35-777: Phillip Island Nature Park ( PINP ) is a conservation park located on Phillip Island , Victoria , Australia . Created in 1996, the park is owned by the Victorian State Government; however, it is a self-funding commercial attraction for the purpose of animal conservation and research. An oil spill off the island in January, 2000 led to a worldwide appeal for hand-knitted penguin sweaters . Located 1.5 hours drive south-east of Melbourne , PINP covers several separate areas over 1805 hectares. The parks include Pyramid Rock, Rhyll Inlet , Seal Rocks , and Cape Woolamai , with specific viewing and attraction areas that include
70-686: A colony in Western Port . This saw the dispatch from Sydney of HMS Fly , under the command of Captain Wetherall, and the brigs Dragon and Amity , by Governor Darling . While the French colonisation did not eventuate, Wetherall reported on finding a sealer's camp and also two acres of wheat and corn. A fort was constructed near Rhyll , and named Dumaresq after the Governor's private secretary. The "abundance" of wood, quality soil and
105-420: A crew comprising the commanding officer, two mates and twelve seamen. His instructions were to proceed to Australia to prosecute "the discovery and survey of the unknown parts of the coast of New Holland", although it was always intended that he should hand the ship to Matthew Flinders and take command of HMS Supply . He sailed into Table Cape, South Africa on 8 July 1800. Here Grant received dispatches from
140-555: A passage of seventy-one days from Cape Town . When he arrived, it transpired that Flinders had returned to England and that Supply had been laid up as a hulk at Sydney , and Governor King reappointed him to the Lady Nelson . He was ordered to return to the deep bay which he had sailed across in Bass Strait and make a general survey of the south coast. He left on 6 March 1801, got as far as Western Port where he conducted
175-417: A result of climate change , threaten the penguins' habitat, and it has been observed that they do not move away from fire. A project is under way to replace more flammable introduced plants with less flammable endemic species, creating natural firebreaks. The island's penguins have also been threatened by an invasive fox population. After the foxes were mostly eradicated in 2017, the absence of predators led to
210-401: A rise in the invasive rabbit population, which in turn exacerbated erosion and threatened native orchid species. Conservationists have used phosphine gas to fumigate the island's extensive rabbit warrens, which can destabilise houses. In addition, there is a wildlife park where wallabies and kangaroos roam freely amongst the visitors and can be fed by hand. Seal Rocks , at the western end of
245-540: A squatting run and took possession in 1842. The McHaffies, and later settlers, assisted the Victorian Acclimatisation society (forerunner of the committee which established the Melbourne Zoo ) by introducing animals such as pheasants, deer and wallabies to Phillip Island. Plans for the first bridge to the island, from San Remo to Newhaven commenced in 1938, at a cost of £50,000, with
280-603: A survey. He was back at Sydney on 14 May 1801. On 10 June 1801 Grant sailed to the Hunter River conveying Lieutenant Colonel Paterson , to consider the question of a settlement there and the probable extent of the coal deposits. After a particularly unpleasant period of disagreement with the officers of the New South Wales Corps in Sydney, Grant asked permission on 31 August 1801 to return to Europe, which
315-566: Is an Australian island about 125 km (78 mi) south-southeast of Melbourne , Victoria . The island is named after Governor Arthur Phillip , the first Governor of New South Wales , by explorer and seaman George Bass , who sailed in a whaleboat , arriving from Sydney on 5 January 1798. Phillip Island forms a natural breakwater for the shallow waters of the Western Port . It is 26 km (16 mi) long and 9 km (5.6 mi) wide, with an area of about 101 km (40 sq mi). It has 97 km (60 mi) of coastline and
350-682: Is dedicated to koala research and conservation and allows the opportunity to view koalas in their natural habitat on treetop boardwalks. Much of the park lies within the Phillip Island Important Bird Area , so identified by BirdLife International because of its importance in supporting significant populations of little penguins, short-tailed shearwaters and Pacific gulls . 38°29′S 145°14′E / 38.483°S 145.233°E / -38.483; 145.233 Phillip Island (Victoria) Phillip Island ( Boonwurrung : Corriong , Worne or Millowl )
385-478: Is moderately low (averaging 738.1 mm (29.06 in) per annum), but rainfall is frequent, as Phillip Island receives 151.4 precipitation days annually (with a maximum frequency of rain in winter ). The island is not very sunny, experiencing 31.8 clear days and 98.7 cloudy days per year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) on 29 January 2009 to −2.3 °C (27.9 °F) on 28 July 1994. Phillip Island's Grand Prix motorcycle race
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#1732790689235420-590: Is named after him. He established a garden on Churchill Island . Grant's early career is the base for a character also named James Grant in Patrick O'Brian 's novel Desolation Island , part of the Aubrey–Maturin series . In real life and in the fiction, Grant accomplished much at a young age sailing a sloop to New South Wales (a lieutenant could be captain of a sloop in the Royal Navy of that era) and writing
