Heading for the Island: Scenery and Corners
Many of us make the trek down to Phillip Island for the Australian round of MotoGP, which is being held from the 21st to 23rd of October this year, but do you know that there’s a much more scenic route? So turn the usually boring ride into a really enjoyable one. It might also keep those blue coloured flies off your back (if you get my drift).
MELBOURNE
Being a major city of Australia you can get anything and everything. You can even buy yourself a new bike and ride it to the Island if you want to! There are a number of motorcycle rental places a short distance from Melbourne airport if you want to get to the Island that way.
YARRA JUNCTION
Not all that far out of Melbourne is Yarra Junction. A nice little town with basic services. You can get fuel there, but the main attraction if you’ve got time is the Blue Lotus Water Garden - www.bluelotusfarm.com.au . Didn’t think we noticed that kind of thing, did you?
DROUIN
The town is supposedly named after a Frenchman who invented a chlorination process for the extraction of ore or an Aboriginal word meaning “north wind”, but Drouin is a major town with most amenities available, and not especially windy.
POOWONG
A small dairy town, more of a landmark really for this trip. You do however get pleasant country hospitality at Poowong and with a rich history there are many historic Pioneer sights to be seen. There’s also the Poowong Hotel if a counter lunch is your go and you’re in need of a cold beverage.
LOCH
The town was named in honour of the Governor of Victoria, Henry Loch, and Loch itself has a number of nice cafes as well as Loch Brewery & Distillery at 42-44 Victoria Road. This is well worth a visit - www. lochbrewery.com.au
DALYSTON
Mostly a landmark for this trip, but get along to the Old Dalyston Deli for some fi ne treats - www. olddalystondeli.com
BASS
If you take the alternate route you’ll pop out just south of Bass, so this is only a reference for the trip.
SAN REMO
If you love seafood, you’ll love San Remo! This is a fi shing ‘village’ (you might say), and the boats come in from a day or night at sea so that the many places to buy food, including restaurants, can have the catch of the day available. I’ve stayed at Silverwater Resort a number of times, which is only a ten minute trip to the track – www. silverwaterresort.com.au
COWES
The closest town to the track, this is where things tend to get exciting at night. Especially after all the racing is done, most of the riders head into town to party. Probably the most famous place to eat in Cowes is Pino’s Trattoria – www.pinostrattoria.com.au
PHILLIP ISLAND
You’ve arrived! If you’ve never been to the GP circuit you’ll see that it actually looks smaller than it seems to be on the telly. If you get the chance to ride the circuit, then you really get to see how skinny some sections of the track are!
Starting out of Melbourne you need to make your way east through Ringwood, Croydon, Mount Evelyn and Seville to Yarra Junction. This is where you need to turn right onto Yarra Junction-Noojee Road and start your way south.
Once you get to the end of this road, turn right onto Main Neerim road and continue south into Drouin. Get yourself onto the Drouin-Korumburra Road and follow it south to Poowong. Jump onto the Loch-Poowong Road, which is right near the roundabout at the pub and follow it all the way to Loch. You might like to leave time to make a visit to the Loch Brewery & Distillery while you’re there, but maybe just for takeaway seeing you’re riding.
Turn left onto Clarence Street, which turns into Loch-Wonthaggi Road and follow it all the way to the end where it meets the Bass Hwy at Dalyston. Turn right and follow the Bass Hwy all the way into San Remo, then Phillip Island to the track.
Alternative route
When you’re on Loch-Wonthaggi Road and you reach Archies Creek, you can turn right onto Dalyston- Glen Forbes Road, then turn left onto Mill Road a few hundred metres along. Mill road turns into Trew Road, then Turnbull- Woolamai Road. Turn right onto Woolamai Road which will take you to Anderson Link Road, which will take you to San Remo – Phillip Island.
Fuel
Fuel spots along the way are at Melbourne and pretty much all the way over to (and including) Yarra Junction. Drouin has fuel, but only an independent United service station and this is pretty much it until you get to San Remo.
Distance
240km via the main route
244km via the alternative route.
