FRENCH ISLAND AND SANDSTONE ISLAND PLANNING SCHEME

21 STRATEGIC STATEMENT 19/01/2006 VC37 21.01 French Island and Sandstone Island Profile 19/01/2006 VC37 21.01-1 Location 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island is approximately 65 kilometres south-east of Melbourne in Western Port. The Island has a land area of around 170 square kilometres. In Western Port, the Island sits approximately five kilometres east of Stony Point and approximately 10 kilometres south of Tooradin on the mainland. French Island is located approximately five kilometres north of Phillip Island. Interfacing municipalities, although interrupted by the waters of Western Port, include the Shires of Mornington Peninsula, Cardinia and Bass Coast. Day-to-day access to and from the Island is by a ferry service which operates between Stony Point (10 kilometres south-east of Hastings) and Tankerton Jetty on French Island. Sandstone Island is also in Western Port. Sandstone Island has an area of around 20 hectares. The Island is approximately one kilometre south-east of the Hastings foreshore. The closest point of the Island to the mainland is at its southern tip where it is about 600 metres from Jacks Beach Reserve at Bittern.

21.01-2 Regional context 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island’s regional context has regard to: ƒ Western Port (waters) and the Westernport region (land surrounding the bay). ƒ French Island National Park. ƒ Tourism. ƒ Natural systems. Western Port is an important natural asset of the State in relation to its environmental quality, its recreational opportunities and its shipping potential. French Island, surrounded by the waters of Western Port, is therefore regionally significant in relation to the qualities and activities of the bay and its surrounding land uses. French Island National Park has been recently proclaimed - upgraded from a State Park. Although contained totally on the Island, it is placed in a broader context by its very classification and significance. French Island tourism can be considered in a regional context through its inclusion in Tourism Victoria’s The Islands, Bays & Peninsulas which associates with Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port bay. Most significantly, the Island’s regional context needs to be considered in relation to its natural environment impacting on broader eco-systems and bio-systems.

21.01-3 Overview and structure 19/01/2006 VC37 The Minister for Planning is the responsible authority and planning authority for the unincorporated territories of French Island and Sandstone Island. These islands do not fall within any municipal boundary. The day-to-day administration of the planning scheme and assessment of permit applications made to the responsible authority are undertaken by the Department of Infrastructure.

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Parks Victoria is the land manager of the French Island National Park and its officers have no statutory authority in relation to the implementation of the planning scheme provisions. Their views, however, may be sought on some applications. The French Island Community Association Inc provides a service to land owners and occupiers of the Island and representation of the community members. French Island is a relatively static community by its very nature, including its isolation, infrastructure constraints and conservation values. Approximately one-third of the Island is rural freehold land. The other two-thirds of the Island is included in the French Island National Park. The whole of the Island’s coastal area is included in the National Park. Sandstone Island has an area of approximately 20 hectares. The land is freehold rural land held in single ownership. The Island is set within the environmentally significant Western Port. It is isolated and constrained by its lack of infrastructure.

21.01-4 People and housing 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island has an estimated permanent population of approximately 65 people and a part-time population estimated to be around 90 people. There are some 20 dwellings permanently occupied and approximately 30 dwellings occupied on a part-time basis. The Island’s freehold land is held in approximately 110 separate holdings. It is expected that the Island’s permanent population will remain relatively stable in the foreseeable future. Although the Island’s permanent population has fluctuated over the years, as a total, it has changed little since 1975 when the McLeod Prison Farm closed. There is no one area of concentrated housing development on the Island. The area known as the Tankerton Estate, originally comprising 700 lots, is now subject to a restructure plan (to 19 lots). Housing on the Island is scattered by nature of its rural land holdings. French Island’s permanent population comprises all broad age groups. Households are characterised by family groups, couples or single occupancy. It is anticipated that the characteristics of the Island’s population will not undergo any significant variation in forthcoming years. The Island is also likely to continue to attract ‘mainlander’ interest as a location for ‘weekender’ or hobby farm interests. This level of interest will see that the Island’s part-time population is maintained. Sandstone Island is in single ownership. An old and inappropriate subdivision from the 1960s created 142 house lots on the Island. This subdivision is subject to a restructure plan that allows for the construction of only one dwelling on the Island.

21.01-5 Industry and services 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island’s main industry is its rural industry. There is approximately 5,500 to 6,000 hectares of freehold rural land on the Island. This land is characterised by farming activities with cattle grazing being most common. More recently, some properties have diversified their farming activities to include viticulture and free-range poultry farming. A number of Islanders are self-employed through their farm holdings or through the provision of a visitor service (or combination). The limited number of both commercial and community activities on the Island is reflective of both low population and visitor levels. The Island has one general store and post office, a primary school (which because of its unusual circumstances is exempt from the State’s minimum pupil requirements; seven children attended the school in 1998), the Parks Victoria office, a public hall and sports ground, and a cemetery. The Environment Protection Authority monitors the Island’s small community tip. The Island, like other Victorian country areas, has a voluntary Country Fire Authority service. It is noted that the Island’s extensive areas of native vegetation are mostly highly flammable and the risk of wildfire is prevalent. Access services to the Island include:

