Visit Phillip Island, Australia

Tiny Phillip Island provides a delightful diversion on your coastal journey, and is famous for its nightly penguin parade. Each day at sunset dozens of fairy penguins emerge from the ocean at Summerland beach and shuffle through the spiky, clumpy grass to their nests.

Shearwaters fly annually between here and Alaska, seals cavort around the rocks at The Nobbies and koalas can be seen at the conservation centre.

The rugged southern coastline facing Bass Strait has roaring surf beaches and every morning the pelicans are fed at San Remo, a display of leaps, flutters and squabbles. Cowes is the main town and offers a range of lively restaurants specialising in fresh lobster and shellfish.