Phillip Island, VictoriaFind coastal bliss and some friendly penguins
Whether it's watching penguins toddle up the beach, putting your pedal to the metal on the Grand Prix Circuit or splashing about at the beach, Phillip Island has all the elements for a family holiday that will keep everyone happy. Phillip Island, less than two hours' drive from Melbourne, boasts some fantastic natural attractions - the penguin parade, the Koala Conservation Centre and great swimming and surf beaches. But there's plenty more to see and the island's attractions are within 20 minutes of each other, so you won't have to deal with backseat boredom. Wildlife attractions don't come much cuter than the Penguin Parade, one of Australia's most popular natural attractions. At dusk every evening, you can watch a parade of the world's smallest penguins return from a day's fishing at sea and waddle ashore to their burrows in the sand. There are elevated boardwalks and viewing stands that allow you to watch the penguins without disturbing them. It's a beguiling sight and you'll hear 'aawws' all round. You can find the Penguin Parade 15 kilometres from Cowes, the island's main commercial centre. Phillip Island is also home to a large number of koalas. For another memorable nature encounter, drive to the quiet village of Rhyll on the southeast tip of the island and visit the Koala Conservation Centre. Get up close and personal with these cuddly creatures on the boardwalk, and learn about the important research and conservation work the Centre is doing for them. If you happen to visit Phillip Island between October and December, it's well worth visiting Seal Rocks on the western side of the island, where you can witness a colony of up to 16,000 fur seals in their natural environment. And bird-spotters won't be disappointed here either - you can see shearwaters flying to their nests on Cape Woolamia and plenty of other species at Rhyall Inlet. For a complete change of pace, check out the four-kilometre Grand Prix Circuit. Join the daily tour at 11am and you'll feel the high-adrenaline atmosphere of the Water Gardens, the Race Control Tower, Media Centre and the all-important Pit Lane. The tour ends with a photo on the winners' podium. Two international motorcycling events are now held here - the Superbike World Championships in March and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) in October. If you own a bike, you can follow in the footsteps of motorcycle greats like Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan on designated 'ride days'. When you've had your high-octane thrills, let the children go nuts at one of the island's best man-made attractions, A Maze'N Things, just five kilometres before Cowes. Outside, the gigantic purple tap that seems to be floating mid-air is your first indication that this is no ordinary theme park. Trick yourselves with the interactive illusions, and get absorbed in the many games and puzzles. There's also a huge 3D timber maze, an adventure playground and a golf course. If you can't manage to get through all the activities in a day, you can stay overnight. Elsewhere on the island, there is a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, from luxury B&Bs to farmstays, ocean-front cottages to caravans. You'll also find lots of hotels, apartments and holiday homes in Cowes and San Remo, and there are excellent family restaurants in both towns. You shouldn't miss out on the other attraction of the island: the coast. Phillip Island has over 100 kilometres of beautiful coastline and some of the best surf and swimming beaches in Victoria. You'll find sheltered beaches, great for fishing and swimming, to the north of the island, and wilder ocean beaches along the coastline facing Bass Strait, so there's no excuse for not getting wet. Photos from Phillip Island
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