455-499: Is part of the Bass Coast Shire . A 640 m (2,100 ft) concrete bridge (originally a wooden bridge) connects the mainland town San Remo with the island town Newhaven . In the 2021 census , the island's permanent population was 13,799, compared to 7,071 in 2001. During the summer, the population swells to 40,000. 60% of the island is farmland devoted to grazing of sheep and cattle. The earliest inhabitants of
490-559: Is traditionally held in October, often seeing unreliable and fickle weather conditions, such as very cold surface temperatures and extreme wind. On 10 August 2005, snow was observed on the island. This was a very unusual event. Phillip Island is a tourist destination visited by 3.5 million people annually. The Penguin Parade at Phillip Island Nature Park , in which little penguins come ashore in groups, attracts visitors from all over
525-474: The Duke of Portland advising him of the discovery of a strait between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land . He was to sail through it on his way to Port Jackson, instead of sailing around Van Diemen's Land. Thus his was the first ship to sail through Bass Strait from west to east, charting the then unknown coastline. Lady Nelson entered the heads at Port Jackson at six in the evening of 16 December 1800 after
560-620: The Nobbies Centre (seals, dolphins, and shark viewing), the Penguin Parade ( little penguins coming ashore at dusk), Koala Conservation Centre, and the Churchill Island Heritage Farm. Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade is the only commercial venue in the world where you can see penguins in their own environment and attracts tourists from different parts of the world. The Koala Conservation Centre
595-696: The Royal Navy as a captain's servant in August 1793 and was appointed a midshipman in May 1794. He passed his board for promotion to lieutenant and was promoted in 1800. Thanks to his friendship with Captain John Schank , as a lieutenant he took command of Lady Nelson , a new vessel of 60 tons fitted with a centre-board (or "Schank") keel, towards the end of 1799 he sailed from the River Thames for Port Jackson on 18 March 1800. A brig of 60 tons, she carried
630-476: The area was frequented by sealers from Van Diemen's Land , whose interaction with the Bunurong people was not without conflict. In 1801, navigator James Grant visited the adjoining Churchill Island (which he named) and planted a crop of corn and wheat. In 1826, the scientific voyage of Dumont d'Urville , in command of the corvette Astrolabe , led to British concerns of an attempt by the French to establish
665-739: The area were the Yalloc Bulluk clan of the Bunurong people , of the Kulin nation . In the Bunwurrung language the island is known as corriong or millowl . Their coastal territory with its sheltered bays meant that the Yalloc Bulluk, along with other Bunurong clans, were among the first Aboriginal people in Victoria to have contact with European mariners. Following reports of the 1798 exploration by George Bass and Matthew Flinders ,
700-523: The discovery of coal at Cape Woolamai , were mentioned in newspaper accounts. Wetherall also erected a flag staff on "the flat-top'd rock off Point Grant" (commonly known today as The Nobbies ) on the Island's Western extremity as a marker for the harbour entrance. Of his encounters with the Bunurong people , Wetherall told Darling : "The Natives appear numerous, but we have not been able to obtain an interview, as they desert their camp, and run into
735-483: The eventual move to Settlement Point on the mainland coast. During the third voyage of HMS Beagle , in 1839, water was "found by digging in the centre of a clump of bushes on the outer part of the point at the N.E. extremity of the island, which at high water became an island, [and] occasionally made the water brackish" although it was noted "better might have been found a short distance in shore, as there were abundance of shrubs and other indications of water in
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#1732790689235770-593: The island include: James Grant (navigator) James Grant (1772 – 11 November 1833) was a Scottish born British Royal Navy officer and navigator in the early nineteenth century. He served in Australia in 1800–1801 and was the first to map the Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania. Grant was baptized on 6 September 1772 at Forres, Morayshire , Scotland . He was educated at King's College, Aberdeen, under Dr. William Chalmers. He entered
805-492: The island's interior public roads was used for the inaugural Australian Grand Prix in 1928 and continued to be used for the race up until 1935 . Racing on public road circuits continued through to 1940. In 1952 the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club was formed and commenced construction on the permanent Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit which opened in 1956. In 1960 , the inaugural Armstrong 500
840-695: The island's population of little penguins is estimated at around 40,000, with the birds living on the Summerland Estate on the Summerland Peninsula (which was bought by the Victorian Government in the 1980s for use as a wildlife reserve ). After many penguins died in a 2019 heatwave, native plants such as bower spinach were planted around penguin boxes to insulate them. Grass fires , largely due to poor practices since settlement, and projected to occur more frequently as
