From May to October, you can spot whales along the coastline of Phillip Island and Bass Coast on the Whale Discovery Trail. Take a walk, ride or drive along the discovery trail to spot whales and learn about the natural environment.
1pm - 4pm
Set sail on a 3-hour winter dolphin & whale adventure venturing past the sheer cliffs of Cape Woolamai and along Phillip Island’s attractive southern coastline.
Book Tickets
Departs San Remo Jetty
8:30am - 12:30pm
A 4-hour cruise that circumnavigates Phillip Island in search of the Humpback and Southern Right whales, visiting Seal Rocks, with regular dolphin and albatross sightings. Includes morning tea and lunch.
Book Tickets
Departs Rhyll Jetty
Open Daily 12-8.30pm
Dine at Pino’s Trattoria around Island Whale Festival and admire a pop-up art installation in their dining spaces featuring limited edition ocean inspired pieces.
Wed 1 - Sun 5 July
Sip on four taster sized beers [150ml], each paired with the story behind the brew.
9.30am - 11.30am; 2pm - 4pm
Hear about the whales of Victoria and how to spot them from local researchers followed by a guided whale-spotting experience, kids' activities featuring real whale bones, sounds, and games, and an opportunity to talk all things marine with our team.
Where: Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Cost: $17 per adult, $12 per child (under 15)
10am - 10.45am
Learn what our little penguins get up to when we’re not looking.
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass - Drop in
10am - 4pm
Fun hands-on ceramic, plaster and paper clay painting at the Clay & Co Studio
Where: Clay & Co Studio, 4 Shorland Way, Cowes
Cost: From $10 - drop in
10am - 4pm
There is so much fun for the whole family at the Festival Experience Hub this year at the Berninneit cultural centre in Cowes PLUS our new Little Whales Explorer Tent packed with kids activities! Grab your Festival Experience Hub Pass & enjoy the fun!
Daily Pass: $25 (Family – 2 adults + up to 4 children 15 & under) - $10 (single entry 16+)
Weekend Pass: $45 (Family - 2 adults + up to 4 children 15 & under) - $25 (16+)
10am - 4pm
Your little ones will love our super cute face painting - choose from whale designs and Phillip Island animals.
Where: Little Whale Explorers, Festival Hub
Cost: $10 - $15 each
10am - 4pm
Paint plaster sea creatures, create whale sculptures & make paper crafts.
Where: Little Whale Explorers, Festival Hub
Cost: from $10 - drop in
Friday 10.45-11am - 12.45-1.45pm - 3.30 - 4pm
Saturday 10.45-11am - 11.45am-12.45pm - 3.45 - 4pm
Sunday 11.30am-12pm - 1.45-2pm - 2.45-3pm
Be swept away by the sights and sounds of Millowl’s marine life.
Cost: Included in your Festival Experience Pass
Location: Festival Hub - Theatre - drop in
11am - 2pm
Come and share the love of Whales this Whale Festival, join the community in decorating a giant community whale with a variety of craft materials.
Presented by: Myli Libraries
Cost: Free - drop in
Where: Phillip Island Library, Berninneit
Friday 11am - 11.45am - 2pm - 2.45pm
Saturday 2pm - 2.45pm
Sunday 10am - 10.45am
Learn from palaeontologists in a fun, hands-on drawing workshop to bring back to life Victoria’s ancient whales and sharks. Ages: 7+
Where: Berninneit - Co working space (upstairs)
Cost: $15 (+ booking fee)
11am - 3pm
Come and see some of the most beautiful, innovative and affordable art and craft works by the local people of the Bass Coast. Show a printed or digital copy of the Phillip Island Gallery whale logo and choose a FREE unique handmade keyring with any purchase. All keyrings have been handmade by members of the Phillip Island Gallery.
Cost: FREE - drop in
Location: Phillip Island Gallery, 119 Settlement Road, Cowes
11am - 11.45am
Exploring how innovative technologies such as drones, thermal imaging, health assessments & behaviour tracking are improving the detection, rescue & conservation of Australian fur seals affected by entanglement in marine debris & fishing gear.
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass - Drop in
Friday 12pm-12.45pm
Saturday 10am-10.45am
Sunday 3pm-3.45pm
Drop in and see some of your favourite ABC Kids programs on the big screen!
