickly as they can as a group to their burrows for the night and then the party starts! You can hear them talking to each other.
On our walk back to the centre we continued to hear the penguin party and saw many penguins beside us. We had to be careful not to scare them they were so close. There were burrows everywhere! In one spot on the way back there was a street light with a special filter that was safe for the penguins and other wildlife in the area. With it being a bit brighter we saw a couple of penguins, some Cape Barren Geese and a couple of shearwaters all hanging/partying together. There was probably a wallaby or two in there too. It was a wonderful experience. I loved it!!
The next day it was still cold, windy and showery so it was a day to explore in the car. We drove out to The Nobbies Centre which is out where the penguin parade was. The centre was closed but there was a great boardwalk. There is a blow hole but it wasn’t really blowing which is surprising because everything else was blowing! It was soo cold and windy.
The views out from the boardwalk were amazing. The cliff and rocks were so rough and rugged. There were penguin burrows all along the cliff side. It would have been a very difficult waddle for a penguin.
One of the burrows had a penguin! You could just see it. It was easy to spot because there were feathers at the entrance and poop. It is currently malting season for the penguins so the feathers at the entrance were a good indication that someone might be at home.
Next we went to a wetland area called Swan Lake. Yes there were swans! There was a viewing area which was a building with shutters to lift up. But the other water birds weren’t easy to spot without binoculars. Again, there were lots penguin burrows!
Pyramid Rock was our next stop. It was a short walk out to a look out. Much the same as the boardwalk at The Nobbies. But! We saw an echidna up really close. Very cool!!
We drove by the Grand Prix Circuit. We saw a lot of old hotted up cars on the way to Phillip Island and around town. It was the Labour Day Long Weekend so the Classic Cars race was on.
We continued on to see Churchill Island. It was a farm that you could pay money to go through but we decided lunch was a better option.
On the way back to Cowes we stopped in at the Chocolate Factory. You could pay for a tour but we just wanted chocolate! And it was very good chocolate.
It was a great day checking out the island.
On our last day the weather was good so we went for a bike ride. There was a great bike path along the foreshore and through the wetlands.
We came out at Rhyll which was a lovely fishing town. We stopped for a drink and a potato cake snack. Steve almost asked for a scallop then remembered we were in Victoria.
We rode back via the Koala Conservation Centre which was the highlight of the day and maybe even the trip! We were very lucky and saw some koalas up really close. There weren’t many people so it was super quiet. The big male was making a loud bellowing noise. It was a mating call. It was amazing.
We rode back to Cowes via the pub. Such a great ride on our last day on the island- 27 Kms. We earned our wine and chocolate.
Phillip Island was a great start to the trip. We saw so much wildlife! Penguins, the very pretty Cape Barron Geese, wallabies, an echidna, swans and other water birds and my favourite the koalas.
