Travel blogger @TheHennaShah explored Phillip Island with team member Rob. She wrote about her adventures with us on her Travel & Wellbeing blog and kindly allowed us to share it here.
Phillip Island Private Tour from Melbourne: Kangaroos, Koalas, Penguins & Go-Karting on a Grand Prix Circuit
If you ask me what’s so special about Phillip Island, I’d say it’s everything from adorable penguins waddling home at dusk to windswept beaches and pink-hued evening skies at the Summerlands. Plus, the thrill of go-karting on the Grand Prix replica track.
Before arriving, we had an incredible wildlife encounter at the Moonlit Sanctuary with kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas, the perfect introduction to Australian wildlife.
We booked a private tour with Your Exclusive Tours, including Melbourne hotel pick-up and drop-off. Our chauffeur guide Rob’s local knowledge was invaluable, leading us to the best vegan café on the island for lunch. Honestly, it was the best decision we made, and here’s how our perfect day unfolded.
Table of contents
- Moonlit Sanctuary: Wildlife encounters from Melbourne to Phillip Island
- Vegetarian Food in Phillip Island: Lunch at Island Whole Foods
- Go-karting at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
- Cape Woolamai Beach Walk at Phillip Island
- Where do penguins live in Australia: Phillip Island Penguin Parade
- Starry skies over Summerlands
- Last word: Private Tour vs. small group tour to Phillip Island
Moonlit Sanctuary: Wildlife encounters from Melbourne to Phillip Island
Our adventure started early with Rob picking us up in a swanky black Mercedes van fully stocked up with water and some light snacks as we made our way out of Melbourne to Phillip Island.
Our first stop was at the Moonlit Sanctuary, a haven for native Australian animals. This wasn’t just any zoo-like experience, it was up close and personal. I had my first chance at touching a koala, which I’ll never forget, and we even got to hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. We also spotted cockatoos, emus, and even the Tasmanian Devil.
If you’re into wildlife in Australia, this is the perfect introduction. It’s one of the best animal encounters en route from Melbourne to Phillip Island and thanks to Rob, we had time to truly soak it all in. The Moonlit Sanctuary entry tickets were seamlessly included in our private tour package, while Rob expertly guided us through the sanctuary, captured our precious wildlife interactions, and meticulously coordinated the timing of our koala encounter since these endearing creatures remain active for only brief periods daily, making perfect timing essential.
Being a local Melburnian, Rob had thoughtfully discussed our dietary preferences with us beforehand. With characteristic humour, he quipped, “You’d find the best grass and grains at Island Whole Foods in Phillip Island.” This charming all-vegan, family-run café welcomed us with genuinely warm hospitality from its friendly owners.
We savoured a hearty Okonomiyaki, a delectable savoury Japanese pancake, alongside an open veggie burger that was remarkably packed with flavour. Our culinary journey concluded with an extraordinary double chocolate muffin that, despite being vegan, defied every expectation. Unlike any plant-based muffin I’d previously encountered, this masterpiece was incredibly moist, delightfully gooey, and arguably among the finest muffins I’ve ever tasted.
When seeking vegetarian food in Victoria, discovering this calibre of quality and variety beyond the metropolitan centers is genuinely refreshing.
Now, if you’re wondering whether go-karting belongs in a wildlife-heavy Phillip Island tour, let me just say: YES. Racing at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was genuinely one of the most exhilarating parts of the day. This isn’t just any go-kart track, it’s a scaled replica of the legendary circuit that has hosted the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix since 1989, where MotoGP legends have battled it out on the very same corners you’ll be navigating.
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit has been a cornerstone of Australian motorsport since 1956, evolving from a rough countryside track into one of the world’s most respected racing venues. The circuit’s unique seaside location and challenging layout, with its sweeping turns and elevation changes, make it a favorite among professional riders and drivers alike.
