Victoria’s Phillip Island (shown on pages 96–7 of the Heinemann Atlas 3rd edn) is one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. While Phillip Island is most often visited for recreation, its history reflects a colourful past based on changing land uses over time.

Phillip Island’s earliest European uses are reflected in some of its place names. In the 19th century, the island was used as a base by sealers and whalers. This gave rise to the names of Seal Rocks and Sealers Cove, which are located at the western end of the island. Phillip Island’s location once gave it strategic importance as a military post to protect the approaches to Port Phillip and the settlement of Melbourne.

In the latter half of the 19th century, Phillip Island became home to grazing herds of livestock. This more extensive use of land meant that conflict with the island’s natural environment occurred on a larger scale.

In the 20th century, land uses on Phillip Island changed once more. With increased car ownership, visiting Phillip Island for sightseeing, picnicking and surfing became a day trip from the suburbs of Melbourne. This is reflected in the graph ‘Top 10 activities (visitors to Phillip Island), 1995’ on page 96 of the Heinemann Atlas. Other natural attractions, such as the Little Penguin (formerly known as the Fairy Penguin) and koala populations, bring many interstate and overseas visitors to Phillip Island. The island has also become home to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

The net result of Phillip Island’s many and varied recreational land uses and attractions is more than 3.5 million visitors annually. This has a massive impact on the island’s natural environment. On page 97 of the Heinemann Atlas many of the land use conflicts that exist on Phillip Island have been outlined, and their impact on the natural environment discussed. The challenge for the future is to achieve a sustainable balance between Phillip Island’s competing land uses, and in so doing protect one of Victoria’s greatest natural assets.