How to Get to Phillip Island
Overview: Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia, is only 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. The route is simple and direct with no difficult turns or small streets. It is very well signposted along the entire journey. Most of the drive is on recently completed divided road, with two lanes in each direction for your comfort and safety.
Driving Instructions: Travel from Melbourne on the South Eastern Freeway (the toll way applies only for the first inner city area) for appx 45 minutes. After you pass signs indicating Dandenong just keep going, a few kilometres straight on and you will see large green freeway signs clearly indicating a turn off from the left lane to Phillip Island.
You are now on the start of the South Gippsland Highway which will take you all the way (another hour appx) to a large roundabout with very clear signs indicating "turn right at roundabout" to Phillip Island. Turn right like the sign says. From then on its straight ahead, through San Remo fishing village, over the bridge and you are on Phillip Island!
A Brief History of Phillip Island
Phillip Island was first discovered when George Bass entered Westernport Bay in January of 1798. However long before this it had for thousands of years been part of the lands roamed by the Bunurong people, the coastal to inland indigineous people of Australia.
Bass returned with Matthew Flinders later in 1798, landing at Rhyll on Phillip Island. It was George Bass who gave the Island the name "Snapper Island", and a memorial to this landing is maintained just near the pier in Rhyll. It's well worth a visit!
In the early 1800's the Island received its current name of Phillip Island after the then colonial Governor. However it wasn't until the 1840's that the McHaffie family, the first permanent settlers, took up residence on Phillip Island with a pastoral lease that covered the entire island. By the 1870's more than a 160 settlers were calling Phillip Island home.
And so Phillip Island grew and prospered, becoming the home of the Australian Grand Prix for cars in 1928 and later the place where the Armstrong 500, the forerunner to the Bathurst 1000 would be held. The Little Penguins (fairy penguins) who are native to Phillip Island were soon also bringing in many thousands of tourists to watch their nightly return from the sea.
To protect and promote the natural wonders and wildlife of Phillip Island, the Phillip Island Nature Park was formed in the late 1990's, combining the resources and management of the Penguin Parade, the Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island and many other important places on Phillip Island.
We hope you enjoy your visit to Phillip Island, and anything we can do to assist you plan your holiday, trip or accommodation - or any enquiry at all you may have - just contact us using our 7 Day a Week online contact service! Thankyou and once again, welcome to Phillip Island!
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Welcome to Phillip Island!
