Phillip Island (

Boonwurrung The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory ...

: ''Corriong'', ''Worne'' or ''Millowl'') is an Australian island about south-southeast of

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. The island is named after Governor Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, by explorer and seaman

George Bass George Bass (; 30 January 1771 – after 5 February 1803) was a British naval surgeon and explorer of Australia. Early life Bass was born on 30 January 1771 at Aswarby, a hamlet near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, the son of a tenant farmer, George B ...

, who sailed in a

whaleboat A whaleboat is a type of open boat that was used for catching whales, or a boat of similar design that retained the name when used for a different purpose. Some whaleboats were used from whaling ships. Other whaleboats would operate from the s ...

, arriving from Sydney on 5 January 1798. Phillip Island forms a natural

breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island, Antarctica * Breakwater Islands, Nunavut, Canada * ...

for the shallow waters of the

Western Port Western Port, ( Boonwurrung: ''Warn Marin'') commonly but unofficially known as Western Port Bay, is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia, opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in the state. Geographically, it ...

. It is long and wide, with an area of about . It has of coastline and is part of the

Bass Coast Shire The Bass Coast Shire is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the southeastern part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 35,327. It includes the towns of Bass, Cape Paterson, Cape Woolam ...

. A

concrete bridge Concrete bridges are a type of bridge, constructed out of concrete. They started to appear widely in the early 20th century. History file:First concrete bridge in Britain.jpg, Homersfield Bridge, England, cast iron reinforced, constructed 1869 ...

(originally a wooden bridge) connects the mainland town San Remo with the island town

Newhaven Newhaven is a port town in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. The town developed during the Middle Ages as the nearby port of Seaford began drying up, forcing a new port to be established. A ...

. In the 2021 census, the island's permanent population was 13,799, compared to 7,071 in 2001.2001 Population Statistics
Bass Coast Shire Council Website During the summer, the population swells to 40,000. 60% of the island is farmland devoted to grazing of sheep and cattle. Phillip Island is formally recognised by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

as part of the

Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in the Australian state of Victoria located on land and coastal waters associated both with the Mornington Peninsula and the bay known as Western Port. The biosphere ...

. The designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve highlights areas of exceptional natural significance where communities collaborate to promote sustainable living practices and sits within a global network of 759 Biosphere Reserves spanning 136 countries.

History

The earliest inhabitants of the area were the Yalloc Bulluk clan of the

Bunurong people The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory in ...

, of the

Kulin nation The Kulin nation is an alliance of five Aboriginal nations in the south of Australia - up into the Great Dividing Range and the Loddon and Goulburn River valleys - which shares Culture and Language. History Before British colonisation, the ...

. In the

Bunwurrung language The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory ...

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 There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

to have contact with European mariners. Following reports of the 1798 exploration by

and

Matthew Flinders Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer, navigator and cartographer who led the first littoral zone, inshore circumnavigate, circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then ...

, the area was frequented by sealers from

Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...

, whose interaction with the Bunurong people was not without conflict.Gaughwin, Denise and Sullivan, Hilary. Aboriginal Boundaries and Movements in Western Port, Victoria nline Aboriginal History, Vol. 8, 1984: 80-98. Availability: . ited 19 Sep 13 In 1801, navigator James Grant visited the adjoining

Churchill Island Churchill Island is a island in Western Port, Victoria, Australia. The island is named after John Churchill, Esquire of Dawlish. The island is linked to Phillip Island by a bridge, with Phillip Island itself connected to the mainland via ano ...

(which he named) and planted a crop of corn and wheat. In 1826, the scientific voyage of

Dumont d'Urville Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville (; 23 May 1790 – 8 May 1842) was a French explorer and naval officer who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. As a botanist and cartographer, he gave his name ...

, in command of the corvette ''Astrolabe'', led to British concerns of an attempt by the French to establish a colony in

. This saw the dispatch from

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

of , under the command of Captain Wetherall, and the brigs ''Dragon'' and ''Amity'', by Governor Darling. Nobbies zz

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 Rhyll is a small fishing town on Phillip Island in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the north-east corner of the island. It is named after Rhyl, a holiday resort in Denbighshire, Wales. At the , Rhyll had a population of 836. The first Eu ...

, and named Dumaresq after the Governor's private secretary. The "abundance" of wood, quality soil and the discovery of

coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal i ...

