Gippsland & Phillip Island accommodation
Visit the famous Penguin Parade and the Koala Centre on Phillip Island, then explore the beautiful coastal scenery from Wilson’s Promontory to the Gippsland Lakes. Enjoy some of the best beaches in Victoria and don’t forget to sample the wonderful gourmet produce from the Gippsland Gourmet Country region. Destination Phillip Island and Destination Gippsland are famed for their natural attractions and abundant wildlife. Stretching from Melbourne’s suburban fringe east to the start of the Gippsland Lakes, and inland from Mt Baw Baw to Wilsons Promontory there is an incredible diversity of landscapes – from snow-capped mountains to lush rolling hills and wide sandy beaches.
With some of the best surf and swimming beaches in Victoria, Phillip Island has a reputation as a family coastal getaway. Here, you can see little penguins waddling up Summerland Beach each night, Australian fur seals cavorting around the Nobbies and koalas at close range in their natural habitat. Gippsland is gourmet food country, filled with wineries, cheese-growers, markets and fruit and berry farms. When you’re not dining and wining, explore the historic gold towns and maritime villages like Walhalla and Port Albert. Bushwalking tracks score the area, while national parks and wetlands are richly endowed with bird and plant life.
The Australian mainland’s southernmost point, Wilsons Promontory National Park (known locally as ‘The Prom’) has incomparable bush and coastal scenery.At Coal Creek Heritage Village, you’ll discover a recreation of the coal-mining shafts, farm buildings and shops of early South Gippsland, while further on, the sands of the seemingly endless Ninety Mile Beach promise solitude, secluded camping and plenty of fishing.
Fed by five major rivers , the Gippsland Lakes provide ample opportunities for swimming, fishing, boating and sailing. But outdoor activities are just part of the area’s appeal. You can dine al fresco , have a family picnic by the river, or take a stroll through the waterfront villages of Paynesville, Metung or Lakes Entrance, where the lakes system meets the sea.
The region’s jewel in the crown is Croajingolong National Park. Recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a World Biosphere Reserve, it has more than 1,000 kilometres of pristine coastline and hinterland.
