Maru Koala and Animal Park
The first time I cruised into Maru Koala and Animal Park, I was chugging along the Bass Highway, heading towards Phillip Island. As Oleksandr Honcharenko, I stepped out of the ute and was hit with that unmistakable fresh eucalyptus scent – the real deal aroma you get where koalas and gum trees thrive. You come here for the wildlife presentations, the keeper talks, and to get up close […]
Seal Rocks, Phillip Island
I put this Seal Rocks, Phillip Island guide together after another afternoon battling the wind and squinting at rocky outcrops offshore. For the umpteenth time, I was struck by the fact that the Australian fur seals are the ones giving the orders around here. I’m Oleksandr Honcharenko, and after years of roaming some of Australia’s […]
Seaside Cowes
I’ve found that the best way to get a feel for a place is by wandering its streets with no real plan in mind, and Cowes has slipped into that same sense of aimlessness for me – dusty boots, coffee in one hand, and a gull trying to steal my chips. As someone who’s made […]
Westernport Bay
Exploring Westernport Bay wasn’t even on the radar when I accidentally stumbled upon it. I’d taken a wrong turn trying to avoid the Gippsland hills, and next thing I knew, my GPS had frozen, and I was staring out at this tidal mudflat shimmering in the fading light of an afternoon sun. And then there […]
Peaceful Newhaven
Newhaven had a gentle vibe that’s always made me think of Phillip Island’s softer side – a peaceful little town tucked into Western Port Bay where the tide creeps in at a snail’s pace & the breeze carries salt & eucalyptus scents. I ended up in Newhaven after a long run down the Bass Coast, the […]
Ventnor Beach
Many of my top Phillip Island memories are actually tied up with the quieter spots, and Ventnor Beach has been my go-to destination for years now. I’ve lost count of how many still winter mornings I’ve spent wandering its sand flats, watched as the high tide inched its way in like a slow creeping wave […]
Phillip Island Wildlife Park
The Phillip Island Wildlife Park Guide is a regular favourite in my notebook now – I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve ducked between that wildlife park and the Koala Conservation Reserve, and finished off the day with a Penguin Parade at Summerland Beach – watching those little penguins scurry home under the evening […]
Nobbies Centre
Most days on the road are predictable—but then there are moments when you find yourself standing on the clifftops at the Nobbies Centre, with the Bass Strait wind whipping past, reminding you just how wild this coastline can be. The Nobbies Centre on Phillip Island is one of those places where natural beauty, wildlife, and […]
Phillip Island Penguin Parade
The moment I stepped onto the boardwalk to watch the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, I knew what all those travellers were going on about, like some dusty old story passed down over a campfire. I’m Oleksandr Honcharenko, and I’ve trudged through more deserts and poor excuses for roads than I can count. But few wildlife […]
Discover Summerlands
Most of my trips to the coast have been pretty memorable dont you think, but one place really stands out – Summerland Phillip Island. I’m Oleksandr Honcharenko, and I’ve spent enough time driving down long stretches of Aussie dirt tracks to know when a place’s got some real character to it, and the Summerland Peninsula […]