Nobbies Ocean Discovery Center

After our visit to The Colonnades, we again boarded our coach for the short drive to  The Nobbies Ocean Discovery Centre for some snacks and toilet break. An ecotourism destination located at Point Grant, on the western tip of Phillip Island, the center is managed by the Phillip Island Nature Park.

Grace, Kyle and Jandy

Opened in April 1998 as the privately operated “Seal Rocks Sea Life Centre,” Stage one of the development, including the Nobbies Centre seen today, was completed at a cost of $13 million. Stage two, costing $50 million, included a 1.9 km. long undersea tunnel leading to an observation tower at Seal Rocks.

The center features educational displays, a cafe, a children’s play area, and a gift shop.

Nobbies Cafe

Overlooking Seal Rocks (1 km. offshore), Australia’s largest colony of fur seals (an estimated 16,000 seals inhabit the area), it currently attracts over 310,000 visitors per year (53% being international visitors). In 2014/15, the Nobbies and Phillip Island Nature Parks received a record 1.2 million visitors (with 58 percent being from overseas).

Gift shop

Inside Nobbies Café, we enjoyed a meal of fish and chips while enjoying the great view, from floor to ceiling windows, looking out to Bass Strait and Round Island.   The Nobbies Centre is also home to the exciting, interactive Antarctic Journey.

Bass Strait

Check out “Nobbies Center – The Antarctic Journey”

Outside the center, a network of boardwalks allows visitors to view The Nobbies, the seal colony, and The Blowhole.

The boardwalk

Round Island

Prior to our departure for The Penguin Parade, we observed and were enthralled by a hedgehog crawling at the center’s lawn area.

Hedgehog in the grass

Nobbies Ocean Discovery Centre: Ventnor Road, Summerlands 3922, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. Open 10 AM daily and closes approximately one hour before sunset each day to protect the native wildlife – approx. 4 PM (Winter), approx.5 PM (Autumn), approx. 6 PM (Spring) and approx. 7.30 PM (Summer). The Nobbies Cafe closes approximately 30 minutes before the above closing times while the Gift Shop will remain open until the centre closes.