About the circuit

Phillip Island

Phillip Island, the self-styled home of Australian motorsport, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a AUS $5m facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards.

The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and, as one of the fastest, most fluid, tracks on the calendar, it continues to provide some of the most spectacular racing in the MotoGP season.

Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix Track

Track by category

Category Laps Total Distance Finish in case of red flag
MotoGP™ 27 120.1 Km / 74.62 Miles 20
Moto2™ 23 102.3 Km / 63.57 Miles 17
Moto3™ 21 93.41 Km / 58.04 Miles 16

Circuit Specs

  • Total length

    4.45Km / 2.76 Miles

  • Total Width

    13m / 42.65ft

  • Longest Straight

    900m / 2952.76ft

  • Right Corners

    5

  • Left Corners

    7

The superb Phillip Island circuit is one of the most iconic and exciting venues in world motorsport. Since first visiting the country in 1989, an Australian Grand Prix has been held every year.

Phillip Island, Australia

The Australian GP was then held at Eastern Creek for six successive years from 1991 to 1996, before returning to Phillip Island in 1997 where it has since remained. That Australia has produced so many stars of two-wheel racing, such as Gardner, Mick Doohan, Troy Bayliss, Troy Corser and Casey Stoner, is a testament to the country’s rich motorcycle racing heritage.

Why we love Victoria and Australia


Australia’s largest city Sydney, in addition to places such as Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth and the huge, remote Australian outback are all incredible holiday destinations. One could travel for months and only scratch the surface, with ancient Aboriginal culture beautifully contrasting the modern spirit of this relatively young nation.

The State of Victoria is home to the cultural urban hotspot of Melbourne, rated by some as the world’s most-liveable city. Phillip Island, meanwhile, sits 140km (87 miles) southeast of Melbourne, making it an easy drive to and from the city.

Prepare to take in the vastness of the country, the warmth of the ‘Aussie’ welcome, the diversity of the local wildlife, the seemingly endless coastal beauty and the vibrancy of the major cities.

Finding the right acommodation


If you want to stay on Phillip Island itself, or in the immediate area, there are plenty of options to suit most budgets. Remember to book early, because even though local businesses are accustomed to the influx of big crowds at peak times the best places do fill up fast.

Whether you are staying on Phillip Island or on the mainland, including San Remo, the small town which is adjoined to the island by a 640m bridge, this is a popular part of Australia to visit and there are a vast range of options available from apartments and cottages to rent, bed & breakfast style accommodation, camping and caravan parks, hotels and motels.

Indeed, Phillip Island sees a large numbers of tourists each year, so visitors are amply catered for in the main town of Cowes, or smaller places such as Rhyll, Newhaven and Cape Woolamai.

Tips for visiting Victoria and Australia


Victoria has some of Australia's best seafood and the ubiquitous Aussie BBQ often features fish and shellfish, as well as burgers or snags (sausages).

There are some fine Australian wines and most barmen can recommend you the perfect Aussie tipple. When it comes to beer in this part of the world the main local brews are VB (Victoria Bitter) or Carlton Draught, as well as an outstanding 'micro-brewery' scene, that has beer fans celebrating a number of unique variations.

When visiting Australia much of your time here may be spent on the road, given the size of the country. There are major differences in terms of local geography and climate, with Melbourne and Victoria being colder and often windier than more northern parts of Australia.

Australians love the great outdoors but the effects of the sun can be stronger here than other countries, so remember your sunhat, even in the cooler temperatures at Phillip Island.