We could have driven straight home from Foster. The total time for this trip, per Google Maps, is just over three hours. We weren't going to do that.
Today's plan was to travel to Inverloch, then on to Phillip Island. After mucking around there for a while we would then head home. The hope was that rain would not be too much of an issue.
Inverloch was going to be the place we would stop for a pie/sausage roll however neither of were all that hungry, having cleaned up all the left over food for breakfast before we left (apples, muesli bars, ice-cream and a stray bun). So the final food review was abandoned as we continued on to Phillip Island, and Cowes.
The scenery along the coast from Inverloch is stunning. It's known as the Bunarong Coastal Drive and features locally iconic spots such as Eagles Nest (Sandstone rock stack), Twin Reefs and The Oaks. Unfortunately it had started to rain and we were unwilling to get wet, so were content to admire the scenery we could view from the comfort of our car.
After a while we crossed the bridge at San Remo in to Phillip Island. Our lunch destination was Cowes, and an Italian restaurant overlooking the Western Port Bay, Isola di Capri.
In times gone by I used to take day trips driving down to Cowes, and I would often visit this restaurant for lunch. I have never been disappointed here.
Nick wasn't massively hungry so we ended up sharing a pizza between us. Their wood fired pizzas are next level stuff.
There were roadworks occurring outside the restaurant with some pretty significant streetscape improvements which will end up a) being very pedestrian/visitor friendly and b) reducing the ability to use it as a road for traffic.
Final Thoughts
Back in 2021, as I was recovering from some fairly significant health issues in hospital, I had made a commitment to myself to travel more. This didn't mean backpacking across Europe or travelling around the Americas. My interest was closer to home. Australia is a big, big place and I had not seen much of it.
2023 was a road trip to Byron Bay and country NSW and 2024 was to Port Lincoln, Ceduna and Broken Hill.
2025 caused a blip in my travel plans as further surgery, and my recovery from that, caused a delay in any travel.
This trip was me getting back on that horse and reconfirming my commitment to travel, albeit at a lesser rate (for now). The fact that I had Nick enthusiastically on board for this trip was an added bonus.
A lot of this trip felt like a series of greatest hits from holidays gone past, and that's not a bad thing. Enjoying the Mallacoota beaches, mini golf in Lakes Entrance, the Shell Museum (also Lakes Entrance), Wild Brumby Distillery outside Jindabyne, the Star Hotel in Echuca, Lee's Take Away in Mallacoota and Isola di Capri are reinforcing why I like travelling so much. Driving on unfamiliar roads, Corowa, wrong turns, too much walking and Yarram, are the new and/or unexpected experiences that I thoroughly enjoyed and will add to the memory bank as part of this overall holiday experience.
Highlights:
- Watching a pod of dolphins swimming off Quarry Beach on my last morning in Mallacoota.
- Takayama Restaurant - Jindabyne
- Mini golf in Lakes Entrance
This trip was always Part 1 of my trip around Victoria. I am looking forward to completing this trip in the latter half of 2026 as I cover the Western half of the state. Nick has already put his hand up to complete this trip with me.
Food Review
Whilst there were no reviews today we come to that time of the trip when we look at which bakery "won".
When I asked Nick about his favourite sausage roll of the trip, he replied, without hesitation, that it was the first one he had at Gaffney's Pie Kitchen in Seymour.
I had rated two pies equally on 8.5, however, on a count back, my favourite pie of the trip was the Bacon and Cheese pie at the Mallacoota Bakery.
No album for the last day of our trip - Podcasts all the way home
Kms Travelled Today - 331
Kms Travelled Total - 2,637
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