Best things to do in Cowes

At the heart of Phillip Island Nature Park is Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve, where you can see wild koalas in their natural habitat, accessible by treetop boardwalks open to visitors. You can also talk to the park's rangers who look after the animals and are dedicated to their protection and conservation. Visitors to the center often choose to stroll through the bushland on the Woodland Boardwalk, but you can also choose from other viewing areas, including the Nobbies Center, from which you can spot seals, dolphins, and sharks. Koalas are considered placid nocturnal animals, but at this center you can see them and a variety of native birds resting in the eucalyptus trees during the day.

Step into a world of illusions, puzzles, and mazes at A Maze'N Things. See a version of mini-you in the shrinking room and wander your way through various mazes. Take a plunge down the 6.5 m (21 ft.) Look Out! Slide! Try out virtual boogie boarding before you take on the real thing on Phillip Island. Many adults find the mazes challenging, so don't be surprised if it takes extra time to navigate one. You can also play a round of mini-golf at the facility. You should find your visit entertaining no matter the weather conditions, but this attraction makes an especially attractive option if it's too cloudy or rainy for the beach.

A modern, glass-fronted facility overlooking a rocky, wave-bashed promontory, The Nobbies Centre affords you the chance to discover the local landscape and wildlife with an educational slant. A series of boardwalks constructed alongside the center allow easy access to Seal Rocks, The Nobbies, and The Blowhole, attractions that together serve as home to Australia’s largest colony of fur seals.

Hand-feed and pat kangaroos and wallabies at Phillip Island Wildlife Park. There’s a boardwalk around the 24 hectares (60 acres) of wetlands where you can see over 100 species of Australian animals. Many of the animals roam the grounds freely. Meet the largest member of the kangaroo family, the red kangaroo. Bring your camera to snap photos of koalas at eye level. Admire colorful parrots, swans, and pelicans at day, and owls and Tawny Frogmouths at night.

Amour Of The Grape Tours is a Mornington Peninsula based tour group company specialising in wine tours running small, personalised tours for groups of two to seven people.

Explore a bushland haven for Australian wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary, just one hour from Melbourne in the stunning Yarra Valley wine region. Wander through the tranquil tracks and meet iconic Australian animals including koalas, kangaroos, platypus, dingoes, wombats, and emus. Make sure you head along to the daily keeper talks and presentations including the Spirits of the Sky bird show and Tales from Platypus Creek show!

Reach a new level of relaxation at Peninsula Hot Springs. Soak in piping-hot mineral water in a range of pools and private baths on the Mornington Peninsula. Choose from over 20 bathing experiences. Take a reflexology walk, sit in the Turkish steam room, or enjoy panoramic views from the hilltop pool or soak in the atmosphere from the cave pool. Beyond luxuriating in the thermal waters, you can receive spa treatments, such as a massage or facial. There are also packages that include a fine meal before bathing in the springs.

Verdant, pastoral, and covered by gently rolling hills, Churchill Island has an easygoing appeal that reflects its understated scenery. The first European settlement in Victoria, Churchill Island serves as home to a working farm and homestead, which you can explore in order to gain a more specific perspective of life on the island.

Enchanted Adventure features three hedge mazes, two giant tube slides, 20 themed gardens, an outdoor sculpture park, and an indoor 3-D maze. Walk through the gardens to see excellent examples of relief topiary and contemporary garden design. Make your way through one of the mazes and slide down the Tube Side Ride in the Enchanted Maze. Launch, slide, and ride down the turns of an artificial ski run, using inflatable tubes to maneuver the twists and turns.

Reopened in 1956, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was an institution in the racing world with the 100 Miles Road Race starting there from 1928 to 1935. Nowadays, motorcycles dominate the track and speed by spectators encouraging long-distance drivers with calls of support. A multimillion-dollar renovation of the tracks began in late 2006, so the roads are safer and spectators will find more entertainment along the track to while away the time between passing drivers.

Cuddle up to a koala or hold a python at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. At this small sanctuary you can also encounter kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, and a number of colorful birds native to this part of the country. Evening visitors enjoy award-winning guided tours conducted by lantern light. These tours are environmental immersion experiences, during which expert guides take participants on walks through natural bushland. A variety of nocturnal animals, many endangered, can be seen up close once the sun goes down. Take this rare opportunity to experience the incredible natural world of Australia at night, and come into close contact with native wildlife that's just too shy to be seen by daylight.

Situated on the tip of the Mornington Peninsula, Point Nepean National Park offers some of the best of scenery on the Australian coast. The park isn't just a nature reserve; it also touts some of the most significant historical monuments in the region, such as an abandoned Quarantine Station and a handful of military forts. Tunnels connect these forts via a complex underground system of footpaths, so be sure to include an underground tour along with your above-ground exploring.

Gigantic Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne sits on 145 hectares (360 acres). The landscaping is designed to accommodate interactive displays that let you walk through garden areas, cross over wetlands, and even play in water features. See large areas of native bush, heath, and other plants as well as contemporary sculptures. The red earth section brings the outback into the suburbs. You will see lots of birdlife, butterflies, and maybe even a wallaby. One area warns you to beware of snakes, so you might see one of those too. Shaded areas throughout the complex make walking a pleasure.

The State Coal Mine offers a journey back in time to discover what life working in a coal mine was like in the 1900s. Venture underground through the dark network of tunnels to get hands-on at the coal face and learn how Victoria’s hard working men extracted the black gold.

Only 90 minutes from Melbourne, the State Coal Mine is the only historic coal mine experience in the Southern Hemisphere, offering interactive fun and interest for the whole family both above and below ground.

Rising from its beginnings as a make shift ‘Tent Town’, Wonthaggi quickly grew to the thriving town we know today. Operating from 1909 to 1968, the State Coal Mine produced almost 17 million tonnes of coal for Victoria’s industries and railways.

Free entry to all above ground facilities includes the new State Coal Mine Visitor Centre with cafe, theatrette and shop, the museum, heritage trail, historic buildings and sheltered BBQ area.