Phillip Island & District Historical Society

27/01/2026

We hope you're keeping cool today. What a top day it was yesterday for our annual Australia Day 'Gathering of Neighbours' under the shady trees at Rhyll Park. Thanks Rotary. Great free snags. Enjoy the pics.

20/01/2026

Rhyll is the place to be this weekend. Last week's postponed Summer Market has been rescheduled for Friday from 4pm. Then Monday 26 January sees the return of our popular Gathering of Neighbours from 11am. Live music, engaging activities for children, a free sausage sizzle, and refreshments available for adults including the legendary Bill's Bar.

22/12/2025

We have lots of great reading in our December Newsletter.
Our Secretary Pam Rothfield has written a delightful story about how islanders celebrated Christmas at Rhyll a hundred years ago.

The Rhyll store, run by local man Stan Walton, stocked small treasures for the season: tins of boiled lollies, packets of coloured streamers, a handful of toys, and perhaps a new enamel jug or a bolt of fabric.
Most gifts were simple and practical - new socks, a hand-sewn shirt, a wooden toy, some made by father in the shed, or a carefully chosen book that might be shared by the whole family.

Read the full story and more at our website: https://phillipislandhistory.org.au/blog-2/

26/11/2025

Our fabulous Phillip Island history was the topic for Year 3-4 students at Cowes Primary last week. 175 emerged from our museum at Berninneit as fully fledged history detectives. Thanks to all our volunteers who conducted the tours and managed to answer all the probing questions. A special thanks also to the Phillip Island & San Remo Advertiser for publishing the full story in this week's edition. We're already planning next year's visits.

07/11/2025

Here's a date for your diary: Sunday Nov 16. The Phillip Island Golf Club turns 75 and everyone's invited to the party. BYO historic photos if you have any.

⛳ Phillip Island Golf Club turns 75!

The club is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a special event on Sunday, November 16, featuring golf, a gourmet afternoon tea, and a historical display of photos, trophies, and memorabilia.

They’re calling on the community to help bring the club’s history to life, if you have old photos or items from the early days, get in touch with Mary Whelan on 0408 055 867.

06/11/2025

Phillip Islanders are making history every day. Read all about it in our November Newsletter, online at our website https://phillipislandhistory.org.au/blog-2/.

Field archaeologist Matt Deigan and Team Leader Luke Gunton from Biosis have been working on our important Chicory Kiln Project and Gary Vines is about to deliver their final report within weeks. What's the chicory story all about? Check out this explainer video on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2idLkvqZgY

The root vegetable known as chicory was the staple crop of Phillip Island for almost a century and was used as a substitute for coffee.

28/09/2025

October is History Month.
To mark the occasion, we’re celebrating the work of the Phillip Island Cemetery Trust, who are helping preserve the heritage and integrity of our beautiful cemetery.
Families often contact the Trust to ask where their loved ones are buried. While the online cemetery map is helpful, finding locations on the ground—especially unmarked graves—can be tricky. Thanks to a grant from Bass Coast Shire Council, the Trust has now installed heritage-style cast iron signs marking each section of the cemetery.
These signs not only make it easier to find graves but also add to the historic character of the site. If you haven’t visited for a while, now’s a wonderful time—there’s so much history to discover.

25/09/2025

Those of us fortunate enough live here know that our internationally famous island is a wonderful place to call home. Millions more visit us every year for just a day or two to experience our unique natural environment. But protecting what makes the island special is a task that requires constant vigilance and action, as Phillip Island Historical Society Committee Member and long time farmer Anne Davey told The Age recently.

Some councillors want a contentious tourism development strategy scrapped to protect farmland and the unique coastal environment.

31/08/2025

How well do you know Phillip Island?
If you follow the local news in The Advertiser, you probably already know that we have a new Community Hospital about to open very soon. But did you know that we used to have another hospital, one that started out as a grand mansion? It's quite a story, about a big house called Warley, donated by the family after which our main street Thompson Avenue is named. The History of Warley is our latest exhibition in our PHILLIP ISLAND History Museum at Berninneit. Drop by anytime during Library hours.

29/08/2025

What did that corner look like a hundred years ago? Blending images from the past with the present is now so much easier thanks to advances in photographic and video editing software. Thanks Bass Coast Shire. Enjoy the time travel.

11/08/2025

Phillip Island is the sort of place where if you scratch the surface you'll be amazed what you find. For example, we currently have a pair of archeologists on the job conducting a review into the condition of the island's surviving chicory kilns... relics of the first farming activity on the island. Together, theyʼll offer fascinating insights into the work being done to assess and preserve these iconic structures. As the paperboy (remember them)used to say, 'Read All About It' in the August edition of our Newsletter on line now:https://phillipislandhistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/August-25-Newsletter.pdf

03/07/2025

A Tribute to Craftsmanship and History

Among the many treasures housed in the Phillip Island & District Historical Museum is a particularly striking piece — a detailed model of George Bass’ whaleboat, identical in design to the small open vessel Bass used during his daring 1798 expedition into Western Port. This remarkable replica was lovingly built by local craftsman William ‘Bill’ Mitchell, with the sails carefully sewn by his wife, Gwenda.

Bill and Gwenda moved to Newhaven in 1957, building a modest cottage where they raised their five children. Bill made his living as a couta fisherman, later adding bay netting and Danish seine fishing to his repertoire.

He was a man of quiet ingenuity — building several boats in his own backyard, fashioning his own nets and winches, and later turning his hand to more whimsical creations like model boats and dinghy-shaped bookshelves.

His passion for boats and history was unmistakable — and frequently the subject of his famously long conversations. While his kids may have rolled their eyes at the time, they came to appreciate just how clever and unique their father truly was.

The idea for this particular model was sparked by fellow local historian John Jansson, who approached Bill about creating a replica of Bass’ whaleboat for the museum. True to form, Bill threw himself into the task with care and dedication, producing a piece that not only showcases his craftsmanship, but also honours the spirit of early exploration.

Sadly, Bill passed away from motor neurone disease — a devastating loss for all who knew him. But his legacy lives on, both in the boats he built and in this exquisite model, which now sits proudly on display.

We warmly invite all members and friends of the Society to visit the museum at Berninneit and view this beautiful piece of work. It is more than a model — it is a tangible link between our community, our maritime past, and those like Bill who dedicated their lives to the sea and the stories it carries.

Our picture shows Bill Mitchell (rear) with Basil Newman (front).