This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Phillip Island.
Phillip Island, on the Mornington Peninsula of Victoria, is a spectacular place to visit -- it is equipped with some of the most amazing wildlife and is abuzz with things to see and do. The top of the list of things to do is the Penguin Parade. It is a good idea to stop off at the visitor center, which is just off to the left after you cross the bridge onto the island. You can purchase your Penguin Parade tickets here; it is best to get in early. It is quite a magnificent sight to watch up to a thousand little penguins run up the beach and into their burrows every night at sunset.
The Nobbies Centre is also good for a visit -- seals frequent the rocks around this area, so you may see some lazing about. There is a koala sanctuary with treetop walks that allow you to get up close to the koalas in the trees as they lounge about, sleep, and eat. And then there is also the Phillip Island Wildlife Park, containing only Australian animals. There is a section with free-roaming emu and kangaroos -- you get a free feed bag upon entry so you can feed the kangaroos and get up close and personal and pet them. At Churchill Island, you can get a feel for how Australian farms were run -- there are exhibitions on old-school farming techniques such as blacksmithing.
The largest town on Phillip Island is Cowes, where all Phillip Island hostels are located. Here you will find a large supermarket and most of the other amenities that you will need. Getting to and around the island without one is very difficult and you won't get the most out of the experiences to be had here on the island. Given that there are so many things to see and do, be prepared to spend a couple of days here if you want to get around it all, and the visitor center will have information on what to see, where everything is, and how to get there.
Written by local enthusiast for Phillip Island hostels
Globetrotter