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

, 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 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 the eventual move to Settlement Point on the mainland coast. During the third voyage of , 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, ndoccasionally 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 the neighbourhood". The water question was again addressed, by Captain Moore, who accompanied Surveyor

Robert Hoddle Robert Hoddle (21 April 1794 – 24 October 1881) was a surveyor and artist. He was the first Surveyor-General of Victoria from 1851 to 1853. He was previously the Surveyor-in-Charge of the Port Phillip District from 1837 to 1851. He became ...

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 Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

across the bay from Phillip Island. In 1841, brothers John David and William McHaffie, were granted Phillip Island as a squatting run and took possession in 1842. The McHaffies, and later settlers, assisted the Victorian

Acclimatisation society Acclimatisation societies were voluntary associations, founded in the 19th and 20th centuries, that encouraged the introduction of non-native species in various places around the world, in the hope that they would acclimatise and adapt to the ...

(forerunner of the committee which established the

Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo is a zoo in Melbourne, Australia. It is located within Royal Park, Melbourne, Royal Park in Parkville, Victoria, Parkville, approximately north of the centre of Melbourne. It is the primary zoo serving Melbourne. As of 2021, the ...

) by introducing animals such as pheasants, deer and wallabies to Phillip Island. Plans for the first bridge to the island, from San Remo to

commenced in 1938, at a cost of £50,000, with the official opening by Premier

Albert Dunstan Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan, KCMG (26 July 1882 – 14 April 1950) was an Australian politician who served as the 33rd premier of Victoria from 1935 to 1943 and from 1943 to 1945 and as the third deputy premier of Victoria for five days in ...

taking place in November 1940. A full public holiday was declared on the island to celebrate. In 2018, Phillip Island commemorated its 150th anniversary. To mark the moment, various events ran throughout the year including a community street parade, which took place on Saturday 3 November. The Phillip Island & District Historical Society serves as a repository of the Island’s history.

Environment

Wildlife

Phillip Island Nature Parks manages

nature conservation Nature conservation is the ethic/moral philosophy and conservation movement focused on protecting species from extinction, maintaining and restoring habitats, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biological diversity. A range of values ...

and

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...

on the island. The southern and western coasts of the island lie within the

Phillip Island Important Bird Area The Phillip Island Important Bird Area comprises a 20 km2 strip of coastline along the south and west coasts of Phillip Island, Victoria, in south-eastern Australia. Description The site contains much of the Phillip Island Nature Park, in ...

, so identified by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...

because of its importance in supporting significant populations of

little penguin The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is the smallest species of penguin. It originates from New Zealand. It is commonly known as the fairy penguin, little blue penguin, or blue penguin, owing to its slate-blue plumage and is also known by ...

short-tailed shearwater The short-tailed shearwater or slender-billed shearwater (''Ardenna tenuirostris''; formerly ''Puffinus tenuirostris''), also called yolla or moonbird, and commonly known as the muttonbird in Australia, is the most abundant seabird species in A ...

s and

Pacific gull The Pacific gull (''Larus pacificus'') is a gull, native to the coasts of Australia. It is moderately common between Carnarvon, Western Australia, Carnarvon in the west, and Sydney in the east, although it has become scarce in some parts of the s ...

s. 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 The Summerland Peninsula is located at the western end of Phillip Island in Victoria, Australia. The peninsula lies within the Gippsland Plain Bioregion and is a site of high conservation significance. As part of a protected area the peninsula ...

(which was bought by the

Victorian Government The Victoria State Government, also referred to as the Victorian Government, is the executive government of the Australian state of Victoria. As a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, the State Government was first formed in 1851 when Vic ...

in the 1980s for use as a

wildlife reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologi ...

). 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 a result of

climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...

, 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 a rise in the invasive rabbit population, which in turn exacerbated erosion and threatened native orchid species. Conservationists have used

phosphine Phosphine (IUPAC name: phosphane) is a colorless, flammable, highly toxic compound with the chemical formula , classed as a pnictogen hydride. Pure phosphine is odorless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like rotting ...

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 the island, hosts the largest colony of

fur seal Fur seals are any of nine species of pinnipeds belonging to the subfamily Arctocephalinae in the family Otariidae. They are much more closely related to sea lions than Earless seal, true seals, and share with them external ears (Pinna (anatomy ...

s in Australia (up to 16,000 around 2008).Inter Island Ferries
About Phillip Island In recent years, other than local population of

critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...

endemic

Burrunan dolphin The Burrunan dolphin (''Tursiops australis'') is a proposed species of bottlenose dolphin found in parts of Victoria, Australia first described in 2011. Its exact taxonomy is debated: numerous studies support it as being a separate species within ...

