The Phillip Island National Surfing Reserve recognises that the ‘Island’ is special for its aboriginal and natural values, the island being the traditional lands of the Boonwurrung and Bunurong and it is expected all surfers will play a role in protecting these. The island was first settled by Europeans in the 1840s and by the early 1900’s has become a holiday mecca. Bathing and body surfing and boardriding commenced in the 1920s at Summerland Bay. A bridge was built in 1948 and after the war farmland began to be subdivided, initially for holiday homes.
The Woolamai Surf Life Saving Club was founded in 1959. Malibu boardriding commenced following the malibu display during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. It developed rapidly with some surfers moving to the island. The Phillip Island Boardriders Club was founded in 1963, now one of the oldest in Australia. It built its own clubhouse at Woolamai in 1993.
The reserve was dedicated on 16th March 2013, the first in Victoria, and encompasses four sections of the 27 km southern coast of the island. From the east these are:
- Woolamai – for the ever-changing world-class beach breaks, including several recognized breaks.
- Magic Lands – Second car park, First car park, Aussie Track and Forrest caves.
- Smiths Beach – for the Island’s premier barreling reef break Express Point, and the mellower beach breaks where many grommets experience their first wave.
- Summerland – The ‘birthplace’ of Island surfing with beach breaks and iconic reef breaks that work in the largest of swells.
- Cat Bay – for the high quality left and right-hand reef breaks that allow surfing when other south-facing Island beaches have onshore winds. With breaks including The Bombie, Left Point, The Hump, Shelley Beach, Right Point and Flynn’s Reef.
