Three into one
It is believed that 20,000 years ago, Phillip Island was not one island but three.
The area adjacent to the penguin parade and the area near Forrest Caves became sand bars which qrew into permanent tie-bars, and the three islands became one island.
First post office
The first post office at Ventnor was built on Mr Tom Jones' farm and was declared the smallest registered post office in the whole of Australia. In 1922, the mail bag was carried on horseback between Cowes and Ventnor, by Mr Harry Justice.
In 1923, the Ventnor State School became the post office, with Head Teacher Miss Dorothy Cook acting as Postmistress.
By 1925, Mr Victor Justice had built a small post office beside the main road, and this became operative during specified hours on week days.
The Rocket and Line rescue team
Following the wreck of the sailing ship Speke in 1906, a number of Island residents sensed the need for a means of rescue in case of further wrecks.
Several men formed a rescue crew and learned how to launch a rocket carrying a line up to 200 yards to assist with rescue operations.
My cousin Arnold Brown acted as chief rocket "layer" (aimer), and he showed a high degree of accuracv.
Jack Russell- boatman, French Island
In the years l9l25-35, the French Island jetty did not extend into water deep enough for the Cowes-Stony Point ferry to make contact.
It became necessary to use a row boat to convey people and mail bags the short distance to and from the ferry.
A man named Jack Russell was oarsman on the boat.
One day, when a 92-vear-old man fell overboard and a lady passenger produced a flask of brandy as a "reviver”, Jack Russell exclaimed loudly, "Cripes, Missus! If I'd known you had that in your bag I'd have been in
that water before him!"
The Cemetery
In 1870, an area of land was reserved for a burial ground.
It was several years before it was surveyed into grave lots.
However, a number of the burials had already taken place and the marking pegs, some of cast iron or wood, were stolen or burned, which meant there are a number of unmarked resting places in one area.
Nobbies kiosk
About 1923 my uncle Richard Grayden built a tea room at Shelly Beach. Four years later, he built the kiosk and tea room at the Nobbies.
Uncle Dick had no training in carpentry, yet built a 35-foot boat, a house, two tea houses, and a body and cab on a one tonne Ford motor chassis.
It was largely his dream which brought the first bridge between the Island and San Remo to a reality.
A wonderful bond
In the 1920s the population was about 500 and there was a wonderful bond of caring and sharing between the people as they all knew each other.
If a farmer encountered illness or accident and he had a crop of chicory to harvest, a working bee was quickly arraanged and the crop gathered in one day.
Friendships blossomed
Between 1900 and 1914, the young people of Ventnor (the western half) had no radios, and nothing happened at weekends.
So on Sunday afternoons they all gathered at Anchorage Beach and enjoyed each other's companionship.
Quite a few courtships began in this way, and quite a few lonely souls found friendship.