s or migratory

killer whale The orca (''Orcinus orca''), or killer whale, is a toothed whale and the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. The only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'', it is recognizable by its black-and-white-patterned body. A cosmopolit ...

southern right whale The southern right whale (''Eubalaena australis'') is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus ''Eubalaena''. Southern right whales inhabit oceans south of the Equator, between the latitudes of 20� ...

s and

humpback whale The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the monotypic taxon, only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh u ...

s are starting to show recoveries in the area long after commercial and illegal hunts by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

with the help of Japan in 1970s, and the numbers using the area as nursery were growing rapidly by October 2014, allowing a rise in hopes to establish commercial

whale watching Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural habitat. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity (cf. birdwatching), but it can also serve scientific and/or educational purposes.Hoyt, E. ...

activities in the vicinity of the island. The

Eastern barred bandicoot The eastern barred bandicoot (''Perameles gunnii'') is a nocturnal, rabbit-sized marsupial endemic to southeastern Australia, being native to the island of Tasmania and mainland Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It is one of three surviving bandi ...

, a marsupial similar in size to a rabbit, is native to mainland Victoria. The mainland population faces significant challenges and remains the focus of ongoing conservation efforts. In recent years, successful reintroductions have taken place on Phillip Island and in the Westernport Bay region.

Climate

Phillip Island possesses an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

( Köppen: Cfb), with tepid, relatively dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Tempered by prevailing south-westerly winds from the

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The ...

, the island has a milder climate than

. Average maxima vary from in February to in July, while average minima fluctuate between in February and in July. Mean

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwe ...

is moderately low (averaging per annum), but rainfall is frequent, as Phillip Island receives 151.4 precipitation days annually (with a maximum frequency of rain in

winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...

). The island is not very sunny, experiencing 31.8 clear days and 98.7 cloudy days per year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from on 29 January 2009 to on 28 July 1994. Phillip Island's Grand Prix motorcycle race 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.Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Snow in Victoria This was a very unusual event.

Tourism

Phillip Island is a significant

tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beau ...

visited by 3.5 million people annually. The island is home to approximately 40,000 penguins making it the largest penguin colony in the world. The Penguin Parade at Phillip Island Nature Park, in which

little penguins The little penguin (''Eudyptula minor'') is the smallest species of penguin. It originates from New Zealand. It is commonly known as the fairy penguin, little blue penguin, or blue penguin, owing to its slate-blue plumage and is also known by ...

come ashore in groups, attracts visitors from around Australia and all over 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. The Nobbies Centre is an

destination located at Point Grant, on the western tip of Phillip Island. Once known as the Seal Rocks Sea Life Centre, the centre is managed by the Phillip Island Nature Park. A network of boardwalks outside the centre allow visitors to view the seal colony, The Nobbies, and The Blowhole. Phillip Island is also renowned for its consistently reliable and diverse surf conditions, making it one of the premier surfing destinations in the country. In 2013, Victoria’s first National Surfing Reserve was established on the island, encompassing four key locations along the coast: Woolamai, Smiths Beach, Summerlands, and Cat Bay. The National Surfing Reserve is guided by the philosophy of “care, share, and preserve.” Phillip Island has a strong history of hosting major surfing events, including the

Rip Curl Pro The Rip Curl Pro, formerly the Bells Beach Surf Classic, is a WSL (formerly ASP) World Tour surfing competition held in and around Torquay, Victoria and sponsored by surf company Rip Curl. The event is based at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australi ...

and the Roxy Pro Women’s Surfing Festival. Currently, it is the venue for the World Surfing League – Phillip Island Pro event. As

whales Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully Aquatic animal, aquatic placental mammal, placental marine mammals. As an informal and Colloquialism, colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea ...

embark on their annual migration north along the Victorian coastline, these magnificent creatures can be seen navigating the coastal waters around Phillip Island. Each year from May to September, the island becomes a seasonal haven for humpback whales, southern right whales, and occasionally, killer whales. Other events include the Churchill Island Working Horse and Pioneer Festival. Established by volunteer veterans, the National Vietnam Veterans Museum features a distinctive collection of artefacts, vehicles and memorabilia from the Vietnam War era, dedicated to supporting veterans and preserving the stories of service and sacrifice. 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.

Motorsport

Phillip Island is steeped in the history of Australian motor racing. A temporary circuit utilizing the island's interior public roads was used for the inaugural

Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is an annual Formula One motor racing event, taking place in Melbourne, Victoria. The event is contracted to be held at least until 2035. One of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia, the Gran ...

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly demonstrating that DNA is the genetic material. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris B ...

and continued to be used for the race up until

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...

