The Winter 2020 Newsletter is Now Available to Members

3 days ago

Do you have a favorite view of or on
Churchill Island you would like to share with our followers? Here is a beautiful photo of CI Moonahs in silhouette by Friends of Churchill Island Society member Rebecca Sanders. Feel free to share here or email image to ... See MoreSee Less

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Beautiful photo!!

1 week ago

Did you know that the Friends of Churchill Island Society have tax deductibility for donations to our Heritage Fund? That's because we are listed on the Australian Register of Cultural Organisations. FOCIS can use Heritage Fund donations towards projects involving Churchill Island's "moveable cultural heritage", such as preservation and display of collection items. We have recently contributed over $2,000 from the fund towards the cost of high quality information signs soon to be placed with the historic farm machinery display. It is not too late to donate online ,for this financial year. You will automatically receive your receipt to the email address you supply when you pay online by Paypal, direct funds transfer or credit card. It's easy! Go to our website here: focis.org.au/donations/ ... See MoreSee Less

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2 weeks ago

Although visitor numbers to Churchill Island are restricted at present, you can book on the penguins.org.au website to visit. In 'normal' times the island is visited by over 100,000 people per year. Back in the Amess era (1872-1929) the island also had many visitors. The original Samuel Amess to own the island was very sociable and well connected in business, church and municipal circles and purchased the island as a 'get away' from the pollution and business of his Melbourne life. The island collection includes a photocopy of the Amess Visitors' Book from the late 1880s - into the 1900s. Here is an interesting extract, the first one signed by Charles Nettleton, a well-known Melbourne photographer of the time. Did he actually take the photos of Samuel and others, the house and farm animals that were made available to the CI collection and are so valuable for our knowledge of the era? Photo shows the entry in the Visitors' Book, and one of the photos. ... See MoreSee Less

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2 weeks ago

Pelicans just love roosting in Fisher's saltmarsh near the Churchill Island bridge; mainly when the saltmarsh has a lot of water lying around. Birds and bats are said to 'roost' when they are resting or sleeping in a suitable place. Pelicans are very sociable and generally 'hang out' together, like the Fisher's saltmarsh and wetlands group. Here is some more information about the Australian pelican: birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/australian-pelican Photo: David Maunders. ... See MoreSee Less

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3 weeks ago

Today we are sharing more of FOCIS member David Maunders' photos of Churchill Island just after the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions eased and the island was open again for visitors reserving tickets online. Here are some of CI's beautiful farm animals: Winston turkey and one of the roosters, a chook enjoying the hay in the horse barn, and Dolly pig. ... See MoreSee Less

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