Cowes West Heritage Walk (Phillip Island)
A 3km walk (one-way) for history lovers. The Cowes West Heritage Walk is your chance to embrace and explore the history of Phillip Island. During the self-guided walk of Cowes, you will discover Phillip Island heritage sites including Phillip Island's first and second hospitals, historic houses, guest houses and cottages, and the power station site.
This walk complements the Cowes East Heritage Walk.
Pop into the Visitor Information Centres in Cowes or Newhaven to collect your own map, use the map and location key below or download the map here">download the map here.
Location: Starting point is at the Cowes Visitor Information Centre - 97 Thompson Avenue, Cowes
Thompson Avenue
1. Information Centre
Genesta Street
2. No. 3 Genesta Street. First hospital building 1923, moved here From Warley Avenue in 1962. Originally built as a home for the Walpole family, in the early 20th Century. Now called Berman Lodge.
Warley Avenue
3. Second Warley Hospital built in 1962. closed end January 2008 and the nursing section closed in September 2009.
4. Uniting Church formerly Presbyterian Church. Original building now the hall, built 1895 and the new Church built 1975, The bell from the ship Speke, wrecked near Kitty Miller Bay in 1906, is housed in the bell tower.
Walpole Street
5. Nos. 11 and 13 Walpole Street. Two Late 19th Century brick houses next to the Uniting Church Manse. One has a large brick addition in front. They were built as holiday homes. Red bricks made on the Island by the Anderson family near Glen Isla.
Osbourne Avenue
6. Power Station site (now vacant) on corner of Chapel Street, built in the 1920's. The Power Station commenced operation on 23rd December 1929 supplying electricity to Cowes and ran through until 1953 when power lines were run across the Eastern Passage and across the Island to Cowes to connect to the SEC supply.
7. Nos. 27-29 Osbourne Avenue. Charmandene Guest House, formerly on Lovers Walk. Built in 1890's For the Henty Wilson family. Much altered, and added on to another home for the use of a restaurant. Now privately owned.
8. Tropicana Motor Inn was the Bonnie Doon Guesthouse built in 1922 by Mrs. J. McMaster. During Mr. and Mrs. Claringbold's era they had a pet koala with a baby. On showing the baby to the guests, the mother koala left, leaving the Claringbolds to look after it.
Church Street
9. No. 111 Church Street. Small 19th Century weatherboard cottage on the corner of Alexander Avenue.
Beach Street
10. No. 8 Beach Street, Innis Howen home built of concrete bricks for William Kennon in the 1920's.
Church Street
11. No. 161 Church Street. St. Clair home built for the Reynold's family in 1910's. They were a farming family with St. Clair being situated on one of their Farms.
12. Glen Isla home, built for the Anderson family in 1887. It was then a farm. Mr. Robert Anderson travelled weekly to Melbourne to his plumbing supply business. View garden from the front gate, and view house from the north end of Glen Isla Court.
Anderson Road And Jetty
13. Boat Ramp Cafe
Acknowledgement: Phillip island & District Historical Society
Please respect that whilst all properties listed in this guide are of historical interest they are privately owned.
- Distance / Time: 3km one way / 1.5 hours one way
- Difficulty - Easy with made pathways
- Toilets located at Cowes Visitor Centre, in main Council building
- Designated Accessible toilets
- Parking at Cowes Visitor Centre sealed car park behind main Council building
- Designated Accessible Parking available
- Suitable for wheelchairs and prams
- Bicycles permitted
Access for Dogs:
Dogs permitted on lead.
Location
97 Thompson Avenue, Cowes 3922 Map
