Churchill Island is a island in

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 ...

, Victoria,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. The island is named after John Churchill, Esquire of Dawlish. The island is linked to

Phillip Island Phillip Island (Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung: ''Corriong'', ''Worne'' or ''Millowl'') is an Australian island about south-southeast of Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The island is named after Arthur Phillip, Governor Arthur P ...

by a bridge, with Phillip Island itself connected to the mainland via another bridge. Notably, Churchill Island was the site of Victoria’s first European garden and wheat crop. The island features a working farm, fully restored cottages from the 1860s, and a homestead dating back to 1872, all accessible to visitors.www.penguins.org.au
/ref> Adjacent to the Churchill Island Marine National Park the island is managed by Phillip Island Nature Parks and is listed on the Victorian heritage register.Parks Victoria: Churchill Island Marine National Park

History

Boonwurrung people visited Churchill Island for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. In 1801, during the course of a survey of Western Port, Lieutenant James Grant had some of his convict crew fell some trees and build a blockhouse on Churchill Island. They cultivated a patch of soil and Grant planted seeds of wheat, corn, potatoes, peas, coffee berries, apples, peaches and nectarines given to him for the purpose of creating a garden "for the future benefit of our fellow men be they Countrymen, Europeans or Savages" by John Churchill of

Dawlish Dawlish is a seaside resort town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Teignbridge district in Devon, England. It is located on the south coast of England at a distance of from the city of Exeter and a similar distance from the to ...

in Devon, England. This was the first European garden and crop of wheat grown in Victoria.

Samuel Amess Samuel Amess (1826 – 2 July 1898) was Mayor of Melbourne from 1869–1870, after having joined the council in 1864.Hone, J. Ann"Amess, Samuel (1826–1898)" Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian Nation ...

, a former mayor of Melbourne, purchased the island in 1872 and built the substantial home that still stands today. Remains of stone foundations from two unknown buildings are also preserved on the island. Churchill Island and the area around it served as the location for the 1977 Australian film '' Summerfield''.

Natural environment

The Churchill Island Marine National Park adjoins the island's western shore, and Western Port bay, in which the island is located, is listed under the

Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...

. Cape Barren geese can be frequently observed on the island.

References

Islands of Victoria (state) Phillip Island Western Port Victorian Heritage Register Bass Coast Shire {{Gippsland-geo-stub