Rewilding Phillip Island

Phillip Island Landcare Group and the Penguin Foundation hosted the popular ‘Rewilding the Island’ dinner on May 15th at Phillip Island Winery. With over 110 guests, the dinner was a celebration of progress in restoring biodiversity on Milawul, through the collective efforts of Landcare and conservation projects managed by Phillip Island Nature Parks. The guests heard from Lily Christopher, presenting on behalf of her grandmother Anne Davie, with insights into the challenges and successes of sustainable farming and regenerating their land. The Davie family have worked closely with Phillip Island Landcare over many years to plant 20,000 trees on their property.
The guests also enjoyed fascinating presentations from Dr Duncan Sutherland, Phillip Island Nature Parks and self-confessed "bird nerd", Paula Wasiak, PhD candidate. They shared groundbreaking research in introducing Eastern-barred bandicoots and re-introducing bush stone-curlews on the island. Both are endangered species and Milawul, as a fox-free environment, provides renewed hope for their survival. Given the success of the night, Phillip Island Landcare is considering future 'Rewilding the Island' events that connect and inspire the broader community through sharing knowledge and stories. Funds raised on the night go to Phillip Island Landcare and the Penguin Foundation.