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Plan Your Trip To The Beach

The summer holiday period traditionally sees a massive influx of visitors to Phillip Island and other areas across Bass Coast, as people come to enjoy the natural beauty and wonderful beaches.

By Bass Coast Shire Council - 28th November 2006 - Back to News

But the excitement of getting out of the city and heading for the coast can be severely dampened by spending many hours in slow moving traffic.

Bass Coast Shire Council’s Special Events Coordinator, Frank Angarane says that it’s important that people factor in peak travel times and special events when they are planning their trip.

"Last year, the combination of hot weather, a music festival and New Year’s Eve falling on a weekend resulted in a huge influx of traffic onto Phillip Island," said Mr Angarane.

"Our roads are just not equipped to deal with that volume of cars, and the resulting traffic jam was completely unacceptable.

"We have put a lot of measures in place this year to avoid a repeat performance, but some careful planning of travel times could ensure that everyone has a better holiday," continued Mr Angarane.

Mr Angarane said there were a number of factors to consider when planning a trip to Phillip Island or Bass Coast, including:

• Be aware of peak travel times;
• Warm weather means increased beach and visitor traffic;
• Take plenty of water and some snacks when you travel; and
• Check the Bass Coast website for significant events, as these always generate extra traffic.

"As a general rule, for a stress free trip don’t leave the city on Friday afternoon and head for Phillip Island," said Mr Angarane.

"Weekend visitors also need to factor in events such as the V8 Supercars on 8-10 December.

"We’re anticipating the Superbikes willl attract a large crowd, so that will be a busy weekend on our roads.

Mr Angarane advised thinking ahead when planning Christmas holiday travel.

"This year, we’re expecting to see a lot of traffic on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 December as people arrive at their holiday homes for Christmas. Boxing Day is traditionally another busy traffic day for Phillip Island.

"And it is also likely that Friday 29 and Saturday 30 will be busy as well, as people make their way down for New Year’s Eve."

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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