Cost: Included in your Festival Experience Pass
Location: Festival Hub - Theatre - drop in
Friday 1pm - 1.45pm
Sunday 2pm - 2.45pm
Meet people working in marine science, research and conservation, and discover the real-world pathways that can lead to a career caring for our oceans.
Cost: Free - booking required
Location: Festival Hub - Co working space (upstairs)
2pm - 3.25pm
This is David Attenborough’s greatest message of hope - revealing 100 years of incredible ocean discovery and why there’s nowhere more important for a life on Earth than the ocean.
Run time: 1 hour 25 mins - Rating: PG
Included in Festival Hub Pass - first come first seated
Where: Berninneit Cultural Centre - Theatre
Friday 3pm - 3.45pm
Saturday 11am - 11.45am
Ever wondered how scientists track wild dolphins? In this fun, hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how we identify individual dolphins by their fins and estimate populations using real research techniques! Perfect for curious secondary students and an insight intro to the Cetacean Sisters program held on Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula.
Where: Berninneit - Co working space (upstairs)
Cost: $15 (+ booking fee)
6pm - 8pm
Be guided by Clay & Co Studio in house artists to create your very own ocean inspired canvas while sipping on bubbles!
Where: Clay & Co Studio, 4 Shorland Way Cowes
Cost: $65pp inc all materials and glass of bubbles - booking required
7:00pm-9:40pm
Dive deep into the world beneath the waves, where up-close encounters with curious marine creatures come to life on the big screen
Screening Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd & Sunday 5th July 2026
Cost: Adult 16+ $28, Concession $23
Dive deep into the world beneath the waves, where up-close encounters with curious marine creatures come to life on the big screen
Screening Thursday 10th, Friday 11th & Sunday 13th July
When: 7:00pm-9:40pm.
Cost: Adult 16+ $25, Concession $20
Where: Berninneit Cultural Centre - Theatre
Come along and view arty whales, all different made by local artists. Engage with the creators of the mosaic and ceramic creatures.
Cost: FREE - drop in
When: Friday 11 July 5pm - 7pm, Saturday 12 July 10am - 4pm, Sunday 13 July 10am - 4pm
Location: Creative Arts Station, 119-133 Settlement Road, Cowes
Sip on four taster sized beers [150ml], each paired with the story behind the brew.
Where: Ocean Reach Brewing, 47 Thompson Ave, Cowes
When: Friday 9 July - Sunday 13 July
Where: Ocean Reach Brewing, 47 Thompson Avenue, Cowes
Immerse yourself in an origami session creating beautiful whales for the Whale Festival.
Presented by: Myli Libraries
When: Friday 11 July - 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Cost: Free - Bookings open June 23
Where: Phillip Island Library
Exploring ocean kinship, cultural knowledge, and Indigenous science in caring for Country and sea. Presented by Dr. Jodi Marshall and Dr. Chels Marshall
When: 2.00pm-3.45pm
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass
Explore how vessel noise and marine debris affect seal health, stress and behaviour. Using drones, behavioural monitoring and health indicators, this research aims to reduce disturbance and entanglements in a population facing an uncertain future.
When: 12.00pm-12.45pm
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass
Location: Festival Hub - Theatre
Come and learn how the Conservation Regulator are using education and enforcement to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our beautiful marine mammals.
When: 11.00am-11.45am
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass
Love reading? To celebrate the Whale Festival come along and share your favourite ocean themed books with like-minded bibliophiles.
Presented by: Myli Libraries
When: Friday 11 July - 11.00am - 12.00pm
Cost: Free - Bookings open 23 June
Where: Phillip Island Library
Connect with other parents in a baby-focussed session of gentle marine themed songs, stories and rhymes designed to support early language and literacy. Perfect for babies under 12 months.
Presented by: Myli Libraries
When: Friday 11 July - 10.30am - 11.30am
Cost: Free - Bookings open 23 June
Where: Phillip Island Library
Join us for a fun crafty hands on session making your very own Whale Inspired jewellery. Brooches, Necklaces, key chains or bracelets to treasure. There is the option to make your very own paper beads too!
Where: Festival Hub - Activities Room
When: 10am - 4pm
Cost: $25pp
Drop-in
Tap into your creativity by designing your own unique whale on wooden cutouts. Every child will receive a whale and have access to a variety of paint pens to bring their creation to life in the vibrant atmosphere of the Whale Festival.
