Cowes

Once a quiet holiday getaway for those that wanted to take the two or more hours to get there, Cowes (located on one of Victorian's only north-facing beaches) is now a rapidly growing township and a place of choice for a holiday home. Wildlife abounds and it’s no wonder, with the Philip Island National Park one of the largest conservation parks in Australia it’s no surprise there are specific viewing and attractions that involve seals, dolphins, penguins and koalas. The attraction here is the beaches of which there are many. More notable names such as Woolami and Surf Beach will be known to many but others such as Berrys, Ventnor, Smiths, Red Rock and Kitty Miller will keep the ocean lover busy. Woolworths, Coles, ALDI and IGA are in residence and it’s said you can get everything you need in the main street, including meals from an array of cafes and restaurants. Cowes has two primary schools as well as the Phillip Island Village School in Ventnor which opened in 2016 and the Newhaven College near Ryhll which caters for about 900 students from Prep through to Year 12. Whilst Cowes accounts for much of the island’s citizens (approximately half of the 10,000 strong population), other communities on the island include Ventnor, the fishing hamlet of Rhyll, the eastern community of Newhaven and the surfing spot of Cape Woolamai. What the prospective buyer here needs to know is that the very reasonable number of 10,000 people is expected to swell to four or five times that amount over the summer period.