Cr J Gall was a councilor on the Borough of Wonthaggi Council. The Borough included Cape Paterson, where Cr Gall saw 5 little penguins on the beach. He described them as looking for somewhere to nest – that is, to dig burrows in the coast adjoining the Cape Paterson sandy beach. At that stage, the Wonthaggi state coal mine had been closed for 4 years and Wonthaggi had more emphasis on attracting different industries. There was little interest in flora and fauna of the area at that stage. Cr Gall’s unusual sighting of the Little Penguins possibly nesting at Cape Paterson attracted derision from the other councillors, and also a sarcastic Editor's Note from the newspaper's editor - none of which was not surprising for that era. The Borough of Wonthaggi was later amalgamated with the shires of Phillip Island and Bass, plus other areas of a couple of others local shires in 1994 to form Bass Coast Shire Council, which quickly moved to a heavy emphasis on flora, fauna and the tourism industry related to the environment generally.The article clearly demonstrates the disinterested if not dismissive attitude of the Borough of Wonthaggi councillors and the local newspaper editor at the time towards observations of flora and fauna. However, the article is also an interesting record of 5 Little Penguins being sighted at a beach where they were not known to have previously been seen.Photocopy of Single column newspaper article, black print on white paper. Article has curved line border design on top, sides. Cut off in copy at bottom edge. Five paragraphs in main article, and 1 paragraph at bottom marked: Editor's noteSEN 13 - 7 - 72 (South Gippsland Sentinel Times newspaper, 13th July, 1972)little penguins, fairy penguins, eudyptula minor, penguin behaviour, borough of wonthaggi, cr j gall

Letter of congratulations from the Borough of Wonthaggi to the Shire of Woorayl dated 24 May 1988. Sealed with Common seal and signed by the mayor, a councillor & the clerk. Note: Item approved for deaccession August 2023. SGSC will now follow deaccession procedures as outlined in the Arts and Civic Memorabilia Collection Policy - https://www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au/downloads/file/2763/arts_and_artefacts_collection_policy_c69.

The district became the Shire of Phillip Island and Woolamai on 24 December 1874. A severance movement was successful in creating a separate Shire of Phillip Island on 18 September 1928. It was abolished in December 1994 and along with the Borough of Wonthaggi and the Shire of Bass, was merged into the newly created Bass Coast Shire. HistoricalRound sticker with peel off paper backing. It has a blue background, gold map of Phillip Island, penguin, banksia and eucalyptus leaves. Also a transparent copy of the same logo.Shire of Phillip Islandshire of phillip island, logo