Just over an hour from Melbourne, Phillip Island is an island in the State of Victoria famous for its extraordinary wildlife and windswept coastal scenery. Its best-loved attraction is the Penguin Parade, the evening return of the little blue penguins that troop up the beach to their burrows among the dunes. At the Nobbies and Seal Rocks you can watch one of Australia's largest fur-seal colonies, while Cape Woolamai draws surfers with its powerful waves. The island is also a motorsport heartland thanks to the famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, host of world-championship races. With wild beaches, coastal trails and close encounters with koalas and wallabies, Phillip Island offers an authentic taste of Australian nature.
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Giorno 2 — Phillip Island → Lakes Entrance
A coastal town in the Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, Lakes Entrance takes its name from the natural channel linking the vast Gippsland Lakes lagoon system to the ocean. The long sandy spit of Ninety Mile Beach, reached by a footbridge across the channel, offers endless miles of surf-washed shore. The fishing harbour is the heart of local life, where fresh fish and just-landed seafood are savoured. Between lagoon cruises, kayaking and sunsets over the water, it makes a relaxing stop for travellers along the south-eastern coast.
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Giorno 4 — Lakes Entrance → Canberra
(425km / about 5.5 hours). Departure in the morning driving through the forests of Croajinglong National Park and the countryside of New South Wales until reaching Canberra, the modern Australian capital nestled among the hills. Canberra is the capital of Australia, a planned city set among broad green spaces and the man-made Lake Burley Griffin. The country’s institutional and cultural heart, it is home to Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial and the National Gallery of Australia, which holds one of the continent’s richest art collections. Orderly districts give way to parks and hills, while nature reserves and vineyards stretch across the surrounding countryside. In spring the Floriade festival fills the gardens with millions of flowers. An elegant and surprisingly green city, ideal for those seeking art, history and calm.
