Camping on Phillip Island
25 campgrounds · 3 with powered sites · 1 with showers · 2 with a dump point · 5 with tent sites
Phillip Island has the largest little penguin colony in the world, an estimated 40,000 birds, and you can watch them come ashore at dusk. The island is joined to the mainland at San Remo by a bridge, and across the water on the Bass Coast, Inverloch's area gave up Australia's first dinosaur bone, the Cape Paterson Claw, in 1903.
Where is the best place to camp on Phillip Island?
The choice is between the island itself, the beach towns at Inverloch and Cape Paterson, or a walk-in camp on French Island. On Phillip Island, Cowes is the main town, with parks such as Phillip Island Beachfront Holiday Park, and there are more at Newhaven, near the bridge. Down the coast, BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park is in Inverloch, and on French Island, Fairhaven Campsite is a tent camp about 5 km from the ferry jetty.
What is there to do on Phillip Island with kids?
At the Penguin Parade, you watch the penguins come ashore from boardwalks, and at The Nobbies, a free boardwalk looks over Seal Rocks and its fur seals. Around Cowes, the Phillip Island Wildlife Park is close to the parks, the Koala Conservation Reserve is at Rhyll, and Churchill Island Heritage Farm is reached by a bridge near Newhaven. At Inverloch, Anderson Inlet has calm beaches, and in Wonthaggi, the State Coal Mine Museum is in town.
Tap a card for the full page. Every outing is on the map below too. Distances are in a straight line, so the drive is a little longer.
What are the best walks and nature spots on Phillip Island?
On the island, there is The Nobbies boardwalk and the Cape Woolamai clifftop walk. On French Island, the Fairhaven Northern Beach Walk is 4 km, and the island's koalas are said to be the world's densest population. Whales, including humpback, southern right and killer whales, can be seen around the island from May to September.
Is it safe to swim on Phillip Island?
Pick the calmer spots. The beaches at Woolamai, Smiths Beach, Summerlands and Cat Bay are a National Surfing Reserve, while at Cape Paterson, Safety Beach has a rock pool built in the 1960s for safer family swimming.
Do you need to book campsites on Phillip Island?
For summer, yes: the island's population swells from about 13,800 to 40,000 in the holidays. French Island has no power, piped water or medical service, and the passenger ferry from Stony Point doesn't take cars, so pack carefully and book Fairhaven through Parks Victoria.
Are there powered sites on Phillip Island?
Yes. 3 campgrounds here have powered sites confirmed: Ingenia Holidays Cape Paterson, Anchor Belle Holiday Park Cowes and San Remo Beachfront Caravan Park. For the rest we are still confirming, so check with the park or holiday park before you book a powered site.
How far is Phillip Island from Melbourne?
Phillip Island is about 125 km south-south-east of Melbourne. Cape Paterson is about 132 km and Inverloch about 143 km.
Facts from Wikipedia, "Phillip Island" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Inverloch, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Cape Paterson, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "French Island, Victoria" (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Parks Victoria, "French Island National Park".
Lang Lang Caravan & Camping Park · Photo: ozzmosis, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Map of campgrounds on Phillip Island
✓ Campgrounds
✓ Things to do
✓ Walks and nature
Entry tickets
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A Maze'N Things
Penguin Parade
Moonlit Sanctuary
Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens
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25 campgrounds
Those with the most confirmed facilities first. A missing facility means nobody has confirmed it, not that it is absent.
Campground · Cape Paterson, VIC
Ingenia Holidays Cape Paterson
Powered sites · Tent sites · Caravan and RV sites · Showers · Toilets · Dump point · Drinking water
Ingenia Holidays Cape Paterson is a caravan park in Cape Paterson, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 7 facilities. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Anchor Belle Holiday Park Cowes
Powered sites · Dump point · Wi-Fi
Anchor Belle Holiday Park Cowes is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 3 facilities. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · French Island, VIC
Fairhaven Campsite
Tent sites
Fairhaven Campsite is a campground in French Island, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cape Paterson, VIC
Ingenia Holiday Park Orana
Toilets
Ingenia Holiday Park Orana is a caravan park in Cape Paterson, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Kilcunda, VIC
Kilcunda Ocean View Holiday Retreat
Tent sites
Kilcunda Ocean View Holiday Retreat is a caravan park in Kilcunda, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Phillip Island Beachfront Holiday Park
Tent sites
Phillip Island Beachfront Holiday Park is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · San Remo, VIC
San Remo Beachfront Caravan Park
Powered sites
San Remo Beachfront Caravan Park is a caravan park in San Remo, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Wonthaggi, VIC
Wonthaggi Coalfields Caravan & Residential Park
Tent sites
Wonthaggi Coalfields Caravan & Residential Park is a caravan park in Wonthaggi, VIC. OpenStreetMap records 1 facility. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
A Maze'N Things Holiday Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
A Maze'N Things Holiday Park is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Amarro Caravan Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Amarro Caravan Park is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Ventnor, VIC
Anchorage Caravan Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Anchorage Caravan Park is a caravan park in Ventnor, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Beach Park Tourist Caravan Park Phillip Island
No facilities confirmed yet.
Beach Park Tourist Caravan Park Phillip Island is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Inverloch, VIC
BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park is a caravan park in Inverloch, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Newhaven, VIC
BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park is a caravan park in Newhaven, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Bushy Park Tourist Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Bushy Park Tourist Park is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Corinella, VIC
Corinella Foreshore Caravan Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Corinella Foreshore Caravan Park is a campground in Corinella, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Grantville, VIC
Grantville Lodge
No facilities confirmed yet.
Grantville Lodge is a campground in Grantville, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cape Paterson, VIC
Ingenia Holiday Park Illawong
No facilities confirmed yet.
Ingenia Holiday Park Illawong is a caravan park in Cape Paterson, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Inverloch, VIC
Inverloch Holiday Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Inverloch Holiday Park is a caravan park in Inverloch, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Inverloch, VIC
Inverloch Surfside Holiday Retreat
No facilities confirmed yet.
Inverloch Surfside Holiday Retreat is a caravan park in Inverloch, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Jam Jerrup, VIC
Lang Lang Caravan & Camping Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Lang Lang Caravan & Camping Park is a campground in Jam Jerrup, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Dalyston, VIC
Powlett River Caravan Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Powlett River Caravan Park is a caravan park in Dalyston, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Inverloch, VIC
RACV Inverloch Resort
No facilities confirmed yet.
RACV Inverloch Resort is a caravan park in Inverloch, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Cowes, VIC
Seaview Holiday Park
No facilities confirmed yet.
Seaview Holiday Park is a caravan park in Cowes, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Campground · Smiths Beach, VIC
YMCA Phillip Island Coastal Discovery Camp
No facilities confirmed yet.
YMCA Phillip Island Coastal Discovery Camp is a campground in Smiths Beach, VIC. Its facilities have not been confirmed. Check availability and current conditions before you travel.
Other regions in Victoria
Region boundary: ABS ASGS Edition 3 Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0. Campgrounds and facilities from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the operators’ own listings, and the state park services’ open data: © State Government of NSW and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 2017 (CC BY 4.0); contains data sourced from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Victoria (CC BY 4.0); © State of Tasmania, Parks and Wildlife Service (CC BY 3.0 AU); Main Roads Western Australia road stopping places (CC BY 4.0).
