Top 7 Reasons to Visit the Phillip Island Koalas

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Do you really need a reason to see koalas up close in their natural environment? I doubt it. Nonetheless, there are plenty of reasons to pay a visit to the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve, particularly as this is a comfortable day trip from Melbourne.


The Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve is a six-hectare reserve of native bushland run by Phillip Island Nature Parks. Some koalas were born here; others are rescued orphans, and some come for rehabilitation, as was the case following the 2019/2020 bushfires. This is not a place for the public to cuddle koalas, but one where they can view them at close quarters in their natural environment. You will find information boards throughout the reserve. Read them all and you will be a koala expert by the time you leave.


1. Two Tree-line Boardwalks. The boardwalks are not the only places you can see koalas in the reserve, but they are the best. You are likely to come across a koala lounging or sleeping in a tree right beside the walk, so close you could touch it, although you must not, as these are wild koalas. You can see koalas feasting on gum leaves at the feeding stations or walking along the tree branch trails. The Tree-Top Koala Boardwalk is an 800-metre loop and the Tree-Top Woodland Boardwalk is a 600-metre loop. When I last visited, I was on a mission to get a lovely portrait photo of a koala, so I visited each of these twice on the day; they are a very easy stroll.


2. Accessible Trails. The trails meander through six hectares of native bushland where eucalypt trees, some old and gnarly, rise high above grasslands and shrubbery. In a fenced area at a turn in the trail, a koala munched away at a feeding station before climbing to the top of a tall and swaying tree. Signs showed where to look for the koalas.


3. There are Wallabies and Echidnas Here Too. Keep an eye out for other wildlife, particularly wallabies and echidnas. I was lucky enough to see four little swamp wallabies, two of them at the very beginning of the trail. I missed the echidnas. Perhaps your eyes will be sharper than mine.


4. Kookaburras, Cockatoos and Other Birds. It's not only koalas you will look for in the trees; there is an abundance of wild native birds in the reserve. I saw three kookaburras, a sulphur-crested cockatoo, magpies, and more fairy wrens than I could count before I go to the first turn in the trail. There were bush stone curlews in a caged area and in February 2023, they had two young chicks. What a treat to view them. A willy wagtail flitted about opposite, and wattle birds were plentiful in the trees. By the lakes overlooked from the boardwalk, I saw Cape Barren geese, a little pied cormorant, and several ducks.


5. Visitor Centre Interactive Displays. The interactive displays in the visitor centre are a wealth of information about koalas and their lives.

6. Children's Nature Play Area. In the Nature Play Area, which is free to access, children can create their own adventures with the nature and wildlife inspired installations.

7. On-site Café. Koala Café is open from 10am to 2pm and carries a small selection of snacks and drinks. Visitors are welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks to the reserve.


The Phillip Island Kolala Conservation Reserve is at 1810 Phillip Island Road, Phyll (opposite Amaze N Things,) Phillip Island, 3923. Click here for details of transport options and how to get there. At around one- and three-quarter hours' drive from the Melbourne CBD and around an hour from Cranbourne, Phillip Island is a holiday paradise and tourist mecca, close enough for a day trip and tempting enough for a long stay. Click here for 27 Things to Do on a Phillip Island and Bass Coast Holiday.


The reserve is open daily from 10am to 5:30pm with last entry to the boardwalk at 5pm. The on-site café is open from 10am to 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Centre, but they prefer tickets to be pre-purchased online. Click here to purchase your tickets. At the time of writing (February 2023) ticket prices are Adult (16 years ) - $13.70, Child (4-15 years) - $6.85, Family (2 adults and 2 children) - $34.30, Australian Pensioner (ID required) - $9.55. For more information, including details about the individual koalas who call the reserve home, click here to visit their website. General enquires can be made by phoning 03 5951 2800 or emailing [email protected] and ticket enquiries can be made by phoning 03 5951 2830 or emailing [email protected]

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