Walks and Wineries - Two Day Itinerary
Experience Phillip Island favourites with this two-day guide. Immerse yourself in natural coastal habitats, spotting wildlife and breathing in the fresh open air. When you visit our ecotourism sites, you are supporting the ongoing conservation work that keeps this a special place for all.
Day 1 - Walks and wineries
12:30pm: Explore Cape Woolamai
Begin your Phillip Island getaway by heading to the island’s highest point, Cape Woolamai. Take in the panoramic coastal scenery, native seabirds, and a series of walking tracks from 4–8km, that reveal spectacular cliffs all around. Each walk offers a different experience, from encountering secluded coves to examining historical sites.
To give yourself enough time for lunch, embark on the Pinnacles walk - a 4km trail that takes you through coastal scrub filled with wallabies, down to the impressive volcanic rock formations resembling staircases and columns reaching up to the sky. Once your back on the beach, explore in and around the Pinnacles from the beach on low tide.
3:00pm: Savour local food and wine at Phillip Island Winery
After outdoor adventuring, treat yourself with a reservation at the epicurean Phillip Island Winery, open from Thursday to Sunday. With a delicious seasonal menu, you can delight in the tastes of local produce and freshly caught seafood, paired with one of Gippsland’s finest regional wines. For those wanting souvenirs to take back home, there’s also a wine cellar worth visiting. Check out Phillip Island’s Tasting Trail for more tasty dining options.
Sunset: Little penguins, up close and personal
Experience the Penguin Parade from a new perspective. Our Penguins Plus viewing area offers a more intimate opportunity to observe the world’s largest little penguin colony waddle in across the beach and right past you to their burrows. As the sun goes down, you’ll be treated to the penguins’ nightly routine, as well as all kinds of wildlife activity taking place – from Eastern barred bandicoots and swamp wallabies hopping by, and Cape Barren geese settling into their nests. We recommend booking your tickets in advance and arriving an hour before sunset, as spots are limited for our Penguin Parade experiences.
Day 2 - Island Life
8am: Enjoy smooth surf breaks
Phillip Island's surf breaks are some of the best in the world (if we do say so ourselves). For beginners, YCW Beach offers polite waves and surf lessons for all experience levels, with only one objective in mind: to have fun in a safe, friendly, and inclusive environment. If you’re after a more relaxed morning, stroll along YCW beach to Smiths Beach and back. Enjoy spectacular views, explore the rockpools and finish with a refreshing dip in the waves.
11am: Brunch like a local
All that saltwater activity sure builds up an appetite! Seaside Provider café is where the Newhaven locals come for their morning latte and sweet treats. They use Melbourne roasted Allpress beans, have an array of local produce for take-away and are super trendy.
3:30pm: Discover Forrest Caves
Last, but certainly not least, a secluded surprise for enthusiastic beach explorers that offers differing spectacular experiences at both high and low tide. To locate the caves, start at the Forrest Caves car park, walk up the steps and turn left when you get to the beach. This takes you through large sand dunes, home to thousands of Short-tailed Shearwaters from October to April. Head along the beach until you arrive at the sprawling brown rock formations. The caves are found inside, as they’re formed by the erosion of cliffs over a long period of time. If you’ve arrived at low tide, you can access and explore the caves directly from the beach. If it’s high tide, you can enjoy the scene of powerful curling waves (and any experienced surfers giving them a shot), and walk along the top of the ancient rocks to peek into the caverns below.