875-533: The island, hosts the largest colony of fur seals in Australia (up to 16,000 around 2008). In recent years, other than local population of critically endangered endemic Burrunan dolphins or migratory killer whales , southern right whales and humpback whales are starting to show recoveries in the area long after commercial and illegal hunts by the Soviet Union with the help of Japan in 1970s, and
910-519: The neighbourhood". The water question was again addressed, by Captain Moore, who accompanied Surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1840, that "water can be obtained on Phillip Island, near the best anchorage, off Sandy Point." In 1835 Samuel Anderson established the third permanent settlement in what would be Victoria at the mainland site of Bass across the bay from Phillip Island. In 1841, brothers John David and William McHaffie, were granted Phillip Island as
945-779: The numbers using the area as nursery were growing rapidly by October 2014, allowing a rise in hopes to establish commercial whale watching activities in the vicinity of the island. Phillip Island possesses an oceanic climate ( Köppen: Cfb), with tepid, relatively dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Tempered by prevailing south-westerly winds from the Bass Strait , the island has a milder climate than Melbourne . Average maxima vary from 23.8 °C (74.8 °F) in February to 13.5 °C (56.3 °F) in July, while average minima fluctuate between 14.0 °C (57.2 °F) in February and 6.8 °C (44.2 °F) in July. Mean precipitation
980-582: The official opening by Premier Albert Dunstan taking place in November 1940. A full public holiday was declared on the island to celebrate. Phillip Island Nature Parks manages nature conservation and ecotourism on the island. The southern and western coasts of the island lie within the Phillip Island Important Bird Area , so identified by BirdLife International because of its importance in supporting significant populations of little penguins , short-tailed shearwaters and Pacific gulls . As of 2023
1015-737: The past, such as the Rip Curl Pro and the Roxy Pro Women's Surfing Festival. Other events include the Churchill Island Working Horse and Pioneer Festival. In September 2023 authorities issued a safety reminder after a 22-year-old woman fell 50 metres down a cliff edge from the Pinnacles Lookout at Cape Woolamai while taking photos for social media. Phillip Island is steeped in the history of Australian motor racing. A temporary circuit utilizing
1050-500: The rank of commander in January 1805, and was given a pension in 1806 for wounds received in action while in command of hired armed cutter Hawke off the Dutch coast. Despite his wounds, he later commanded the sloops HMS Raven and HMS Thracian . He died at Saint-Servan , France, on 11 November 1833. He was the first European to land on Phillip Island and Churchill Island . The south-west point of Phillip Island
1085-437: The woods on our approach, watching our movements until we depart. As I am aware it is Your Excellency's wish to conciliate them as much as possible, I have not allowed them to be pursued, or molested in any way." The only reservation Wetherall had was on the island's supply of water; he dug a "tide-well" near the fort but assessed the source as "not in sufficient quantities for the supply of shipping" and this problem would lead to
Phillip Island Nature Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
1120-455: The world. They come to see one of the few areas where this species of penguin can be seen, but visitors are reminded photography is not permitted for the birds' safety. Phillip Island is home to approximately 40,000 penguins, which can be seen by tourists at sunset every day of the year. The island is recognised as having some of the most consistently reliable and varied surf conditions in the country. The island has hosted various surf events in
1155-425: Was granted. King spoke very favourably of Grant's abilities as an officer and seaman, but it is evident that he was not satisfied with Grant's survey work on his voyage to Bass Strait, and Grant was himself conscious of his want of knowledge of nautical surveying. After his return Grant published in 1803 his Narrative of a Voyage of Discovery which was shortly afterwards translated into Dutch and German. He reached
1190-590: Was held, although, with the bridge to the mainland unable to support heavy hotmix bitumen equipment, the track broke up during the third running of the race in 1962 . The damage rendered the circuit unusable for racing and for 1963 the Armstrong 500 was relocated to the Mount Panorama Circuit and over time evolved into what is known today as the Bathurst 1000 . The circuit was refurbished and
1225-775: Was reopened in October 1967. It was closed in 1978, but was redeveloped and re-opened in 1988 and the following year hosted the first international version of the Australian motorcycle Grand Prix . It continues to host the race today and is also a venue for rounds of the Superbike World Championship , the MotoGP Championship , the V8 Supercars Championship and the Australian Drivers' Championship . Towns on
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