Phillip Island is a wild, surf-battered island about 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne, reached via the Bass Highway and a short bridge crossing. It is best known for the nightly Penguin Parade at Summerland Beach, where hundreds of little penguins waddle ashore at dusk to their burrows in the dunes — book ahead, as it draws crowds.
Beyond the penguins, the island has some of the best surf beaches in Victoria: Woolamai is the pick for experienced surfers, with powerful swells rolling in from the Southern Ocean, while Smiths Beach is gentler for beginners and Cat Bay a quieter alternative. The Nobbies headland at the western tip has boardwalks overlooking a fur-seal colony on Seal Rocks, there are koalas at the Conservation Centre, and the island hosts the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix each year. In summer the beaches fill with Melbourne day-trippers, so arrive early — or stay overnight.