Open Daily: 10am - 4pm
Cost: Included in your Festival Experience Pass
When: Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July
Location: Festival Hub
Discover coastal-inspired creations, featuring the work of talented local artists.
When: Open daily 10am - 4pm
Cost: FREE - drop in
Where: Clay & Co, 4 Shoreland Way, Cowes
Meet the team of DRI researchers and volunteers and ask questions about their work, getting involved and careers in marine science.
When: 10am-4pm
Where: Festival Hub
Included in your Festival Experience Pass
Snorkel the Great Southern Reef without getting wet in this unforgettable virtual reality adventure!
When: 10am - 4pm
Cost: Included in your Festival Experience Pass
Location: Festival Hub
Soak up the festival vibes and enjoy a weekend of live local music!
Proudly supported by Wildlife Coast Cruises
When: 10am - 4pm
Drop in
Step into the heart of the Island Whale Festival! It’s your go-to spot for immersive hands-on activities, live entertainment, creative workshops, and family-friendly fun all weekend long!
Grab your Festival Experience Hub Pass and dive into the action. There’s something magical waiting for every age and stage!
When: 10am - 4pm
Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July
Weekend Pass 11-13 July: $30 (Family – 2 adults + up to 4 children 15 & under) - $12 (single weekend pass)
Day Pass: $15 (Family – 2 adults + up to 4 children 15 & under) - $5 (single entry)
Where: Festival Hub
Join in a Listening Circle with YAWA - an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander think tank.
When: 6.30pm - 8pm
Where: Phillip Island Boardriders Club, 76 Veterans Drive, Newhaven
Drop in - no bookings required
Join us at Phillip Island Library this Whale Festival for some folding fun making your own pod of whales.
When: 2pm - 4pm
Where: Phillip Island Library
Cost: Free - Drop in
Join local illustrator & artist Zev Landes (the creator of our whale mascots) in a fun workshop learning how to draw whales. No drawing experience necessary.
When: 1.00pm - 1:45pm
Where: Festival Hub - Activities Room
Cost: $10 per child (must be accompanied by an adult - no charge for parents attending with child)
Bookings Required
Hear how the Conservation Regulators are working tirelessly to safeguard our beloved Hooded Plovers and the crucial role we all play in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our beautiful marine mammals.
When: 12.30pm - 1.15pm
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass
Wildlife Coast Cruises proudly presents our free live music stage with some of our talented local artists!
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday - 10am - 4pm
Where: Festival Hub
Cost: Free
Join the team at the Phillip Island Library to celebrate the whale festival with a fun whale hat to construct.
When: 11.00am - 1.00pm
Where: Phillip Island Library
Cost: Free - bookings recommended
Come along and join Ranger Sue for some fun, learning, and conservation at the winter whale festival! Let's make a difference together and show our support for the majestic whales that call our oceans home
When: 11.30am, 12pm, 1pm and 1.30pm
Where: Cowes Foreshore Beach
Cost: $15 A - $10 C
Come on a journey to uncover the largest sharks that ever existed!
When: 10.30 - 11.15am
Where: Festival Hub - Theatre
Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass
Children from 7-14 will engage in Whale tales to connect with the gentle energy of these majestic, loving beings guided by Letina Russell
When: 10am - 11am
Where: Phillip Island Library
Cost: Free - Bookings required
Your little ones will love our super cute face painting - choose from a whale, dolphin, seal or penguin.
When: 10am - 4pm
Cost: $10 each
Join local artist Karen Morton for crafty hands-on fun! Create your very own whale themed calico bag with ocean themed block printing.
Where: Festival Hub - Activities Room
When: When: 10am - 12:15pm
Cost: $20pp
Drop-in
A welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony will be provided by the Traditional Owners of the land, the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation.
When: 10am - 10.30am
Where: Festival Hub - Grounds
Hear about the whales of Victoria and how to spot them from local researchers in our 50-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute guided whale-spotting experience, kids' activities featuring real whale bones, sounds, and games, and an opportunity to talk all things marine with our team.
When: 10am - 12pm; 2pm - 4pm
Where: Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club
Cost: $15 per adult, $10 per child (under 15)
Join in the fun and learn some acrylic painting techniques. Laugh, drink and leave with your own whale masterpiece!
When: 6.30pm - 9pm
Where: Penguin Parade
Bookings Essential
