Phillip Island Trip - Day Two

Friday the 3rd of January, 2008

Today was a funny day. Funny for me I guess because I decided to re-discover Phillip Island, something which seems a touch unusual as I had been traveling here for around 20 years and by all rights, should know the place pretty well by now....

I grabbed my camera, left the kids with the grandparents and set off to take some happy snaps of the Island. I started with a coffee in the main street of Cowes to give me the energy (and confidence) for my trek and then wandered down the main street happily taking photos of anything that looked interesting.

I am sure I cut an embarrassing site for anyone who knows me. I looked like I had just blown in from overseas. My camera is not big enough to be mistaken as a professional photographer, so I drew a few sidewards glances as I took photos of the street scape, restaurants and locals fishing on the pier.

Quite satisfied with my attempts at capturing the vibe and look of Cowes I headed off to another popular location - Rhyll.

One hour went to two and I found myself, really searching for any new and interesting attractions that I had previously driven past without a second glance. In the past it was destination 'Rhyll boat ramp' with only fishing on my mind.

In Rhyll I discovered a great Coffee shop so I sat down for a hearty breakfast. The Rhyll I once new, had really evolved and I noted the new pub as a place to return for an evening.

Just out of Rhyll I stopped at the 'Rhyll Inlet Mangrove Boardwalk and Conservation Hill Discovery Walk' where I spent half an hour wondering through mangroves on a boardwalk then up an elevated point with views to the inlet and then back across the mangroves onto the urban development beyond.

The rest of my 5 hour discovery took in Pyramid Rock, The Nobbies, Penguin Parade, The Grand Prix Circuit, Smiths Beach, Ventnor, a new par 3 golf course at Red Rocks and numerous dilapidated Chicory Kilns.

I finally returned home later that afternoon with a camera full of photos yet I had only really covered around half of the island.

Looking forward to the next trip.