Saturday 4th July 2026

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.

Where: Pino's Trattoria, 29-31 Thompson Avenue, Cowes

Wed 1 - Sun 5 July

Sip on four taster sized beers [150ml], each paired with the story behind the brew.

Where: Ocean Reach Brewing, 47 Thompson Ave, Cowes

From 8.00am

Enjoy an immersive and unique experience as you step into a cozy wood-fired sauna. Relax with soothing heat and aromatic cedar scent and be transported by beautiful Whale Music.

Thurs 2, Fri 3, Sat 4 & Sun 5 July

Where: Cowes Jetty

Cost: $45 per person. Adults only

Book Tickets

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+)

Book tickets here

Where: Berninneit, 91-97 Thompson Ave, Cowes

10am - 4pm

Soak up the festival vibes and enjoy a weekend of live local music!

Proudly supported by Wildlife Coast Cruises

Where: Festival Hub - Free Drop in

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

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)

Bookings required

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

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 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)

Bookings required

9.30am - 12.30pm

Want to get your hands dirty and give back to our beautiful island? Join the dedicated team at Phillip Island Landcare for a tree planting session!

Where: Phillip Island Rec Reserve, corner of Ventnor and Phillip Island Roads

Cost: Free to attend - includes complimentary lunchB

Bookings recommended

9.30am - 11.30am; 12.30pm - 2.30pm; 3.00pm - 5.00pm

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)

Bookings Required

Saturday 10am - 10.45am

Sunday 11am - 11.45am

Join a wildlife photographer & author to discover how your photos can help researchers track endangered Southern Right Whales, while enjoying spectacular imagery of these remarkable whales

Where: Berninneit - Co working space (upstairs)

Cost: $10 (+ booking fee) - donated to Southern Right Whale research

Bookings required

10am - 10.45am

Traditional Custodian, Ceremony Maker and Artist Uncle Steve Ulula Parker will facilitate a Ceremony to bless the whales and wish them safe passage on their migration past Millowl (Philip Island) to the warmer northern waters.

Location: Cowes Foreshore Beach (left of the jetty)

Cost: Free - Drop in

11am - 11.45am

The Megalodon & the prehistoric Killer Sperm whale were the biggest predators that ever existed – & they’re found right here, in Victoria.

Where: Festival Hub - Theatre

Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass - Drop in

11am - 2pm

Come and create a fun Whale hat to Celebrate whales and wear during the Festival!

Presented by: Myli Libraries

Cost: Free - drop in

Where: Phillip Island Library, Berninneit

1pm - 3pm

Be wowed by performers from Phillip Islands local circus school. In this interactive workshop you can watch the performance or join in and learn some circus skills yourself! 

Where: Festival Hub - Little Whale Explorers kids activities marquee

Cost: Free

1pm - 1.45pm

Join marine ecologist Cara Hull for a fun (and slightly gross!) dive into the world of whale digestion.

Where: Berninneit - Co working space (upstairs)

Cost: $15 (+ booking fee)

Bookings required

1pm - 1.30pm

Ngargee' means 'Ceremony' in the language of the Boonwurrung People of the Kulin Nation. Boonwurrung Ngargee Dance Group is a collective of First Nations young women living on Boonwurrung Country.

Where: Festival Hub - Theatre

Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass - drop in

2pm - 2.45pm

Dive beneath the surface to discover the hidden wonders of our blue backyard, from hidden reefs and living fossils to fairytale-like fish and extraordinary marine life few people ever see.

Where: Festival Hub - Theatre

Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass - Drop in

3pm - 3.45pm

Hear about the dolphins and whales that visit Millowl | Phillip Island — where to spot them, how scientists study them, and how you can watch them safely and respectfully.

Where: Festival Hub - Theatre - drop in

Cost: Included in Festival Experience Pass

3.00pm - 3.45pm

Local Eco-photographer & citizen scientist Peter will share his experiences in locating and capturing imagery that inspires and reminds us of the importance of protecting our environment.

Where: Festival Hub - Co working space

Cost: $15 (*booking free) - bookings required

5pm - 7pm

Settle into the warm, rustic charm of the Churchill Island Shearing Shed and experience an enchanting candlelit performance by The Cedar Collective.

When: 5pm - 7pm

Cost: $75 per person (18+ event) - tickets required

Where: Churchill Island