It’s not a long drive
to switch camps today – just over 100 kilometres. At San Remo we stop for a fish and chip lunch
beside the bridge crossing from the mainland to Phillip Island. The pelicans here also get a midday meal and there
were coaches full of tourists (mainly asian) lined up along the foreshore eager
to get that once in a lifetime photo.
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| Pelican Feeding time at San Remo |
After lunch we drove
over the bridge and along the road to Cowes (the main town on Phillip Island)
passed the remains of chicory kilns – a thriving industry on the island in the late
eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds.
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| Chicory Kiln on Phillip Island |
We check into Cowes
Caravan Park which is situated on the foreshore of Western Port bay and that
night while we are having dinner watch a family of rabbits munch their way
through the grass around the van. In the
morning we hope into Mitzi and take a drive to The Nobbies at the western end
of the island.
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| The Nobbies on Phillip Island |
A nature reserve has
been established here and board walks guide visitors over nesting areas for
marine birds to viewing platforms.
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| Boardwalks along the cliffs at The Nobbies |
There were lots of
seagulls diligently guarding nests
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| Seagulls nesting at The Nobbies |
as well as burrows
where penguin chicks were having a nap while waiting the return of their
parents.
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| Peek-a-book penguin chick in its burrow |
We can just make out
the shape of Pyramid Rock in the distance so decide to take a walk along the
coastal track for a closer look.
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| Pyramid Rock on Phillip Island |
There are signs along
the boardwalks giving information on the local wildlife and we were surprised
to see this copperhead snake trying to sun itself under a “Stay on the Path’
sign.
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| Copperhead Snake under sign on coastal walk near Pyramid Rock |
As copperhead snakes
are venomous we left it up to its own devices and continued on our merry
way. The main tourist attraction on the
island is the nightly penguin parade when the adult penguins return to their
burrows to feed the chicks.
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| Penguin Parade |
The viewing of the
penguins is strictly supervised and tracks are kept clear to allow the penguins
access to their burrows without being harassed by over enthusiastic humans.The following day we drive to Cape Woolamai and
take a walk along the beach.
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| Cape Woolamai |
Then it was time to undo all the good those nice long
walks had done – a well deserved stop at the chocolate factory where this sign
only confirmed our rationale for being there.
We wandered through the museum where the chocolate sculptures
were truly remarkable.
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| Chocolate sculpture of 'David' ... even the leaf is chocolate |
And this model train chocolate town would satisfy two male
passions. Eating chocolate and playing
with trains ...
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| Chocolate model train village - even the streets are chocolate ! |
We had a great time trying to win chocolate balls on the
fun parlour games in the museum and making chocolate shapes with the aid of a
specially designed machine. We then got
to eat our masterpieces .... yummm! And
sitting amongst giant chocolate bars is what dreams are made of.
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| No Wok! You can't stay there ... |
There are lots of conservation efforts being undertaken
on Phillip Island – from marine animals, to seabirds, to koalas. All worthy causes which have been managed
well on the island for a number of years.
We’ve enjoyed our stay here and tomorrow we will cross the bridge and
head back to the mainland. There is one
last piece of information that we gleaned from the chocolate factory which we
believe bears some consideration and that is
Yep ... sounds just about right to us !
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