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A. H. `Bert` WestPrint Page Print this page

09-May-2016
09-May-2016

Photographs supplied by Sandra Brown

The A. H. (Bert) West Boardwalk commemorates A. H. (Bert) West for his contribution to Phillip Island wildlife and the Penguin Parade.

In the 1920s, island residents Bert West, Bern Denham, and Bert Watchorn opened Summerland Beach up for the first organised viewings of the penguins.

They greeted visitors off the ferry and charged five shillings for a personalised tour of Phillip Island (an additional shilling would get you strawberries and cream).

Visitor numbers soared in the 40s when the bridge from the mainland to Phillip Island was erected. At this point, tourists began flocking to the pristine shores, and people began building houses around Summerland Beach.

People would take picnic baskets and blankets down to the beach and sit on the sand to watch the penguins waddle ashore, but soon this meant that the burrows and penguin habitats began to get damaged. This wasn’t helped by visitors bringing their dogs to the beaches, who sadly killed many of the Little Penguin colony. The population of these cute little sea birds began to decrease, calling for a radical change in how the penguins were treated by the public.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that fences and viewing stands were built to stop visitors standing on and ruining the penguins’ burrows. Ever since then, constant upgrades have been taking place, making the boardwalks, platforms, and viewing boxes safer for the penguins.

 

Location

Address:1019 Ventnor Road, Phillip Island Penguin Parade, A. H. (Bert) West Boardwalk, Summerlands, 3922
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -38.510441
Long: 145.149106
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Walkway
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Community

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 11th December, 1990
Front Inscription

A. H. (BERT) WEST BOARDWALK

Plaque :

THE A. H. (Bert) WEST BOARDWALK

In recognition of Bert West`s
long and valued contribution
to the Penguin Parade and
Phillip Island's wildelife

11 December 1990

Plaque :

In Loving Memory ALBERT (Bert) HARMON WEST B.E.M.
(Mr. Penguin)

Born 9th April 1904
Died 16th July 1996
Aged 92 Years

Resting In Peace

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au