Holiday playground on Phillip Island
DANNY GOCS
PHILLIP Island is a popular summer holiday playground about 130 kilometres south of Melbourne.
In summer the island’s population swells from 7500 to about 40,000, but one attraction that’s popular all year round is the penguin parade. This takes place nightly at sunset as hundreds of penguins come ashore and waddle across the beach to their burrows.
You can watch from the stands on the beach or book the Penguin Sky Box package and enjoy a private viewing experience from the comfort of an elevated viewing tower, with expert commentary from a ranger.
Another popular Phillip Island nature attraction is a cruise to Seal Rocks, home to a large fur seal colony off the south-western tip of the island.
The Kasey Lee, a catamaran operated by Wildlife Coast Cruises, takes an hour to reach the colony, where it drifts among hundreds of inquisitive seals that frolic around the boat.
Seal Rocks is home to thousands of seals, many sunbathing on the rocks and around the island’s solitary deserted hut.
Anyone who loves chocolates should make a stop at the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory where a smorgasbord of quality chocolates are made on the premises under the eye of chocolate lover Panny. You can even try a Vegemite chocolate!
There’s also a chocolate museum with artworks made out of chocolates, including a Dame Edna mural created out of 12,000 truffles and a life-size statue of Michelangelo’s David.
There’s also a chocolate vending machine that looks like something out of Willy Wonka.
Silverwater Resort is the ideal base for couples and families, situated on the outskirts of San Remo just a few kilometres from the bridge to Phillip Island.
The resort is spread over 8.5 hectares, so even though there are 170 apartments ranging in size from one bedroom to three bedrooms, plus hotel-style resort rooms, it has a spacious feeling.
Guest facilities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, floodlit tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, a games room and a kids’ playground.
The apartments are spacious with a fully-equipped kitchen that includes dishwasher and microwave, dining room, air conditioning, TV with movies and cable channels.
Ground floor apartments have garden terraces while the first-floor and second-floor apartments have a verandah with views of the ocean or the countryside.
The resort’s restaurant, Watermark, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is popular with the locals as well as guests. It has an extensive menu that caters for families.
Silverwater Resort opened in 2007 and the four-and-a-half-star property has become a family favourite within easy driving distance from Melbourne.
For more information:
www.silverwaterresort.com.au
www.penguins.org.au
www.wildlifecoastcruises.com.au
www.phillipislandchocolatefactory.com.au
www.visitphillipisland.com
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