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Welcome
to new travel horizons - Phillip
Island, Mornington Peninsula
and
the Bays, Victoria, Australia.
Venture
90 minutes south east of Melbourne
and you’ll find a mystical island
of intrigue and tranquillity With
its myriad of natural and man-made
attractions there is much to see
and do on Phillip Island. Bushwalkers,
rock climbers, fishing people, surfers,
fossickers, natural historians and
bird watchers are drawn to the coast
and wetlands. The main town, Cowes,
is active by day and by night provides
fantastic opportunities to dine
in one of the many restaurants along
the Esplanade. The seafood and sea
views are simply superb.
Koalas
live in the trees around the island
and can be seen at the Koala Conservation
Centre where their behaviour can
also be studied. Stroll amongst
the koalas on a treetop boardwalk
Visitors are able to meet koalas
‘face to face’ on the boardwalk
and search for them in the tall
gum trees along scenic bushland
pathways. However, it is undoubtedly
the Penguin Parade that is the highlight
of a visit. As the sun drops below
Bass Strait and the evening sets
in, penguins come ashore at Summerland
Beach to return to their burrows
in the dunes. Each year over half
a million people travel to see the
penguins, who seemingly unaware
of the lights and admiring crowds,
continue to come ashore as their
ancestors have done for thousands
of years.
Located
just off the Nobbies is Australia’s
largest colony of seals and second
major eco-tourism attraction to
complement the Penguin Parade. As
many as I 2,000 seals gather during
the breeding season and their presence
attracts large predators.
Port
Phillip Bay
From
point to point, Port Phillip Bay
and its peninsula’s offer the ideal
setting for a short break close
to Melbourne, Relish bay side cafes,
restaurants and all the sweet delights
of Acland Street, St Kilda before
following the bay side suburbs and
beaches south through Frankston
to the Mornington Peninsula Rich
in natural beauty, the Mornington
Peninsula captivates visitors.
Attracted
by gently rolling hills, kilometres
of sparkling bay beaches, rugged
surf beaches and stunning coastal
scenery holiday makers have made
the Peninsula, Melbourne’s playground.
The Peninsula stretches like a rolling
carpet of green, ending in coastal
holiday villages.
Bay
and ocean beaches are separated
by only a few minutes on this Peninsula,
culminating in the coastal splendour
of the Mornington Peninsula National
Park between Flinders and Point
Nepean. Nearly 40 wineries with
cellar door facilities comprise
Australia’s only wine region where
seascapes and vines combine so closely
in a patchwork of natural colour. |
