Phillip Island, where is it?Situated at the entrance of Westernport Bay, 140km from Melbourne, Phillip Island is a year round destination for those who want to “get away from it all”. The Island is 10.300 hectares in size. 
The greatest attraction by far would be the Fairy Penguins on Summerland Beach. When I was a kid, we could sit on the beach and await the Fairy Penguins to arrive in from the sea at dusk. They would come waddling past us and we could take pictures of them. They had just come in from their fishing expedition (whitebait), come to feed their babies housed in their sand dune burrows. Now, they have grandstand type structures to sit on, so not to upset the cute little critters. Bus loads of people come to see this event every single day of the year.
The Nobbies is another attraction for people to view the fur seal colony. The Nobbies is a cluster of tall rocks that the seals sunbathe on. You can view all of this through binoculars. It is truly amazing. There is a tourist centre right there and boardwalks to take you over the sand dunes so you can look out, not just at the seals, but at the birdlife and goings on out at sea.
Nearby is the blowhole, which is spectacular to view in the notorious rough seas off of Phillip Island (that is Bass Strait).
Being the sporting state that Victoria is, (HAHAHA to ‘Whitesnake’ in South Australia) we also have the annual Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. This year it will be held between the 14th and 16th of October. Originally opened in 1956, the 4.5km circuit staged the second round of the 1989 World Championship and has become a rider favourite over the years. The Motorcycle Grand Prix incorporates 6 main categories; MotoGP, Australian Superbikes, Denso Supersports, Glen Cameron Group Aussie 125s, 125cc and 250cc bikes.
Cruising down this way on the weekend this event is held you will be inundated with the hoardes of motorbike riders going along to see the event, and spend the weekend packed with entertainment that comes along with it.
Cowes, Phillip Island.Cowes is a place I stayed when I was a kid, lots of fun in the Sun. Rhyll,is north of the island ( where Oma lived , my other half’s Grandma) and there are quite a few Dutch people who live there. Opa was a great fisherman, there is even a picture of him with a schnapper up in the local Milkbar, the largest schnapper caught to date there yet. He never did tell anyone where his best fishing spot was, but we think we may have found it….although we almost capsized (me 8 months pregnant at the time) in our little boat.
Too much to say about this little place, just go visit it, there are loads of things to do there, and some nice country roads to travel.
17 comments:
MotoGP is a blast to watch...
As for the Island, I want a tiny penguin. I'll even buy a little fridge for it to live in...
Hey, you're cheating. This is geography and history.
Interesting stuff either way.
Look at all those little Napoleans!
Hi Cazzie,
The first Australian Motor GP was held on the island too. I think that was in 1923 or 1927, so it has a long tradition of racing.
Apparently Fairy Penguins are now called Little Penguins. Calling them Fairy Penguins was turning them homosexual, frightening small children or something, according to the do-gooders. As far as I am concerned, Fairy Penguins rock, even if some of them want to have a mardi gras float.
HooRoo
Rebecca
You are getting really good at this Cazzie. You are due a sling from the Vic tourist bureau. For around twenty years my mother took a holiday house at Phillip Island and we either were there when younger or when older, visited. Sorrento, Cowes, Rhyll, Woolamai, stayed at them all, but mostly Cowes.
And Rebecca is correct. The motor car GP started at Phillip Island and then moved to Albert Park in the fifties I think.
Australia should hire you to do their promotional websites Cazzie. And do their ads for magazines and stuff. You're better than most of those travel writers in newspapers and magazines.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Suddenly memories of my grade 6 school camp come rushing back in flurry.
I didn't even know I had these memories tucked away. I couldn't help myself, out came the old photo albums.
Thanks for the history lesson and the spontaneous trip down memory lane it inspired.
Hi Cazzie,
Nice post !! You're lucky you live in a country with a beautiful nature !
Cheers,
Stormin, I want an Oompa-Loompa, LOL.
Trundling Grunt, I am glad you approve :)
Malnurtured Snay, very cute :)
Rebecca, I love the time line..it is all interesting... as far as the fairy penguins go...yep, they ROCK... holleee smoke, they are in the Mardi Gras,,, lol.
Andrew, I love all fo those areas, my best friends ex boyfriend has a farm that overlooks the sea at Woolamai, absolutely treacherous waters but wonderful viewing.
Jay Man, thanks mate :)
Little Miss Kylie, coolness...my son went to Phillip ISland last year for grade 3 camp. SOme new place they went to with a massive swing And a flying fox I believe.
We used to go there as kids, but my hubbies family had a block of land up there at Rhyll, so thye went even more often than I did.
Nice memories for sure... back to times of innocence.
Parisian Cowboy, yes, I feel humbled at what surrounds me. I try to get back to nature as much as possible, I try to stay grounded you know.
Another lovely expedition and I think that it is time that I do something for you...BY the power invested in me I hereby rename your continent CAZMANIA!
I would love to see the pengies and fur seals...and of course where there are seal colonies there are Whites patrolling off the shoreline.
I am always amazed at how comical Pengies appear when they waddle on land in the tuxedo and in the water they are like laser guided missiles that zoom and zizag around in a blurrrrrrrrr.
wow, wish i could visit it all, but alas its to far for me, so will rely on your great views and photos of it all
Cazzie,
Loved the post.
I grew up near roads like your phillip island road photo.
Very interesting. Seems like a great place, Cazzie.
I'm a big fan of the penguin. So graceful in the water, so silly on land.
A fine post, as always. :)
I have rode around most of it on a bike. I do have a phobia of penguins, do to an incident on phillip island.
As a young man i opened a breeding box and was promptly peaked hard on the finger, gave me a huge fright i have ever since been hesitant around penguins.
You missed the Giant earth worm on the way into Phillip island, the tourist draw card that it is. Not to mention the 20 ft great white that lives in and around the nobbies.
But it is a beautiful place, ideal for holidays, and riding (when the wind is down) not to mention dune boarding and surfing:)
Homo Esc, hahaha, Cazmania sunds awesome!!!
Her Indoors, you are welcome, come again :)
Lantern, thanks mate, lovely lovely roads...I grew up at a place called Mount Cottrell, funny really...as the place, apart from the mountain, was dead flat!!
Winters, glad you liked it. They are cute and funny the penguins.
Aidan, that would scare anyone I reckon! Ouch!! Yes, the earthworm is great. I am doing a post on Korumburra, they have the "Karmai Festival"...tribute to the Earthworm..it will be in that post there. I have been to it a few times and it is great fun. My best friend lived in Leongatha, the neighbouring country town, so we would attend the festival each year.
I love reading the places you have been on your bike. The viewing would be great and personal from a bike.
Cazzie...Forgot to tell you,
LOVE your avatar!!!
Love your site sweetie....Galen xo
Post a Comment