At the PILA launch at Phillip Island Winery. From left to right: Peter Demergue, Gayle Seddon, Margaret Demergue, Luke Frickie, Bhavani Rooks, Penny Manning, Prue Adamson, Carolyn Atherton, Meg Anderson, Heather Liney, Carmen Bush, David Rooks, Keith McDougall and Zoe Geyer.
Phillip Island Land Alliance (PILA) is made up of all nine coastal community volunteer groups as well as Phillip Island Landcare Group and Phillip Island Conservation Society. See here at Surfies Point
Visiting Saltwater creek. PILA said its aims include communicating with a unified voice, having common objectives and providing opportunities to network.
A Landcare tour group at Grossard Point. Phillip Island Landcare has united with the Conservation Society and all the island’s coastal volunteer groups to form PILA.
The aim of the new alliance is to bring together community groups that care for the land to share knowledge and resources. Volunteers on site at Silverleaves.
A new alliance is focused on protecting and enhancing Phillip Island’s unique landscapes.
The newly formed group – Phillip Island Land Alliance (PILA) said the island was recognised for “its sensitive and unique landscapes”.
PILA’s vision is: “A connected community who respects and protects the unique and biodiverse environment of Phillip Island”.
The inaugural alliance members include all nine coastal community volunteer groups that manage their respective areas of the Phillip Island coast, in addition to Phillip Island Landcare Group and Phillip Island Conservation Society.
The idea of the alliance began several years ago.
In 2020-21 Phillip Island Landcare applied for a Coastcare Victoria Community Grant in partnership with five Coast Action/Coastcare groups.
The thinking was to bring together community groups that care for the land to share knowledge and resources.
The idea was supported by all Phillip Island’s coastal groups and was summarised well by Keith McDougall from the Silverleaves Conservation Association.
“Our group like many, has operated as a silo with limited scope. We are excited about the PILA idea, with island-wide conservation issues and a strong voice,” Keith said.
The groups say the name PILA represents a strong voice, like a pillar represents a strong structure.
Its terms of reference reflect the aims and aspirations, including communicating with a unified voice, having common objectives and providing opportunities to network.
It said it will also provide a platform for a coordinated approach to funding applications and “island-wide environmental care”.
It said the alliance groups collectively advocate to “protect and restore the biodiversity values of Phillip Island” and the region, and acknowledged “the First Peoples as Traditional Custodians of this land and recognise their continued care of this unique environment”.
The group said it wanted to educate, connect and engage with the community about the natural environment.
Individual community group membership varies from 10 to 100 people.
“As an alliance PILA’s membership voice totals around 400, providing a significantly stronger platform to achieve its objectives,” a spokesperson said.
On May 12, PILA shared its launch with the release of the new Phillip Island Rabbit Strategy.
As project managers of the rabbit strategy, the Bass Coast Landcare Network realised the value of the alliance in helping achieve the objectives of the strategy.
“The formation of PILA was timely,” said Robbie Gray, Ecosystems Services Manager.
“Having a single body representing the many active conservation groups makes engagement streamlined and widespread.”
PILA believes its formation will be of interest to other key stakeholders on the island, including Phillip Island Nature Parks, Bass Coast Shire Council, Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Totally Renewable Phillip Island and Westernport Water.
“A big thanks to the Victorian government and Coastcare Victoria for their support through the 2020-21 Coastcare Victoria Community Grant,” a PILA spokesperson said.
“This was the impetus that provided the opportunity for PILA to begin.”
For the first year the alliance has nominated the following people to help support the committee: David Rooks – Chairperson, Prue Adamson – Secretary and Carmen Bush – Treasurer.
For all enquiries on PILA email, phillipislandlandalliance@gmail.com or phone David 0418 115 9355 or Prue 0437 687 070.
The inaugural PILA member organisations include: Phillip Island Conservation Society, Ventnor Coast Care Association, Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Coastcare Group, Cowes Coastcare Group, Red Rocks Saltwater Creek Coastcare, Silverleaves Conservation Association, Cape Woolamai Coast Action, Rhyll Coast Action, Friends of Scenic Estate, Phillip Island Landcare Group and Newhaven Coast Action Group.
