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The Pinnacles.JPG)
KnobbiesYou go to Philip Island essentially to see the little penguins. For the modest sum of $20 per person (general seating) you get to sit on a lonely, cold beach and wait for the little darlings to arrive after sunset. With their stomachs full of fish and with no time to wait groups (flocks) of them waddle up the beach and then disappear into the bush to then find their nest (a burrow in the ground) among the hundreds dotting the hillsides. At the nest site they regurgitate the fish for the youngsters and vocalize with their neighbours. The first night we went it hailed. With the wind blowing a gale the ice pellets really hurt. We came home satisfied but cold, wet and with tiny strange red marks all over our bodies. We went a second night for free as our tickets hadn’t been scanned the night before. Was this Australian laxity or did they have pity on us? Anyways the second night was cool but dry. As the little penguins took their time appearing we ventured onto the boardwalks near their nests and were treated to a magical display, dozens of little penguins waddling up the grassy slopes to their nests within a couple of metres (oblivious to us) and with no pushy, camera-ready tourists to worry about.
Philip Island is also known for its desolate coastal scenery with rocky outcrops, thunderous surf and sublime beaches and during winter time, no tourists. We did however do the tourist thing and visited the Knobbies rock formations (it hailed again), Woolamai Beach where Benoit misjudged a rogue wave and ended up walking barefoot and with soggy jeans. Forty minutes of the Woolamai Beach walk and we arrived at the Pinnacles rock formation. I would say even more impressive than Knobbies.
There is also other wildlife on the island to be found at the koala conservatory, the mutton bird rookeries, the pelican feeding at Saint Remo, and the seal colonies just off shore. Other strange animals include sheep and cattle, parrots, lorikeets and several beach bum hippie types on the main street. Great fish and chips at the colonial style pub on the main street! We ate chips for a week.
Philip Island is situated approximately a two hour drive South of Melbourne. Arriving from the North it is preferable to go left or South-East to circumnavigate the city centre. You could go right but you may have to swim part of the way to reach the island.
Philip Island is also known for its desolate coastal scenery with rocky outcrops, thunderous surf and sublime beaches and during winter time, no tourists. We did however do the tourist thing and visited the Knobbies rock formations (it hailed again), Woolamai Beach where Benoit misjudged a rogue wave and ended up walking barefoot and with soggy jeans. Forty minutes of the Woolamai Beach walk and we arrived at the Pinnacles rock formation. I would say even more impressive than Knobbies.
There is also other wildlife on the island to be found at the koala conservatory, the mutton bird rookeries, the pelican feeding at Saint Remo, and the seal colonies just off shore. Other strange animals include sheep and cattle, parrots, lorikeets and several beach bum hippie types on the main street. Great fish and chips at the colonial style pub on the main street! We ate chips for a week.
Philip Island is situated approximately a two hour drive South of Melbourne. Arriving from the North it is preferable to go left or South-East to circumnavigate the city centre. You could go right but you may have to swim part of the way to reach the island.
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