The go-kart experience lives up to this prestigious heritage. The track was impeccably smooth, the equipment spotless and well-maintained (not a whiff of the previous driver!), and honestly delivered the best go-karting experience in Australia I’ve encountered. Everything from the perfectly fitted helmets to the responsive karts felt premium quality. After comparing it to Eastern Creek Go-karting near Sydney and hearing locals rave about various tracks around Melbourne, Phillip Island consistently came out on top.
Pro tip: Pre-book your Phillip Island go-karting slot to secure your preferred time. While this wasn’t included in our private tour package, our guide Rob helped us reschedule our slot and reorganized the rest of our itinerary to ensure we had plenty of time for this unforgettable experience.
Cape Woolamai Beach Walk at Phillip Island
To balance the adrenaline, we stopped for a peaceful walk along Cape Woolamai. With golden sand, dramatic cliffs, and waves rolling in, this was one of the most beautiful and calming parts of the day. It’s no wonder Phillip Island is also known for its natural beauty, not just wildlife and race tracks.
This is where Your Exclusive Tours truly shines as one of Victoria’s premier private tour experiences. Rob wasn’t just our guide—he became our photographer, sharing clever iPhone photography tricks using Panorama mode to capture the beach’s sweeping beauty. Having someone who knows the best angles and lighting while you simply enjoy the moment? That’s the kind of thoughtful service that sets exceptional tours apart.
You’d find many people refer to Phillip Island as “Penguin Island,” and it’s easy to see why, this is undoubtedly the main attraction that draws tourists from around the world. As dusk settled in, we made our way to the island’s crown jewel: the Penguin Parade. If you’re wondering where do penguins live in Australia, this is the place as it is closer to Antarctica.
We watched in wonder as tiny penguins (the world’s smallest penguin species) returned from their day at sea in groups called “rafts,” then waddled across the sand to their burrows.
The Penguin Parade experience was part of our private tour package as Rob had secured prime viewing spots and arranged a guided experience with a knowledgeable ranger for us. The ranger briefed us on penguin behavior before leading us to the viewing platform, providing binoculars and helping us spot the adorable birds as they emerged from the waves. Watching these resilient little creatures complete their daily ritual at sunset was the perfect, heartwarming end to our action-packed Phillip Island adventure. Photography is generally restricted as flash photography after dark adversely impacts the eyesight of the penguins.
As the penguins made their way to their burrows, we followed their movement from an elevated walkway that offered perfect views of what’s aptly called the Penguin Highway. Watching these little creatures navigate their well-worn paths home was enchanting.
The Summerlands region is renowned for its minimal light pollution, and that night, the stars looked like they’d been freshly scattered across the velvet sky. Since we visited during winter, the sunset was around 6 PM, allowing us to comfortably return to Melbourne by 9 PM. However, if you’re planning a summer visit, be prepared for a much later night, the Penguin Parade is scheduled later due to longer daylight hours, and you might not make it back to Melbourne until close to midnight.
While Phillip Island sits 90 minutes from Melbourne, the diverse experiences—from wildlife encounters to motorsport thrills and that magical Penguin Parade at dusk—easily justify a full day tour. We had initially considered small group tours but quickly ruled them out when we discovered none offered the go-karting experience at the Phillip Island Circuit, which had become a must-do for us.
Self-driving was another option, but the reality of navigating unfamiliar roads for three hours, finding parking at multiple locations, and especially driving back after dark in a new country felt daunting and potentially exhausting—hardly the relaxing holiday experience we were after.
With Your Exclusive Tours and chauffeur guide Rob Rees, everything was seamlessly taken care of, and we truly felt like we were on holiday. No GPS stress, no parking headaches, and no risk of missing those hidden gems that only locals know about. Rob’s extensive knowledge, incredible flexibility, and engaging storytelling meant we experienced far more than we could have managed independently. With this full-day private tour to Phillip Island from Melbourne, we covered everything on our wishlist without ever feeling rushed—just pure enjoyment from start to finish.
Video highlights of Henna’s adventures are available here.