During a recent trip to Melbourne we rented a car and headed down to Phillip Island. The drive, which takes about two hours once off the freeway, was a journey in itself with rolling green hills, glimpses of the coastline, and a stop at Gundies Winery for a sip of something special.

Our first stop was Flynns Beach, where a walk to the historical jetty was like stepping into a postcard. The waves lapped gently against the shore, a salty breeze filling the air and the horizon stretching endlessly ahead. Then onto the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory, because what’s a road trip without indulging in handcrafted chocolates?

Churchill Island Heritage Farm was a place that instantly slowed the mind. Cape Barren geese strutted about while highland cattle, with their long horns and shaggy coats, lazed in the grassy paddocks. We wandered through the heritage precinct, stopping to watch sheep shearing and working dogs herding with precision. The café’s deck, overlooking Western Port Bay, was the perfect place to breathe it all in.

Phillip Island’s greatest gift is its walking tracks. Nature here is untamed, powerful, and breathtaking. The Cape Woolamai Circuit Walk is one of the island’s most iconic walks, leading to the Pinnacles, jagged rock formations rising dramatically from the sea. The track takes you along the island’s most southerly point where the waves crash below with a rhythm only nature understands.

This area is home to the largest colony of short-tailed shearwaters, or mutton birds. These remarkable migratory seabirds travel over 15,000 kilometres between Australia and the Arctic, making one of the longest migrations of any bird in the world. Standing along the Cape Woolamai cliffs at dusk, you can witness thousands of them returning from the sea, a rolling wave of wings filling the sky.

But nothing, absolutely nothing, compares to the magic of the Penguin Parade.

As the sun sets a hush falls over the crowd and then there they are, tiny, determined, utterly captivating. These are Little Penguins, the smallest species of penguin in the world at just 33 centimetres. Unique to southern Australia and New Zealand, Phillip Island is home to one of the largest colonies of these remarkable birds.

Unlike other penguin species that live in icy climates, Little Penguins thrive in Phillip Island’s coastal environment, spending their days fishing in the open ocean before returning at dusk to their burrows. The boardwalks allow you to wander alongside them and it’s a privilege to witness, knowing that your visit helps protect their habitat through Phillip Island Nature Parks’ conservation work.

Another highlight is Seal Rocks, home to Australia’s largest colony of fur seals. If you’re lucky, you might spot them basking on the rocks below, their sleek, dark bodies blending into the landscape. With a pair of binoculars or a visit to the Nobbies Centre’s interactive displays, you can get a closer look at these playful creatures as they tumble through the waves or lounge in the sun.

Phillip Island’s history is as rich as its landscapes. From its early days as a fur seal trading hub to the chicory kilns that still stand as reminders of its farming past, every part of the island tells a story. The development of the first bridge in 1940 changed everything, making the island more accessible and setting the stage for its rise as a tourism hotspot. Motor racing also played a major role in Phillip Island’s appeal, with the circuit hosting events since 1928.

There are plenty of affordable Airbnb’s on the island making Phillip Island not just a great day trip, but an ideal place to stay for a few nights and truly immerse yourself in everything it has to offer.