A good question.
A local answer.

If you have dietary needs, ask staff about ingredients rather than relying on the appearance of prepared dishes.

Calculate the airport-city round trip, security and boarding cutoff before leaving the terminal. Five hours may leave little relaxed city time, so a nearby breakfast is sensible only if the connection and transport margin are genuinely comfortable.

Ask your mother to message after clearing arrivals before moving to the pickup point.

Choose Phillip Island if wildlife and a structured evening are the priority; choose Wilsons Promontory for a nature-and-walking day if you accept the longer drive. Check current access and daylight before treating either as a casual outing.

Respect the attraction's animal-welfare and safety rules; a supervised close viewing is a better goal than insisting on handling. Check current licensed experiences that explicitly allow interaction with suitable species.

Allow extra transport time around the circuit and event start or finish.

Choose one or two day trips rather than turning every winter day into a long drive.

Compare the upgrade price with nearby cafés and restaurants over the whole stay.

Keep the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island as separate blocks with a rest or transfer day between them. Check event road closures before fixing the coastal direction and avoid a long drive on the toddler's arrival day.

Look for current Indigenous-led food experiences and ask directly what seasonal ingredients are actually served. A bush-tucker tour may teach more than a single novelty dish, and menus can change with supply.

Confirm terminal transfer and assistance options before purchasing the shorter connection.

Check whether the tour includes admission and reserved viewing or only transport.