Churchill Island is just a short bridge crossing away from Phillip Island’s eastern shore, in the vicinity of Newhaven and San Remo. Spread out over 50.7 hectares, you’ll find a working heritage farm & old homestead buildings alongside some wonderful wetlands and free coastal walking trails along Western Port Bay.
The moment you set foot on Churchill Island, you notice a marked difference from the rest of Phillip Island. Gone are the bustling wildlife attractions and exposed coast—replaced by open farmland & a distinctly slower pace of life. I’d come here for that contrast alone, even if the farm itself wasn’t so fascinating.
Choose Between The Farm And Free Island
Beyond the entrance you’ll find the original 1872 homestead buildings, two 1860s cottages, heritage gardens, Highland cattle grazing in the paddock & the occasional farming demonstration – cow milking, sheep shearing, working dogs & blacksmithing to name a few. That way, the history of agriculture never feels static.
Or you can just give the farm the flick & head out on the free walking/cycling trails. That leaves you free to explore the wetlands, birdlife & the coastline without a particular agenda to justify your visit.
As of September 2026, entry to Churchill Island Heritage Farm costs $17.50 for an adult and a snip under $9 for a kid under 16; 4-year-olds are free . The $43.75 family ticket for two adults and two kids saves you $9 on what four separate tickets would set you back at $52.50.
Match The Visit To The Time You Have
There is no single useful answer to “how long do you need?” because the farm and walks are separate experiences.
| Time available | Best use of the visit |
|---|---|
| Around 1 hour | North Point Loop or a selective farm visit |
| 1.5–2 hours | Heritage Farm and key farming demonstrations |
| 2–3 hours | Farm plus lunch or a shorter walk |
| Half day | Farm, meal and full coastal circuit |
The 4.5 km Churchill Island Loop takes about two hours on its own. Add the farm and lunch, and a supposedly quick stop becomes half a day.
On a first visit, a farm-plus-one walk is enough. The island may be small, but demonstration times soon expose an overstuffed itinerary.
Walk The Coast Beyond The Farm
The Churchill Island Loop spends its 4.5 km moving between paddocks and the tidal edge of Western Port Bay. Allow about two hours; officially, the route is rated moderate.
Short on time, take the North Point Loop instead. Its 2 km circuit takes roughly an hour, enough to get beyond the farm without surrendering the rest of the day.
About 1 km inside the entrance, Wadjil’garook Wetland brings Bunurong interpretation and bird habitat into the walk.
Offshore is Churchill Island Marine National Park, where Parks Victoria protects about 670 hectares within the Western Port Ramsar site. Tides can shift by as much as 3 metres, uncovering mudflats used by feeding waterbirds. It is one reason the shoreline here never feels like a fixed backdrop.
Time The Farm Activities Properly
The farm currently opens from 10 am to 4.30 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. That last hour is poor value if the demonstrations are part of the reason you came.
On an ordinary weekday, blacksmithing begins at 10.30 am. The afternoon is more concentrated: cow milking at 2.10 pm, sheep shearing at 2.30 pm, working dogs at 2.45 pm and whip cracking at 3 pm. Weekends, public holidays and school holidays bring additional late-morning activities, while A$7 wagon rides generally run during busier periods.
I would choose one demonstration and let the rest of the visit fall around it. Chasing the entire timetable leaves surprisingly little room for the homestead or coast. Check the day’s schedule before setting out, as activities vary.
See The History In The Landscape
Known as Moonar’mia in the Bunurong language, Churchill Island was used by Bunurong people for thousands of years before European settlement.
European agriculture followed early, with wheat and corn planted here in 1801. The later landscape associated with Samuel Amess survives in the 1872 homestead and barn, often referred to in connection with Amess House, and two cottages from the 1860s.
Inside, the homestead runs to 16 rooms, but the number matters less once you step outside. Gardens, agricultural tools, cottages and paddocks still sit in relation to one another. The farm reads as a place that was worked, not a historic house dropped into ornamental grounds.
That distinction gives Churchill Island more depth for adults than its farm-animal image might suggest.
Stop For Breakfast Or Lunch
The Churchill Island Café, officially the Farmhouse Kitchen, sits naturally between the farm and a walk. It opens at 10 am on weekdays and 9 am on weekends, and closes at 4.30 pm; on Churchill Island Farmers Market Saturdays, it starts at 8 am.
The market runs on the first Saturday of each month from 8 am to 1 pm, normally bringing regional food and fresh produce onto the farm grounds. Dates occasionally shift around major events, so check the calendar if the market is driving the visit.
One small budget detail is easy to miss: the cashless café currently adds 10% on Sundays, 15% on public holidays and a 1.5% card surcharge.
Fit It Into Your Island Day
Churchill Island is only about 10 minutes by car from the Phillip Island bridge, with free parking on Samuel Amess Dr Its position near the eastern end of Phillip Island makes it worth seeing early rather than doubling back later.
From here, a day can move west towards the island’s other major stops before the evening Penguin Parade. Koala Conservation Reserve deserves priority if the goal is native wildlife; Nobbies Lookout, near Seal Rocks and its Australian fur seals, offers stronger Bass Strait scenery.
I like Churchill Island precisely because it is not another version of either. The farm, tidal flats and old agricultural landscape provide a quieter chapter in a Phillip Island day, particularly before the more structured evening around the Little Penguin colony.
Know Before You Go
From Melbourne, a car journey to Phillip Island will take you around 90-120 minutes, although you can bet on holiday traffic snarling things up around San Remo and the Phillip Island bridge. V/Line does go as far as Cowes, but unfortunately, that’s not quite the same as having a car, so driving or transferring over is a lot easier.
The farm precinct has car parks and toilets nearby, hard-packed gravel tracks, moderate hills, and sealed break areas, all of which are pretty accessible. The longer walks are described as pram- and wheelchair-friendly, but don’t get too caught up in that, because while the wider circuit is likely to be alright, not every bit of it might suit every wheelchair user.
Sorry, but dogs aren’t welcome, although assistance animals are perfectly fine. Be aware that wind, rain and heat can all play a part in whether or not the longer circuit is worth it, and if you plan on driving home after dark, keep an eye out for wildlife on the roads – especially if you’re not used to driving on Phillip Island.
FAQ
Can you drive onto Churchill Island?
Yeah, you can drive onto Churchill Island. There’s a road bridge that connects it to Phillip Island, and the Heritage Farm is at 246 Samuel Amess Dr, which you’ll be happy to know has free parking.
