1. Welcome
Welcome to Philip Island Penguin parade. Philip Island is famous for beautiful beaches, rough cliffs and some of the most unique wildlife in the world. Today, you will see some wonderful beaches and unique Australian wildlife. Main characters of today’s show are cuddly koalas and cute penguins. We’re sure you will have a memorable day. If you have a question or need a help, please tell the driver or the guide anytime. These kind people are always ready to help you. So sit back and relax and you are sure to have a great time with us.
Cranbourne
Cranbourne is one of the fastest growing cities in the suburbs of Melbourne and the countryside of Victoria. Cranbourne was built in 1836 as a local town and it is an agricultural city based on beef cattle and commercial farming of gardening. There are two important facts of Cranbourne. One is that a meteorite fell here in 1860 and the other one is that local horse racing started here in 1867. The horse racing is modern style and training facilities are world class and they hold the Cranbourne Cup and other carnivals too.
Western Port Bay
Before Europeans settled down in this area, various Aborigines had been living near the coastline of Western Port Bay for 10,000 years. These Aborigines lived by hunting and gathering in the sea and land and they ate clams, mutton, birds and plants. Unfortunately because of the settlement of Europeans, the traditional Aboriginal lifestyle was cut off so suddenly. George Bass is the first white person who made a voyage to Western Port Bay in January of 1798. He found Western Port Bay as he failed to cross Bass Strait. It is called Western Port Bay because it was the westernmost bay they found at that time. There are three islands in Western Port Bay. There’s Phillip Island which is the most famous, French Island which is less known and Churchill Island. French Island is named by French expedition in 1802. Soldiers and prisoners from Sydney were dispatched and settled in Western Port Bay to stop the French to ask for this land. As Churchill Island is a small island, you can go into Churchill Island crossing the bridge from Philip Island. This was the first farming area in Victoria where cultivation started in 1801.
San Remo
San Remo was named after a city in Italy in 1840. This is the gateway to Phillip Island through a pier from land. The pier headed to Phillip Island is connected by the central area of San Remo where Newhaven is. This 1km long pier opened in 1969 and the suspension bridge supporting only 6 tons was replaced. Its weight limit was so low that tourist buses had to unload before they crossed. San Remo is a famous fishing village where the biggest shark-hunting ship in Australia is. This dock makes it easier to go into Western Port Bay and Bass Strait.
Phillip Island
The traditional owner of Phillip Island was the Aboriginal tribe of Bunurong. They ate clams and plenty of mutton and birds for the staple food and lived on Phillip Island for around 10,000 years. The first Europeans finding Phillip Island were George Bass and Mathew Flinders. They were sailing to determine the assumption that there is water between Tasmania and the Australian mainland. They named it Snapper Island after the fish, Snapper. Afterward, its name changed to Phillip Island which was the name of the first governor, Captain Arthur Phillip. The settlement of Phillip Island started from 1820 as 21 soldiers and a group of prisoners were sent. However, because of the water shortage, their settlement replaced to the eastern coastline of Western Port Bay on the mainland. The first permanent settlement started from 1842. The McHaffie brothers took out a lease on farming and they ran a sheep ranch successfully. 165 settlers had been living here until 1872. Although fishing and farming started, the population of Phillip Island decreased to less than 50 until 1902 because of a long drought. The real development of this island started in 1920 as the path to the penguin group was built. Tourists arrived through ferry service and explored this huge island by horses. At present, there are about 7,000 people living on Philip Island. In summer, it increases up to 50,000 because of vacationers. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Victoria, where 3.5 million of tourists come through every year. There is also the Australian grand prix motorcycle race every year, plus many cafes and restaurants on the island. Tourists come to experience amazing and unique wildlife and wild plants as well as beaches, rough cliffs and so on.
Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve
Koalas are an indigenous animal whose name means “no drink.” Koalas get all their water nutrients from eating Eucalyptus leaves. The Koalas that are found in Victoria are much darker and bigger than the ones that can be found in New South Wales and Queensland. The koala is a marsupial and carries it’s babies inside it’s pouch for 6-7 months. Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day, and for the rest of their time they spend it eating eucalyptus leaves. Koalas eat about 500g of leaves a day.
Cowes
Cowes is the main town on Phillip Island and it is located on the northern coastline. It used to be known as Mussel Rocks but in 1865, a government surveyor, Henry Cox named it after the name of resort in England when he was on the Isle of Wight. The town’s dock built in 1870 was the main destination before the first bridge from San Remo to Phillip Island was built in 1940. In Cowes, there is a beautiful beach facing Western Port Bay and you could overlook French Island and Morning Peninsula. There are many shops, cafes and restaurants in this town.
Nobbies Australian Fur Seals
At Nobbies, you could see the grand scenery of this coastal wonder. You can also see a group of seals of the coast and walk among groups of seabirds. The Nobbies were named after the unique shaped Nobbie rock at the end of the east of Point Grant beach. On the boardwalk, if you look through a telescope, you can see the biggest group of fur seals in Australia. They live about 1500m near the Seal rock beach. The number of seals is between 10,000 and 20,000. Seals are mammals and they can’t breathe in the water. Unfortunately, the most threatening thing for seals is man. People in 1800’s hunted seals to the point where they nearly became extinct. Now, they are protected by the law though they’re often killed by nets or plastic debris.
Penguin parade
Penguin Parade is one of the most popular wildlife attractions in Australia. Every year, 500,000 people come to see the Penguin Parade. This area received honorable mention from the world for study and preservation. Penguin Parade started from 1920’s in Summerland. Now, there is a huge centre which has a cafe, souvenir shop, small theater and an information centre. The Penguin Parade has won many tourist prizes.
Little Penguins
There are 17 penguin species in the world. The Phillip Island "Little Penguins" are the smallest of the species. They are on average, 30cm tall and 1kg in weight. These animals wake up 2 hours before sunrise daily to head out to the ocean to go fishing. These birds cannot breathe underwater, they are good natural divers and can hold their breath for about 45 seconds while going to depths of 10 meters. After a long day fishing, the penguins return to the safety of their burrows. They must return at sunset to avoid being in sight of predators such as hawks and eagles.Penguins lay eggs usually between the months of August and November. They produce two eggs and the male and females take turns warming the eggs which usually take about 35 days to hatch. After this, the chicks stay in the burrows until they are big enough to go into the ocean and fish for themselves. The number of little penguins around the southern coast of Australia are in decline and people are the primary cause. Oil Sspils, plastic, garbage, dogs, cats, foxes and cars also threaten the little penguin. The latest reduction in the number of penguins is caused by hunger which is due to humans overfishing the water ways where the penguins hunt their food.
Other Tours
We hope you enjoyed your day on Phillip Island. Autopia Tours also offers amazing day tours to Great Ocean Road, Grampians, Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula. The Great Ocean Road is one of the most beautiful coastal drives. Visit and see world famous attractions such as the Surf Coast, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and so on. Grampians National Park is a giant national park which is full of aboriginal history, Australian wildlife, fantastic rock types and a waterfall.
