Phillip Island Conservation Society

01/11/2026

Friends of Scenic Estate Reserve had a well-attended working bee this morning, with lots of thistles removed, and fortunately very few African orchid w**ds. This is our last Scenic Estate Reserve working bee for 2026, and we thank everyone who has attended working bees at SECR this year. A fantastic year of achievement in revegetation and w**d removal!

Message from the PICS outdoor activities co-ordinator Carmen Bus from today:

"Many thanks for a productive morning’s work. Thankfully, the rain held off, and the damp ground made removing the thistles much easier.

We filled three consolidated bags for removal and left approximately three more scattered behind to break down. Toby and Issac were a great help with their w**ding tools, and we were also pleased to welcome two volunteers from Nature Parks. I've put the green waste into my Green Bin for hot composting.

F.Y.I. I've attached next year's Working Bee dates.

Mike came along between 11-12 and worked on gorse and thistles in the front grassland.

Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year. Hope you have a great festive season."

Photos from Carmen show the FOSER team at work, having a well-deserved cuppa and chat at the end, and a photo from John E of the working bee team.

31/10/2026

We have contacted all of the candidates in the forthcoming state election for the seat of Bass, inviting them to come to our General Meeting on Sunday 8 November, 1.30–3.30pm at Berninneit in Cowes, to answer three questions we have already provided to them.

So far we have attendance confirmed from (in alphabetical order of family name):
Chris Buckingham, Labor. Rochelle Halstead, Liberal; Chris Jobe, Socialists; Sophie Thorn, Greens.
TBA: Nikole Schellekens, One Nation.

Here are the questions provided to the candidates:

1. CLIMATE CHANGE AND COASTAL EROSION
QUESTION: What specific actions will you support to help coastal communities prepare for climate impacts such as erosion, storm surge and rising sea levels, and do you support nature-based erosion solutions (dune restoration, revegetation, wetland buffers) over built solutions where possible?

2. TRAFFIC AND TOURISM
The environmental protection and amenity of Phillip Island and San Remo is threatened by increased volumes of traffic, resulting from increased population growth and tourism. The expansion of the growth corridor in South-East Melbourne ensures this trend will not reverse as new residents visit the coast of Phillip Island and Bass
Coast throughout the year.
QUESTION: If elected, will you support a traffic and tourist-movement management plan for the whole island, with an independent, intergovernmental and interdepartmental task force, including community representation to address these issues?

3. PROTECT WESTERN PORT
Western Port is suffering from increasing development pressures, the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal in Western Port requires sea-bed reclamation and dredging in the RAMSAR wetland.
QUESTION: Will you advocate for better management of the Western Port ecosystem via a whole of bay plan, Including:
$2-3 million to develop and implement a marine spatial plan
A dedicated Western Port Fund (modeled on the successful Port Phillip Bay Fund) and $2million per year to implement it?

Like to attend? There will be an opportunity for a short question and answer session after the candidates have spoken. RSVP to our secretary Sharyn: [email protected]



Please RSVP

Send a message to learn more

29/10/2026

Message from PICS outdoor activities co-ordinator Carmen Bush about a Friends of Scenic Estate Reserve (FOSER) working bee coming up next Sunday, 1st November. FOSER operates under the PICS umbrella. Carmen writes:

"Please come along and join us for the last scheduled Working Bee for 2026 on this Sunday 1st November. Where has the year gone?!

Meet in the car park at 10am to do a bit of w**ding of African W**d Orchid (see link below) and various thistles as we walk.
Remember to wear gardening clobber and boots as the area gets water-logged.

https://w**dsofmelbourne.org/south-african-w**d-orchid-disa-bracteata

We need to see if the South African W**d Orchid is growing along the tracks and remove it very carefully because of the bulbs underneath.

If in flower we may need to bag it first before touching it, as any seed will quickly disperse, slow and steady hands will be needed as well as good eyesight.

The thistles are treated differently according to how big they are, may need someone with a Mattock, others can be cut under the soil with a knife which will be provided.

By about 12 noon we will have a cuppa and some refreshment and enjoy a chat, probably at the picnic table at the top viewing point.

Pls RSVP if possible.
My number is 0438 898 159 if needed.

Hope to see you there, if not have a great break! 🙂

Regards Carmen
On behalf of FOSER"

27/10/2026

Sharing news from Phillip Island's Penguin Foundation:

Today, we have exciting news about their current major fundraising campaign!

Long term Penguin Foundation supporters Helena and Greg have increased their pledge to multiply every donation made to the Wildlife Emergency Response Appeal until 30 October.
That means your gift can now have three times the impact in helping expand the facilities, equipment and response capacity wildlife may need in the years ahead.

Every day, dedicated teams are working behind the scenes to monitor threats, care for wildlife and plan for future response needs. But if H5 avian influenza affects wildlife at scale, the challenge won't be knowing what to do. The challenge will be having enough capacity to do it.

Your donation will help fund:

When wildlife emergencies occur, a rapid and coordinated response is critical. Your support can help provide the resources needed to protect wildlife and support response efforts, including:

Emergency staffing and training

Personal protective equipment and biosecurity measures

Disease testing and surveillance

Wildlife monitoring and trackings

Emergency response equipment and supplies."