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ƒ A passenger ferry service - operating regularly between Stony Point and Tankerton jetty, four to six times daily. ƒ A barge service - operating on an as-needs basis, offering an irregular service between Corinella and the barge landing, Mosquito Coast Road. The barge can be used for the transportation of vehicles, fuel, cattle and other goods. ƒ Private aircraft or boat. All of the Island’s roads are unsealed and, although graded up to three times a year, at times become impassable after heavy rain. Other than roads, the Island’s infrastructure is limited to a radio link to the mainland for telephone services. There is no reticulated service for electricity, gas, water or sewage. Electricity is provided by generators (diesel, solar or wind) and domestic water from rainfall or bores. Movement around the Island is mainly by car (or other motorised vehicles) although some visitors walk, ride bicycles or see the Island by bus tour. Visitors cannot bring a car onto the Island without first obtaining a permit from Parks Victoria or the French Island Community Association. Vehicles can be transported over by barge. Horses may also be transported by barge. Horses, however, are not encouraged on the Island because of the impact on the road infrastructure and the potential for introduction of weed species and Cinnamon Fungus.

21.01-6 Environment 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island is known for its environmental qualities including its National Park, sites of national and State botanical and zoological significance, listed fauna species under the Japan-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (JAMBA) and the China-Australia Migratory Birds Agreement (CAMBA), and coastal environs and wetlands nominated to the Ramsar Convention. Although settled since the 1850s, French Island supports vegetation that remains floristically rich, free of introduced species and, in places, little changed since pre- European times. French Island is also recognised for its Chlamydia free Koala population. The French Island National Park covers an area of approximately 12,000 hectares which equates to around two-thirds of the Island area. The Park is recognised by its significant flora and fauna species with over 260 fauna species, of which over 230 are indigenous bird species, and more than 580 species of flora including over 100 orchid species. Identified flora and fauna species also extend beyond the Park boundaries, which contributes to the environmental significance of the Island as a whole. French Island has 80 sites of State botanical significance identified including sand and coastal heath land areas, coastal salt marsh and grassland areas. Furthermore, large continuous areas of native vegetation support the significant numbers of bird species. The native vegetation provides a range of habitats for fauna, which supports a higher diversity and abundance of animals than comparable areas on the mainland. This contributes to the Island’s national zoological significance. The Island is enjoyed by a vast number of migratory birds, which are listed under the JAMBA and CAMBA. The coastal environment of French Island, and in fact almost all of the waters of Western Port, were nominated to the Ramsar ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’. This nomination requires the wetlands be designated and managed for conservation and compatible uses. The National Park extends 150 metres offshore from the mean high water mark, which provides for around 960 hectares of inter-tidal Park area. The Island’s wetland areas, including mangroves along the north coast, are of State significance and are listed under the ‘Convention on Wetlands of International Importance 1971’ (Ramsar). The Island has five perennial streams with Mosquito Creek being the largest. In summary, the Island is recognised for having relatively undisturbed ecosystems of national and international value.

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21.01-7 Heritage and culture 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island was first settled around 1850 by pastoralists James and William Gairdner. Main activities on the Island at the time of settlement included cattle grazing, dairy farming and cropping. Salt works were prevalent in the 1870s with chicory growing and processing introduced later in the 1890s. The chicory industry became the main industry for the Island until around the 1940s when it ceased due to unstable markets and the Island’s isolation (cost factors). McLeod Prison Farm was established on the Island in 1916 and operated up until 1975. French Island retains a number of structures of historic value and interest including houses or cottages from early settler times including wattle and daube buildings and chicory kilns. The protection of these buildings contributes to retaining linkages with the Island’s past settlement activities. Conservation of the Island became an issue by the late 1960s as a counter force to proposed industrial development. In 1979, 45% of the land area of the Island was reserved as State Park. The Park was further expanded in 1990 and again in 1997 when the Park was proclaimed a National Park. Approximately two-thirds of the Island’s land area is now in the Park. The Island’s landscape, as a whole, is classified by the National Trust as being of ‘high’ value, particularly along the coastline and from elevated viewing points. The Island is also listed on the register of the National Estate being recognised for its natural, cultural and historic values. Aborigines of the Bunurong tribe hunted on the Island long before European settlement. Aborigines collected swan eggs and shellfish from the Island. The Island has several registered archaeological areas identified for shell middens, surface scatter or an isolated artefact. Preservation of these areas is important to the Island’s historic and cultural values.

21.01-8 Tourism 19/01/2006 VC37 French Island attracts an estimated 6,000 - 8,000 tourists annually. This is a relatively small number by comparison to tourists visiting adjacent Phillip Island and Mornington Peninsula (estimated to be up to 1.3 million day-visitors a year). The Island’s access constraints, to and around the Island, are main contributing factors to low tourist numbers, together with limiting recreational opportunities and facilities. The Island has several types of accommodation on offer to visitors including private lodges and the former prison farm offering group accommodation. Private camping grounds are available in addition to the designated National Park camping locations. The Island’s tourism is based on passive recreational activities. Interests in addition to the National Park include the Island’s flora and fauna, in particular the Koala population. Bus tours of the Island are offered by local operators. It is anticipated that tourism for the Island will remain at a low scale due to access and infrastructure constraints, the Island’s isolation and few facilities and attractions. However, there are opportunities for further facilities and possible nature-based attractions to be provided within the Island’s environmental context.

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