. 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 The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near Ventnor, Victoria, Ventnor, on Phillip Island, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. The current circuit was first used in 1952. Along with The Bend Motorsport P ...

which opened in 1956. In

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

, the inaugural

Armstrong 500 Armstrong may refer to: Places * Armstrong Creek (disambiguation), various places * Armstrong River (disambiguation), various rivers Antarctica * Armstrong Reef, Biscoe Islands Argentina * Armstrong, Santa Fe Australia * Armstrong, Victor ...

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 year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

. The damage rendered the circuit unusable for racing and for

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...

the Armstrong 500 was relocated to the

Mount Panorama Circuit Mount Panorama Circuit, officially Mount Panorama/Wahluu via dual naming, is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on Mount Panorama and is best known as the home of the Bathurst 1000 motor race ...

and over time evolved into what is known today as the

Bathurst 1000 The Bathurst 1000 (known for sponsorship reasons as the Repco Bathurst 1000) is a Touring car racing, touring car race held annually on the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently run as part of the Supe ...

. The circuit was refurbished and 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 The Australian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. From 1997 to the present day, it is run at the scenic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit south-southeast of Melbourne, Vict ...

. It continues to host the race today and is also a venue for rounds of the

Superbike World Championship Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette road racing series based on heavily modified production sports motorcycles. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Champion ...

, the MotoGP Championship, the V8 Supercars Championship and the

Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category. This category was determined by the Confederation of Australia ...

Phillip Island in the media

Phillip Island has been featured in a wide range of media from fiction and non-fiction books to poetry, documentaries, and Hollywood films. Known for its coastal scenery and Penguin Parade, the island has served as a backdrop in Australian literature, television, and nature documentaries. It has also appeared in international productions, with its dramatic landscapes lending themselves to film and TV, solidifying its place in both Australian culture and global media. The most famous example is '' On the Beach'', which brought Hollywood royalty

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...

Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...

and

Anthony Perkins Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932 – September 12, 1992) was an American actor. Born in Manhattan, Perkins began his career as a teenager in summer stock theater, summer stock programs, although he acted in films before his time on Broadway the ...

to Phillip Island, whilst filming scenes at the Grand Prix Circuit.

Films

*'' On the Beach'' (1959) *'' Summerfield'' (1977) *'' The Hands of Cormac Joyce'' (1972)

Documentary films

* '' Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia'' (2016) * '' Penguin Island'' (2010) by BBC

Short films

* ''Mermaid homesick'' (2016) * ''Spotwind'' (2020) * ''Severance Bay'' (2023)

Books

* ''Phillip Island and Western Port'' (1989) by Jean Edgecombe * ''The Facing Island'' (2003) by Jan Bassett * ''Phillip Island: A history of motorsport since 1928'' (2005) by Jim Scraysbrook * ''Islands of Australia'' (2009) by Marc Fiddian * ''500 Million years on Phillip Island'' (2021) by Linda Cuttriss and Eric Bird * ''Once upon an Island: The early days of Phillip Island'' (2023) * ''The Littlest Penguin and the Phillip Island Penguin Parade'' (2023) by Jedda Robbard * ''Phillip Island: The inside story of Australia's fastest racetrack, our home of motorsport'' (2024) by John Smailes

Localities

Towns on the island include:

Notable residents

* William Watt, politician *

Frank Sedgman Francis Arthur Sedgman (born 29 October 1927) is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Over the course of a three-decade career, Sedgman won five Grand Slam singles tournaments as an amateur as well as 9 Grand Slam doubles tourname ...

, tennis player *

Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He is known for performing a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country", as well as writing many of his own songs. Jackson has recorded 21 studi ...

, business executive *

Graeme Strachan Graeme Ronald Strachan (pronounced "Strawn") (2 January 195229 August 2001), professionally billed and known as "Shirley" Strachan or Shirl, was an Australian singer, songwriter, radio and television presenter, and carpenter. He was the lead si ...

, singer *

Manning Clark Charles Manning Hope Clark, (3 March 1915 – 23 May 1991) was an Australian historian and the author of the best-known general history of Australia, his six-volume ''A History of Australia'', published between 1962 and 1987. He has been descri ...

, historian *

Chris Hemsworth Christopher Hemsworth (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, and Bulman, Northern Territory, he rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series ''Home and Away'' (2004� ...

, actor *

Liam Hemsworth Liam Hemsworth (born 13 January 1990) is an Australian actor. He played the roles of Josh Taylor (Neighbours), Josh Taylor in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' and Marcus in the children's television series ''The Elephant Princess''. In American fi ...