A Brief History of Phillip Island Conservation Society Inc.

In l968 Phillip Island Conservation Society (PICS) was formed in response to a proposal to build a marina in Rhyll Inlet. For over thirty years, members of PICS have been involved in many campaigns and have made a contribution to conservation on Phillip Island.

The Society is formally represented on a number of local and regional bodies, and is part of a large informal network of environmental groups around Westernport and beyond. PICS maintains an ongoing participation in planning matters, recognising the crucial link between retention of habitat and appropriate development. The work on planning processes was rewarded with an Award for Excellence by the prestigious Town and Country Planning Association.

A brief summary of PICS’s contributions and involvement is given below.

Conservation Achievements

• Rhyll Inlet: this wetlands area was saved from development as a marina. PICS worked to defeat the proposal that would have destroyed this world-class habitat for a wide range of birds.

• Summerlands Peninsula: since 1968 PICS has fought against numerous proposals for commercial development on the Summerlands Peninsula. It also provided some of the personnel to conduct the penguin and traffic counts which led to the eventual closure of Ventnor Road on the Summerlands Peninsula from dusk to dawn.

• Conservation Hill: PICS members played a leading part in the negotiations for the purchase of the land now known as Conservation Hill, overlooking Rhyll Inlet. Many members gave money to help make the land purchase possible, and donated adjoining land. The purchase of this land led to the development of a picnic and viewing area.

• Rowells Swamp: A PICS member instigated the purchase by the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (now Department of Natural Resources and Environment) of the land known as Rowells Swamp.

• Saltwater Creek Action Group (SWAG): The formation of this group was a PICS initiative that led to the abandonment of Saltwater Creek marina and housing/commercial development and the creation of a wide public reserve along the creek and rural residential allotments.

• Isle of Wight: PICS and other community members successfully defeated a proposal to demolish the existing historic Isle of Wight Hotel and replace it with a multi-storey building. The processes to defend the hotel led PICS into court and highlighted the importance of community and legal support in challenging inappropriate development plans. The proposal was defeated and a human-scale waterfront was preserved.

• Revegetation and weed eradication programs: Since the first tree planting at Swan Lake in l969, PICS has carried out numerous revegetation and weed eradication programs on the Island. These include: Bicentennial plantings at Ventnor, Sunset Strip and Churchill Island; the Fiveways Revegetation project; habitat revegetation at Oswin Roberts Reserve; the Coastcare project at Red Rocks; revegetation at Cape Woolamai and roadside plantings and revegetation.

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Management Plans and Strategies

PICS has been involved in the preparation of many management plans and strategies, and has commented on many proposals. These include:

• Phillip Island Shire Council’s Strategy Plan
• Phillip Island Shire Council’s Roadside Management Plan
• Phillip Island Shire Council’s Landscape Strategy Plan
• Phillip Island Shire Council’s Foreshore Management Plan
• Phillip Island Penguin Reserve Management Plan
• Summerlands Peninsula Study
• Cape Woolamai State Faunal Reserve (Provision of Public Recreation Facilities)
• Bass Coast Shire Council’s Planning Scheme
• Bass Coast Shire Council’s Rural and Rural Residential Strategy
• Bass Coast Shire Council’s Tourism and Economic Development Strategy
• Bass Coast Shire Council’s Boat Ramp User Charge Discussion Paper
• Bass Coast Shire Council’s Waste Management Plan
• French Island National Park Draft Management Plan
• Wilson’s Promontory National Park Management Plans
• Saltwater Creek Canal Development Proposal
• Victorian Aquaculture Strategy
• Discussion Paper on Creating a Coastal Bay and Management Council
• Senate Inquiry into Commonwealth Environment Powers
• Victorian Inquiry into Pacific Oysters
• Westernport Bay Strategy
• Westernport Bay Coastal Villages Strategy
• Seal Rocks Victoria Australia Tourism Centre proposal and EES

Links with other local groups

Friends of the Koalas: PICS sponsored formation of this local group.

Barb Martin Bush Bank: PICS strongly supports the progress of this local seed bank and plant propagation centre, named after a past Treasurer of the Society.

The Society actively participates in a range of local and regional groups and works cooperatively to promote conservation on Phillip Island.

Publications

The Society has published various leaflets and booklets. Please contact the Society’s Secretary for details and access.