A fairly new restaurant with modern decor - a real hidden gem! Comfortable inside/outside seating available.

Food was excellent. We ordered the soup of the day, tiger prawns linguine, lemon pepper calamari and Malayan chicken salad. All were of an excellent standard. Prices were really reasonable.

A restaurant really worth going to again & again.

Approximate cost: $20

We were at first hesitant about the Maru Park when there were so many parks around in Phillip Island to choose from, especially the tempting offer of special three-park passes when combined with the penguin parade. Since we loved the idea of having real close encounters with animals like kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums & even snakes, we were glad that we made the right choice.

Maru Koala & Animal Park was easy to find, with enough signs along the highway and traffic lights right out front - for easy entry and exit. Animals were lovely and well kept, pretty docile. We even found an albino kangaroo and wallaby, who were friendly enough to eat the feed straight off our hands. The best part, patting a koala, possum and snake was really the highlight of the visit. The park was thoughtful enough to have a professional photographer taking pictures for a small additional fee, that was really amazing. The young man who arranged the close encounter with the various animals was especially friendly. Children are also well catered for, with mini golf or the Caribbean Pirate Ship right next door to keep them entertained for the whole afternoon.

All in all, we enjoyed our visit to this park tremendously and would highly recommend this park to anyone interested in getting closer to the wildlife that makes Australia so unique. No wonder this park was a finalist in 2012 Victorian Tourism Awards.

Approximate cost: $17 per person

Very impressive-looking apartments set on a lovely landscape, surrounded by great ocean views. When we checked in, we asked for a higher-level apartment or one with a view, since it's the low season - we were then reluctantly given one with partial ocean view. We had a two-bedroom apartment which could supposedly accommodate a maximum of four people.

. Bathroom was clean, with four sets of bath and pool towels. Hair dryer, washing machine, ironing board were all provided. But bathroom amenities were terrible. Only one set of shampoo/soap/body wash (bearing in mind the apartment was designed for a maximum of four people...) for two nights were provided for us. We had to go to reception for an extra night's supply.

. The air-conditioning control was not a great design. When temperatures dropped at night (and even though it was summer, it got pretty cool), we could not change it to heating. Also, during the day, the control was set to either living area or the bedrooms (both bedrooms controlled together). There is no separate control for bedrooms 1 and 2 and living area. This is extremely inconvenient.

. Foxtel was not available, though it was advertised and they had the Foxtel magazine.

. The first night after watching the penguins parade, we went back to the hotel for food and drinks at about 10pm but was disappointed to find that the restaurant actually closed at 9pm. The woman at the restaurant/bar was extremely rude and seemed to take pleasure in our discomfort, telling us somewhat gloatingly that they were closed.

The second night when we went to the bar for a drink, we were told abruptly that the kitchen was closed at 8.45pm.

It was a bit disturbing that not even a lounge was open beyond 9pm, bearing in mind that the complex was located in the middle of nowhere - at least 20km from any tourist attractions and Cowes.

If I were going to Phillip Island again, I would not think I would choose this resort again. The location is not near any tourist attractions or restaurants, and the only restaurant inside closes too early. It might be good for family with young children who would go to bed before 9pm, and there are facilities eg pool, tennis courts, playground etc that could keep them entertained. However personally I would choose one of the ones in Cowes next time, the Silverwater Resort wasn't a great experience.

Approximate cost: $250 per night

Great service. Great food. Extremely generous portion sizes - we couldn't finish all of our food, which was a shame as it was so tasty! Decor excellent, with muted colours and subtle lighting. Decent cutlery with starched linen. Beautiful (and clean) fish tanks that made the restaurant look lively, and were really in keeping with the theme of the restaurant.

Can't find any fault with this restaurant except maybe there shouldn't have been quite so much upselling - as franm4 said below me, the little extras like the bread platter to start with, etc, added up. However the complimentary desserts and drinks were a lovely touch, and I will most likely return if I'm in the area.

Our first visit, even though we had walked past quite a number of times. Pies/rolls all looked tempting and were neatly displayed behind the counter. Service was good and food was taken out efficiently.

