Penguins on parade

adventure park where they can witness live jousting, jesters, jugglers and fire eaters.

The coast with the most

Around two hours from Melbourne, the Gippsland region is a beacon for families wanting to enjoy some country charm. From the gentle surf of the beaches of Inverloch and Lakes Entrance, to the quiet calm of Gippsland Lakes, kids can splash, surf, swim, fish and try out water sports galore.

Get the family together for a ride down one of Gippsland’s popular ‘rail trails’ and cycle between towns, taking in the region’s historic sites, Indigenous heritage, natural attractions and delicious local flavours as you go.

Adventurous families can head into an underground wonderland of limestone stalagmites and stalactites at Buchan Caves, or explore the winding underground paths of the State Coal Mine in Wonthaggi.

For those who prefer their action packed with flavour, Jacican Food Studio opens its doors every school holidays to aspiring master chefs. At the popular Cafe Class, primary-aged kids get to turn Jacican into their very own pop-up café and are responsible for everything from writing the menu and setting the tables to making food, taking orders and serving guests. Linked to mainland South Gippsland via a bridge at San Remo, Phillip Island is almost as famous for producing the Hemsworth brothers as it is for its other cute celebrity residents, the little penguins.

While there are few opportunities for Hemsworth spotting, more than 20,000 little penguins, the world’s smallest, live on the island and every evening visitors flock to watch them parade from the sea to the dunes with Phillip Island Nature Parks.

Fans of fur and feathers will also enjoy nearby Churchill Island, a historic working farm that offers a glimpse at the lives of the early settlers in the region as well as the chance to play with the farm animals in the animal nursery.

Visitors can also indulge in an afternoon of sugar-fuelled fun at The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory, ride the waves and enjoy some watery fun at one of the many great surfing beaches, get lost in a maze, try their hand at trout fishing or play I-spy with Phillip Island’s spectacular coastline and natural beauty from the air on a helicopter tour.