A week in Melbourne, Australia- 5/4- 5/10/2024

Day 5-Phillip Island day tour -5/8/2024

Woolamai Beach

The second stop is Woolamai Beach, located on the southeast coast of Phillip Island.  Woolomai Beach is one of the island’s most dramatic and well-known beaches, famous for its powerful surf and massive rolling waves, making it a hotspot for experienced surfers and one of the premier surf beaches in Victoria. 

Stepping off the bus at Woolamai Beach, we are immediately drawn toward the coastline by a long wooden boardwalk that winds through the sand dunes.

The path is surrounded by low coastal scrub and dune grasses swaying in the wind, giving the walk a wild, untamed feeling. As we reached the end, the view opens dramatically onto the wide expanse of golden sand.

The beach is part of the Cape Woolamai State Faunal Reserve, with golden sand stretching for miles and rugged granite cliffs rising at the cape’s edge. It’s also known for its rich birdlife, shearwaters (muttonbirds) nest in the dunes, and the surrounding reserve is home to wallabies and other wildlife.

Woolamai Beach is alive with energy. The waves here are some of the biggest on Phillip Island, rolling in fast and strong from the Bass Strait.

Surfers skillfully riding the swells, their dark silhouettes rising and falling against the white spray of the surf. It’s easy to see why Woolamai is considered a world-class surf spot, though the currents make it a place for experts only.

People going surfing...

It was a beautiful fall day with the sun shining above us.

 In the distance, the dramatic granite cliffs and headlands of Cape Woolamai. These rugged formations are some of the oldest rocks in Victoria, dating back over 370 million years. Over time, the relentless ocean has carved them into striking shapes, and their pinkish granite glows beautifully at sunset. The cliffs are not just scenic, they’re also important for wildlife, home to thousands of shearwaters (muttonbirds) that return here each year to nest.

Here you can see how strong the waves are.  The scenery is really beautiful.

Golden sand...

Another surfer...

Cowes Beach

Our third stop is Cowes Beach located right in the heart of Cowes, the main town on Phillip Island.

Cowes was first established in the 1860s and named after the seaside town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England. In its early years, it was a quiet fishing and farming settlement, but with the arrival of ferries and later the bridge to the mainland, it grew into the island’s hub for visitors. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was already a popular holiday spot for Melburnians escaping the city.

Cowes Beach itself is a complete contrast to Woolamai.  Instead of wild surf and crashing waves, it’s a calm, sheltered bay beach along Western Port.

The waters here are gentle and safe for swimming.  It is also very quiet and relaxing.

We are now walking to the Cowes Jetty, The Cowes Jetty is one of the town’s most iconic landmarks.

Stretching out into the calm waters of Western Port, it has been a central feature of Phillip Island since the late 1800s, originally serving ferries, fishing boats, and cargo vessels that connected the island with the mainland before the bridge was built.

As we walked along the jetty today, you can feel its history where locals and visitors have been strolling here for generations.

From the edge, you get a sweeping view of the bay.

View of the beach from the Jetty.

 A boat swaiying gently over the water.

The jetty is also a popular fishing spot, where people cast their lines hoping for flathead or whiting. At sunset, it becomes especially beautiful, with the sky glowing over the water and the beach curving back toward town.

At the edge of the Cowes Jetty, the view opens wide and it’s truly breathtaking. The calm waters of Western Port stretch endlessly ahead, and the coastline frames the scene.

The sea is so blue. What a gorgeous day.

From here, you can see the long sandy beach meeting with the town ahead.

The water is crystal clear and simply so beautiful.

Near the Cowes Jetty, there is a memorial monument, a small but meaningful landmark that pays tribute to the town’s history and those connected to the sea. Such monuments are often dedicated to local servicemen, fishermen, or community members who played a role in shaping Phillip Island’s story. Standing quietly by the waterfront.  It is a reminder that this peaceful seaside town also carries with it layers of heritage and memory.

How beautiful is this scenery.

On the other side of the bay there are a lot of smoke, looks like something was burning on the other side of the bay.

NEXT... Summerland, Island ward (coming soon)