Short tailed shearwaters and Little Penguins, nesting in burrows on the coast during the warmer months of the year, are extremely vulnerable to fires. Phillip Island had a history of fires on foreshores – either deliberately or accidentally lit. This article describes 2 accidentally lit fires on consecutive days at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade rookeries during the height of the breeding and tourist season in January 1967. The vital importance of volunteers such as the country Fire authority members and the local surfing community, is alluded to in this article by well-known naturalist and author from the time, Graham Pizzey. The Victorian government’s chief secretary, Arthur Rylah, reported here seeking an investigation into the fires at what he terms: “one of the best conservation projects we have done”, was a prominent Victorian politician for many years.This article is significant for demonstrating a growing awareness of the vulnerability of ground nesting birds, of the importance in volunteers such as members of the local country Fire authority and Phillip Island surfing community partnering with wildlife management bodies to protect ground nesting birds, in particular the Penguin and short tailed shearwater rookeries at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade and other parts of Phillip Island. The article also reflects the growing awareness by the Victorian government of the importance of the Phillip Island Penguin Parade to the Victorian tourism economy. Written by naturalist Graham Pizzey, wrote regularly for the Melbourne Herald, the article is another example of how this journalist frequently emphasised Phillip Island’s flora and fauna in his newspaper column.Photocopy made in 1980s of newspaper cutting. Black print and black and white images of original photograph of author Graham Pizzey within the article.5/1/67little penguins, fairy penguins, eudyptula minor, phillip island penguin parade, graham pizzey, penguin rookery, penguin behaviour, phillip island tourist attractions, short tailed shearwaters, phillip island conservation society, arthur rylah, victorian government, phillip island cfa, phillip island surfers, fires on foreshores

Part of a collection from Mrs Jessie Smith. The Isle of Wight Hotel is the most prominent hotel on the Cowes foreshore near right corner of Thompson Avenue, looking north. Burnt down again and now a vacant block of land (as at 2017)Side view of Isle of Wight Hotel with roof in flames. Girl in check dress and hands on hips with dog, middle foreground. Fire 1926.local history, photographs, isle of wight hotel cowes phillip island, sepia photograph, fire, the esplanade cowes, phillip island, jessie smith collection, stan mcfee

In 1940 Field Headquarters for the Kiewa Scheme were established at Bogong with office, workshop facilities and accommodation for workmen, staff and some families constructed. (There had been a 'tent camp' on this site in 1939 but was destroyed by bushfires) Construction of accommodation continued until 1947. A total of 40 houses plus a hostel for single staff, post office, police station, medical centre and primary school all with water and sewerage and electricity supply. The staff hostel was known as Kiewa House and is now occupied by the Education Department. Lake Guy was named after Mr. L.T. Guy who was the Resident Engineer in charge of construction work and associated activities on the Kiewa area. He held this position from 1939 to November 1946 when he was transferred to Head Office.This photograph is an excellent historical record of Bogong Village in about 1945. It shows the layout of the town in the fairly steep terrain, the workmen's camp between the houses and the lake foreshore, the Commissioner's Lodge on the hill behind the Village, the walkway through the dam wall can be seen to the left of the spillway, the dam is on spill and note damage to the large trees is still evident from the 1939 bush fires. The Commissioner's Lodge was lost in the 2003 fires and the camp buildings were in service until 1962, when they were removed and the site converted into a public picnic area with lawns and gardens.A Black and white photograph"Lake Guy and Bogong" hand written on back of photograph.kiewa, accommodation, lake, dam, bogong

Ten coloured photographs taken in 1988 by Carolyn Goldberg (.01)&(.02) Photos of the Port Melbourne Yacht Club (pre fire). One is taken at distance. (.03)&(.04) Photos of Princes Pier locked up and abrred to public access (.05)&(.06) Photos of cranes on Station Pier. One taken at greater distance from Princes Pier (.07) The engine works building on future Beacon Cove site (.08)&(.09)Two views of the Centenary Bridge. One at greater distance. (.10)Photo of the area now known as Beacon Cove with City in distant backgroundpiers and wharves - station pier, piers and wharves - princes pier, societies clubs unions and other organisations, sport - yachting, built environment - civic, built environment - domestic, centenary bridge, carolyn goldberg, commonwealth engine works, port melbourne yacht club, pmyc, cranes (stodart?), liardet's beach, beacon cove

Written during the 1960s when surfing was burgeoning across Australia’s coast and Phillip Island surf beaches had become extremely popular, few management strategies were in place to control interaction of the public with the delicate flora and fauna of the coastal environments. There were few good access tracks, car parks, bins, toilets etc at coastal/surfing hotspots around the Phillip Island coast. A number of management issues occurred with the influx of surfers. These included dune erosion caused by surfers climbing dunes to see the surf before going on the beach; informal parking on wildlife habitat; numerous access paths from wherever cars were parked down to the beach cutting through habitat; illegal camping on foreshores; illegal lighting of fires on beach and in dunes; surfers’ dogs let out of the car while surfers were out on the water. The dogs were uncontrolled. Certainly some surfers behaved responsibly, as is almost invariably the case these days. However, in that era of this article few people understood the delicate nature of the coastal environment and that it need to be protected through public education, infrastructure and enforcement of regulations. As now, most rural Fire services were run by dedicated volunteers who faced many challenges in their roles as Country Fire Authority firefighters. However, it was not uncommon for visitors and locals to also assist with fire-fighting efforts.The article is significant in containing quotes from both sides of the discussion who were directly involved in coastal fire incidents on Phillip Island in the 1960s. It also indicates the large number of surfers visiting Phillip Island beaches, the volunteer nature of the firefighting service and the extra challenges they faced on Phillip Island as a visitor destination. The anonymous university student surfer who is quoted, also describes possible causes of the fires, methods he and his fellow surfers used to extinguish the fires and raise the alarm, and the way they assisted the volunteer firefighters . The reference to him breaking into one of the Summerland housing estate holiday houses is also significant because that housing estate was purchased over 2 decades by successive Victorian governments to remove management issues caused to the wildlife habitat on Summerland Peninsula.Photocopy of newspaper cuttings including 2 related articles. Five columns of black text on white paper with one poorly reproduced photo bottom rightphillip island, cat bay, country fire authority, artie murdoch, alf towns, frank dixon, barry thompson, newhaven-san remo rural fire brigade, penguin parade, cowrie beach, surfers, coastal fires