We know times are tough, but even a few dollars will help. If you can donate, please go here:

Avian Influenza Appeal: Help strengthen the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre’s response to avian influenza

24/10/2026

Hi Again, Volunteer Heroes, we have a Saltwater Creek working bee scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday 25 October, starting at 10 a.m. from the Golf club car park, but the weather is playing tricks on us!

Weather update for tomorrow: https://www.bom.gov.au/places/vic/cowes/forecast/

It's not looking good for tomorrow. The link above will keep you up to date.

I will be there and will be very happy for you to join me. We can wait out the rain, if it happens, and decide if we can continue.
Sorry, this is the best I can do for now. 🙁

On the agenda is some w**d control, remember the soil disturbance we came across at our planting in September?
So most likely thistles will be the main target and we will look at how previous plantings are going; we may need to strengthen some of the larger guards.

If you have a good-sized Mattock please bring it. We will have to monitor the weather!

As usual other tools will be provided, bring gloves and dress for the weather; waterproof gear for gardening and a few dollars for a cuppa from the Proshop, and I'll bring the treats.

Red Rocks Golf is the sign to look for, located at the end of Settlement Rd 627a, Cowes. Parking is available.

RSVP would be appreciated. Contact me on: 0438 898 159
Regards Carmen Bush, on behalf of Saltwater Creek Coastcare

21/10/2026

It will be cold out at the GP track on Sunday, but much more sheltered at Saltwater Creek for our Saltwater Creek Coastcare working bee that morning, starting at 10 a.m. PICS outdoor activities co-ordinator Carmen Bush asks that if you'd like to come along to help, please contact her beforehand in case arrangements have to change due to weather, etc: [email protected]

Here's the message from Carmen:

"Hi Volunteer Heroes,
Our last Working Bee for this year, and it's looking like "light rain" and cooler weather.

On the agenda is some w**d control. Any of you who attended previous working bees may remember the soil disturbance we came across at our planting in September? That soil disturbance from Westernport Water works, despite being tidied up is bare, and that means w**ds! So most likely thistles will be the main target and we will look at how previous plantings are going - we may need to strengthen some of the larger guards.

If you have a good-sized Mattock please bring it. We will have to monitor the weather, perhaps with an update Friday or Saturday at the latest.

As usual other tools will be provided, bring gloves and dress for the weather and gardening. Please bring a few dollars for a cuppa from the Red Rocks Golf Proshop as thanks for them letting us use their car park and picnic table facilities. I'll bring the treats!

'Red Rocks Golf' is the sign to look for located at the end of Settlement Rd 627a, Cowes. Parking is available.

RSVP would be appreciated.
Regards Carmen Bush,
On behalf of Saltwater Creek Coastcare, operating under the umbrella of Phillip Island Conservation Society Inc in conjunction with Saltwater Creek reserve managers Bass Coast Shire.

Photo shows pipe replacement works by Westernport Water. The site was left tidy, but bare, disturbed earth in spring = w**ds! Good to have the ageing pipes replaced to keep the creek safe.

20/10/2026

For the final motor cycle Grand Prix on Phillip Island, Bass Coast Shire is opening up the old carnival site on cnr Ventnor Rd and Phillip Island Tourist Rd for unpowered sites, with what can only be described as minimum facilities. This is a response to the massive surge in accommodation bookings that can't be fulfilled.

But have you ever driven past that old carnival site - now earmarked as the future recreation reserve - and seen Landcare activity there. You may have thought: "I wonder what they're up to in there?"

Well, now is your chance to find out. Here's a message from one of our Phillip Island Land Alliance members - Phillip Island Landcare:

"On Saturday 7 November, Phillip Island Landcare are having a community information session at the Phillip Island Sporting Precinct (old Carnival site) for a walk and talk to share the incredible revegetation work that we've achieved at the site. Everyone is welcome to join us for an easy walk around the site. Come find out how you can be part of the action."

See attached poster for details. Also shown is Phillip Island Landcare gorse clearing on the site at one of the PI Landcare working bees there. A fantastic community project for the local environment!

19/10/2026

Not everyone wants to be on the island next weekend for the final Grand Prix event. If you fish, sail, surf, snorkel, paddleboard, birdwatch or walk along the bay’s shores and want to head 'off the rock' next Sunday, how about a trip to Somers on the Mornington Peninsula?

Next Sunday 25 October, 2.30 - 5.00 p.m., the Save Westernport group are holding a fantastic FREE community event at the R. W. Stone Pavilion, 68 Camp Hill Rd Somers, inside the beautiful reserve.

Pack a picnic rug, bring the kids, car pool with your friends and neighbours for "WILD about Western Port" - a fun, family-friendly afternoon celebrating the bay we all love. There will be opportunities to act to protect Western Port! Discover how you can be part of the action to protect Western Port’s seagrass, wetlands, wildlife and local way of life for generations to come.

There'll be live music from Dingo Spender, Marty Williams and Jet, a film teaser of the documentary in progress - "Western Port Down Under" - and get inspired by local speakers, including film-maker Sheree Marris, Jane Carnegie and others talking about the magic of our bay, the Western Port Framework, HMAS Cerberus and how you can help protect this precious bay, we all love.

Why not arrive early and visit the Somer's Primary School annual Somers Arts Fair opposite at 87 Camp Hill Rd - make a wonderful day of it and support two great causes in one excursion.

On the way home you'll probably have an easy drive, while watching all of the traffic leaving the Grand Prix and heading in the opposite direction!