Cowes, Victoria

Cowes, Victoria
Cowes
Victoria
Cowes.jpg
Golden Cypress trees on Thompson Avenue
Cowes is located in Bass Coast Shire
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Cowes
Population: 3678 (2006)[1]
Postcode: 3922
Elevation: 12 m (39 ft)
Area: 13.1 km² (5.1 sq mi)
Location: 140 km (87 mi) from Melbourne
LGA: Bass Coast Shire
State District: Bass
Federal Division: Flinders
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
18.8 °C
66 °F
10.3 °C
51 °F
737.3 mm
29 in

Cowes is the main township on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is less than 2 hours drive from Melbourne and can also be reached by ferry from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula. Cowes is located on the northern side of Phillip Island and faces towards French Island and the Mornington Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Cowes had a population of 3678.

Contents

History

The area was originally known as Mussel Rocks. In 1865, a government surveyor Henry Cox returned from a holiday retreat in England and named the town he surveyed after the seaport town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England. The Post Office opened on 1 August 1869.[2]

The Town today

In recent years Cowes has seen a rapid expansion in its size. Many estates and apartments have been built in and around the town on what was previously rural farmland. An estimated 70% of houses are owned by absentee owners, most of whom live in and around Melbourne.

The main road of the island (Phillip Island Road) leads into Cowes and becomes the main road of Cowes, Thompson Avenue. A distinctive feature of the road is the 1 km lining of Golden Cypress trees which were planted in the early 20th century. Further into town, the road begins a gradual descent before it terminates with a T-intersection at the waterfront. As the road approaches the waterfront, density of restaurants and general retail outlets increases. Cowes Jetty was built at the end of Thompson Avenue in 1870 and remains a focal point of the town. It is flanked by sheltered beaches which are a popular attraction for families. An annual fireworks event was held at 9pm on New Year's Eve until in 2010 they were cancelled. Occasionally a container ship can be seen from the waterfront heading to or from the port at Hastings which is located to the north.

Traffic tends to be heavy and accommodation may be scarce during holiday periods and large events at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Since the 1960s, Cowes has been home to Christian Youth Camps in Church St [3] and have run holiday camps for children, youth and young adults. CYC has since redeveloped another much larger campsite just outside of Cowes - the Phillip Island Adventure Resort. After this CYC then also bought campsites at Adanac and Forest Edge.

The town has an Australian Rules football team, Phillip Island, competing in the Alberton Football League.[4]

Golfers play at the course of Phillip Island Golf on Settlement Road.[5]

Many of the roads in Cowes (and Ventnor), Phillip Island are named after other towns and villages on the Isle of Wight, the Island that inspired both town's names.

The hotel was destroyed by fire in July 2010

References

External links