Event: Australia

Phillip Island Nature Park

When:	Daily
Where:	Phillip Island Nature Park

Phillip Island, southeast of Melbourne, is a popular holiday destination with both a great nature reserve and a motorcycle grand prix circuit.

Whilst the racing attracts its share of visitors, ecotourism is the bigger attraction, with sandy beaches for surfing, tranquil wetlands where you can see prolific bird life, little penguins, seals and koalas, and plenty of walks to take in the natural beauty of the island.

There are tracks for both walkers and cyclists which run around the island's inlets and bays, whilst Cape Woolamai and Smiths Beach are good for surfing, snorkelling and diving. Visitors can hire mountain bikes or sea kayaks, take surf lessons or sign up to an eco-activity (looking at rockpools, wetlands, beaches and the bush).

Without a doubt, the most popular attraction on the island are the little penguins, which return to the shore every sunset after a day's fishing and waddle up the sand dunes to their homes. There are viewing stands, boardwalks and various displays with information about their habitat. The Penguin Parade is also one of the best places to view the coastal scenery.

Other highlights include: the Koala Conservation Centre; the small Churchill Island where Victoria's first crops were planted; The Nobbies, a headland with great views of the rugged coastline; Pyramid Rock, with 400-million year-old granite and 50-million year-old volcanic basalt; Swan Lake, the only freshwater lake on the island; Rhyll Inlet, a great place to view wading birds, and the ancient pink granite of Cape Woolamai.