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Phillip Island Newhaven Caravan Park VIC. |
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| The penguins on Phillip Island must surely be Australia's most well known tourist attraction. Access is on good roads and is an easy half day trip from Melbourne. We have found that parks a little bit further away from main touristy attractions try that little bit harder, and more importantly are just so much quieter. This was certainly so with Newhaven. This park has a mixture of annuals and permanents, but there is a lot of pride in this park and it is a delight to walk through some of the permanent streets with all the well kept gardens. The park is absolute waterfront, but you can't actually see the water from any site. Two unmarked tracks lead to a lovely sandy beach, and it is ideal for kiddies as it is not surf. We particularly liked the grassed sites at the rear of the park next to the Newhaven Wetlands. This was not horribly boggy either - very nice with quite a few Blue Neck Swamp Hens foraging. Sadly, some thoughtless gardener had dumped a huge pile of tree loppings on it. Lots of new trees have been planted near the campsites so eventually this section will be as good as the rest of the park. A nice touch is giving the permanents their own amenity blocks. There is also a boat/van washing area. |
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For the modest size of this park it has amenities overkill - how about four! All blocks are very modern and well maintained. Plenty of natural light, tons of hot water through normal get you really wet roses, hand dryers, fully tiled, hooks behind doors and a foot drying shelf. The only thing that spoils it is the toilet paper. It is a new type of dispenser for those impractical little sheets, BUT all little bits fall on the floor with almost each use and it makes an unsightly mess. Another silly error is no outside beach showers anywhere. As a result of this, at the end of the day despite two daily cleans the showers accumulate a lot of beach sand. The laundries are excellent with ample modern machines - costs are 2 X $1 and 2 X 20 cents a load. Drying space is limited to two large Hills Hoists outside two blocks only. The grounds really are a delight and well maintained even though most roads are all weather gravel. When the trees all mature it will be extremely leafy. The boom gate system needs a drastic rethink as in and out go through the same slot. It failed to work on our return from the Penguins at 10:30pm at night. We were saved by a permanent who had a radio clicker! The area set aside for waiting whilst you book in has a problem in that if the park is full the only way back out is forward through the boom gate! There is plenty of space at the front of the park to fix this elementary error. Super keen to please new owners had taken over three days before Xmas day, so things could be much better next time. You may notice the odd dog in this park, but wonder how this can be with all the "No Pets Allowed" signs. Current policy we were told by a "local" is when permanents dogs die or they move on, dogs will not be allowed. A shame really as there appeared to be zero problems at present. On most of Phillip Island you can walk your dog on the beach any time between 6AM and 10AM. We met a lovely young high school teacher on the beach walking her dog Hairy McFairey - a gorgeous red Border Collie - see the photo below. The locals on the island are all very friendly and a walk along the beach usually takes longer because of all the little chats. Shell collectors on the island are totally out of luck, as despite hours of beach walking we found nothing. |
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The beach in front of Newhaven is ideal for walking, but hopeless for bike
riding. You can take an extensive walk right from the park gate all the way
round to Cape Woolamai, the highest point on the island. A very nice boardwalk
from the beach leads up past the Shearwater rookeries - a nature
lovers delight. This is a long walk best taken very early as there is NO shade.
This area really is bike riders paradise, as a dedicated track starts at the
front entrance to the park and meanders for miles, and apart from a short gap
goes all the way to Cowes.
There are lots of other walks detailed on page 28 of Phillip
Island and Surrounds Visitors Guide. We picked up our copy at
the Information Centre. When you book in at Newhaven they give you an excellent
map and this also summarises the walks available. Of course the main attraction is the fairy penguins. You do need to book in holiday time and the best place to do this is at the extremely helpful information centre just round the corner from Newhaven. Cost was $12.50 at Christmas 2001. You can book by phone and pay by credit card, but you can strike delays at the gate. Pre-booked with tickets go straight through. In summer the penguins start arriving at 9PM. You really don't have to get there till 8:30PM as the crowd right on the beach start to move away very quickly and in no time at all you have the best seats in the house. |
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| A good plan for a night with the penguins is to leave Newhaven at 6PM and head to Rhyll. Prepare for a shock as this daytime sleepy village comes alive at tea time! Go to the waterfront Esplanade Fish and Chips and order your tucker. You can eat in or take away - no difference in cost and you get a plate etc. Feel like a wine? Just grab a carafe from next door. The photos below taken during siesta time just don't tell the true story, as it looks very quiet and sleepy! Retrace your steps, but head towards Cowes. The Penguin Parade signs are very clearly marked. You will be totally gob smacked by the size of the complex and the number of visitors! If time permits, a visit during the day is a great idea. Have a look at the tourist map at the end of this story for even more ideas. |
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There are dozens of attractions on the island and there is ample opportunity to totally blow your budget. Cowes is a really beautiful place and the view towards the sea, when you enter under an arch of trees, is breathtaking. No problems having a sticky beak as you tow, as there are lots of roundabouts for turning back. It is possible to go right down to the waterfront with zero problems. There is a dedicated caravan parking area to the left as you first enter the main shopping centre - 900 metres - ouch! Now that's quite a ways to bring groceries back to your van! Don't even think about free camping on the island as there are warning signs everywhere you look. Suppose we should mention how to find the park! Easy really as you just turn left immediately after crossing the bridge from the mainland at San Remo. Signage is excellent. Oh yes - there is a Pelican feeding everyday at 11:30AM near this same bridge, but parking is very difficult if you have the van on. No, better make that IMPOSSIBLE! Cost was $20.90 for an unpowered site at Xmas 2000 and as usual this is higher than the latest RACV Accommodation Guide. You can contact the park on 03-5956 7227 - no internet as yet. |
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We wholeheartedly recommend Newhaven for either
an overnight stay to see the penguins, or perhaps a few nights as there is a
fair bit of varied things to do and see. Best to take no notice of the minor
problems pointed out, as they will more than likely be addressed by the new owners once
they settle in.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to Karen Mabey for Penguins on Parade photos |
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Click the compass to see a map of Phillip Island |
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Last updated:
01-Jun-02
