French Island
Fascinating historic island south of Melbourne
French Island is located in Westernport Bay, to the south-east of Melbourne. It measures 18 km by 12 km, has a coastline of 144 km, encompasses 21 800 ha and has a population of less than 60 people. Remarkably, French Island has escaped development over the years and two-thirds of the land mass have recently been declared a State Park. Thus its many natural attractions have been preserved, largely intact.

The island's coastline is predominately salt marsh with flourishing mangroves on the mudflats. The interior is mostly heathland with magnificent wildflower displays in spring. There are around 600 plant species and a great diversity of birdlife (234 species), including the white-breasted sea eagle, as well as mutton-bird, pelican and ibis rookeries. There are short-tailed shearwater colonies at Tankerton and Tortoise Head and there is a good deal of birdlife at Elizabeth Bluff.

French Island supports Australia's largest koala community; so much so that it now exports to the mainland and to international zoos. The koalas can be seen throughout the island, including the recreation hall and post office at Tankerton where the ferries dock. The rare potoroo has also found a niche on French Island as there have been no incursions by foxes, their main predator. They can be seen in bushy areas throughout the island.

The first known European to sight the island was George Bass who entered Westernport Bay in 1798. However, he mistook it for a promontory of the mainland. It was named Western Island in 1802 by Lieutenant John Murray who examined it from the Lady Nelson. Later that year it was visited by a French scientific expedition, led by Nicholas Baudin, which was exploring southern Australia. Although France was at war with Britain at the time the expedition was granted immunity by the British Admiralty. The visitors named it Ile de France or Ile de Francoise; hence its present name. Sealers inhabited the island in subsequent years.