COWES

Cowes

Take some time out from roaming Phillip Island's expansive beaches and overgrown hideaways and relax in bustling Cowes, the island's commercial hub.

Island haven
Find the perfect accommodation option for your Cowes interlude. Recharge in seaside cafés and restaurants, then shop for souvenirs and artisan wares and see an exhibition at Cowes Cultural Centre.

Visit a local museum to learn more about Phillip Island as it was for period visitors, who stayed in grand seafront guesthouses and explored the island on horseback.

Catch a flick at the town cinema, play a round of golf, and strike at the ten-pin bowling centre.

Sail away!
Hire a boat from the Cowes launch and snare the day's catch to cook on a beachside barbeque with family and friends. Join a cruise around the Bay for an up-close-and-personal look at Seal Rocks. Catch the ferry over Westernport Bay to Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula or to French Island.

Base yourself
Allow extra time in Cowes to explore nearby attractions, including the iconic Penguin Parade and the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor Centre. Come at race time to experience the noise and speed of the Superbike World Championship and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Things to do

Phillip Island Nature Park

Be amazed as little penguins waddle ashore at sunset.

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Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor Centre

Get your motor running with HSV Hot Laps, go go-karting at Champ Karts or take a guided circuit tour.

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A Maze'N Things

Get lost in a world of optical illusions, mazes and puzzles.

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Wildlife Coast Cruises

Depart from Cowes to see wild seals or visit remote French Island with its koalas and birdlife.

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Superbike World Championship

See some awesome action with a host of Aussie and international riders at the double header event

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Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix

Race down to Australia's home of motorcycle racing for the annual MotoGP World Championship.

Major events

Phillip Island Swim Classic – January
Cowes Classic – February
World Superbike Championships – February
V8 Supercar Championship – September
Australian Motor Cycle Grand Prix – October
Phillip Island Jazz Fesitval – November

How to get there

Cowes is less than two hours' drive from Melbourne. Travel along the South Gippsland Highway from Melbourne, turning onto Bass Highway to follow the road through Grantville and Bass before turning off to San Remo. You enter Phillip Island over the bridge between San Remo and Newhaven. You can also reach Cowes by passenger ferry from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula.