Phillip Island

I saw a number of wallabies on the island.

The Nobbies Peninsula.

Adam and Leora, from Caulfield Junior College.

Pyramid Island on the peninsula.

Beautiful Smiths Beach on the south shore, which is rougher than the north.

Saturday, February 13^th. Got organized, packed the car and headed out of town to Phillip Island. This island is about a two hour drive south of Chelsea. I programmed my GPS (have to use the name of a specific place, for example a motel I know that is on the island) and away I went. I was concentrating on driving on the left side and sticking to the speed limit (there are lots of cameras here) so I didn't think twice when the GPS said I would arrive in less that an hour. Even as I drove along and the roads got smaller and the route seemed to get convoluted, it didn't really dawn on me that a road to Phillip Island would be more well traveled and of better quality, afterall this is a major destination for Melbourne cottagers. It wasn't until I arrived at the destination and I realized that it was to a pedestrian ferry that took me to the island instead of a bridge. I went up to the official at the ferry and said “I'm in the worry place for the bridge aren't I?” and he said “Did you come by GPS?” Apparently it happens a lot. The GPS takes you to the closest end of the island but the bridge is at the opposite end, an hour and a half away. (If you are interested in what I am talking about use Google Maps and enter Phillip Island, Victoria).

Anyway, I drove around the bay and onto the island. I decided to go to the north shore first and stopped at Rhyll for lunch. I enjoyed a steak sandwich and met a retired Englishman who was out having lunch to escape his daughter and son-in-law and two young grand kids. We chatted about Australia and traveling around.

From there I drove around the island and through the town of Cowes, which is the biggest town on the island. Then I went to Smith Beach and hung around there for a couple of hours. Next I headed towards Summerlands where the Penguin Parade happens nightly, and to Nobbies, the end point of the island. When I was driving around I saw two large concrete bleachers and thought at first they were for watching surfing competitions, before I realized they were for people to watch the Penguin Parade.

I continued along the peninsula and arrived at the Nobbies Centre. This is a just a pavilion with a souvenir shop and snack food, but the views on the other side of it of the peninsula were stunning. I was walking along the boardwalk with other tourists happily taking photos when I ran into Leora from Cauldfield Junior College who was there with her boyfriend and a Norwegian student they were showing around. I told her I was going to try to find an accommodation for the night so I could go to Wilson Promontory National Park tomorrow without having to go back to Chelsea and drive back this way. She told me they had rented a cottage on the island for the night and invited me to stay with them. Perfect!