However, tables were quite messy and most were not cleaned promptly, despite the fact that they had more than enough staff to deal with customers. In the end, we had to sit at a dirty table, covered with crumbs and the remnants of other people's drinks. Good quality coffee is used here, but staff members would definitely benefit from more training, as the froth was not smooth & silky, but rather over-aerated. Sugar was not provided. When asked, the staff member produced one big plastic container of white sugar & scooped one teaspoon of sugar in for me. There was no offer of other types of sweeteners (artificial sweeteners, raw sugar, etc) just the big tub of sugar. It was quite disappointing & did not seem hygienic - no wonder there were quite a number of flies even on a cool breezy day. Milkshakes are pretty good and portion sizes are generous, though they're not quite thick enough.

Prices are reasonable though.

This was our second visit. The wine selection was great, a huge variety of wines and ciders to choose from. We had a lovely white and a bottle of Harcourt apple cider. Prices were reasonable. Inside the restaurant was a bit cramped as the bar and wine collection took up some space, and seating is limited (having said that though they do have private function rooms you can book for special occasions). Bathrooms were located at the very back of the restaurant, a fair way away. A bit inconvenient for the elderly or less mobile customers. Service was average probably because we were only there for drinks, and didn't order a meal. There was only one waiter around - he was efficient enough with our orders, but not really what you would call warm. Might go again in the future, to try their food.

This weekly market is a really great venture. It is conveniently located with plenty of free parking spots nearby. There is something for everyone - fresh produce, clothes, watches, sunglasses, toys, books, furnitures, tyres, dvds, bric-a-brac, even mobile phone repairs. Toilet facilities are adequate. Different kinds of food are on offer - hot & cold drinks, hot food like hamburgers, chips, hot dogs (and fried hot dogs as well), Asian fried rice & dim sim, Indian samosas etc.

A great place for people of all ages to enjoy a lovely day out!! You might find a great bargain, or that one-of-a-kind piece you've been on the hunt for. I would definitely recommend this to everyone, whether you're visiting Bendigo or a local!

Approximate cost: $0

A great tourist spot conveniently located on the Midland Highway. The Salt & Pepper gallery has a wide range of high-standard artworks, as well as some beautiful scarves. It's a bit disappointing that the olive oil store is not open on weekdays, but I'm sure it's well worth a visit on a weekend. The garden was landscaped nicely, with lovely pieces of art and sculptures scattered around it.

However, once we stepped inside the pottery house, it was unbearably hot. It was a mild sunny day, very comfortable outside, with a nice breeze in the garden. But inside was like a baking oven, making it quite uncomfortable to walk around and look at their displays of pottery (though their artworks are beautifully made and each piece is unique due to their being handmade).

Cafe inside was even worse. Only three fans were on even though they had more than three in sight. The wind was hot, making our stay inside the cafe rather unpleasant. Perhaps this had something to do with the kilns being located in the adjacent room. On summer days this place is not as attractive as it should be - my advice would be to insulate the kilns rather than wasting such a hidden gem in summer time.

The cinema is clean and well-maintained. Staff are friendly, though kiosk staff could be a little more helpful. Seats could be a bit bigger, as they can get a bit uncomfortable during a 2 1/2 hour-long movie. In general, the cinema is quite satisfactory.

The only setback is that it can be very difficult to find a parking spot valid for 3-4 hours. We went on a Monday for an afternoon showing. All the (metered) parking spots outside the cinema were taken, probably by the previous viewers still inside the cinema. Other spots were just for 1 1/2 hours. We finally found a spot a few streets away, after quite a lot of searching. This is a bit disappointing and inconvenient, since it is quite a bit of walking, especially on a hot day! Hopefully the cinema owner might be able to take this matter up with the local council eg change the parking spots in the area from 1 1/2 to 4-hour spots, or increase the number of spots available outside the cinema to patrons. In the meantime, my advice to would-be cinema-goers would be to get in early if you want to find a decent parking spot!

Great friendly cafe. Food and coffee both OK, nothing flash - but very reasonably priced, and decent portions. It is quite enjoyable in summer to sit outside, facing all the lovely shops. A good spot for some afternoon tea - good location, being right in the middle of Hargreaves Mall, yet peaceful, not too noisy.

Approximate cost: $10