One of our favourite experiences at Phillip Island was an eco-boat tour to view the Australian Fur Seal colony at Seal Rocks. This exciting trip provided a chance to encounter the seals in their natural habitat while visiting Melbourne.
Taking the Eco-boat Tour to Seal Rocks
The boat to Seal Rocks, off Phillip Island, departs from Cowes, the main town on the island.
We made our way over to the jetty where the eco-boat tour starts.
As we strapped ourselves into our seats, there was excitement in the air at the prospect of seeing Australia’s largest colony of fur seals.
Before long, the boat was zipping through the water towards Seal Rocks, one km off the coast of Phillip Island.
A visit to Seal Rocks is a truly multi-sensory experience. We could smell the seals before we even saw them.
Seal Colony off Phillip Island
The eco-boat tour had a special permit to get close to the protected rocks, and it brought us in for a close up look at these “puppies of the sea”.
We could see the seals playing in the surf and also heard them crying out to each other.
The boat encircled Seal Rocks and it was a truly mesmerising experience. In fact, we dare say that viewing the seals off Phillip Island is almost on par with viewing the Penguin Parade. The fact that there are fewer people on the boat than those sitting at the beach makes it even more worthwhile for a visit.
A visit to Seal Rocks is an unforgettable experience and we highly recommended putting it on the itinerary when paying a visit to Melbourne’s Phillip Island.
