View source for Western Port

{{Short description|Bay in Victoria, Australia}}
{{redirect|Westernport|the town in the United States|Westernport, Maryland|the United States Navy ship|USS Western Port (1853)}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2008}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Western Port
| other_name         = Warn Marin / Western Port Bay
| image              = Western Port from French Is.jpg
| image_size         = 250
| alt                = Western Port seen from French Island
| caption            = Western Port from French Island.
| image_bathymetry   = Western Port Map.PNG
| alt_bathymetry     = 
| caption_bathymetry = Map of Western Port
| location           = Southern [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]
| pushpin_map             = Australia Victoria
 |pushpin_relief          = 1
 | pushpin_label_position = 
 | pushpin_map_alt        = A map of Victoria, Australia, with a mark indicating the location of Western Port
 | pushpin_map_caption    = Location  in [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]
 | coor_pinpoint          = 
 | coordinates_footnotes  = 
| coords             = {{coord|38|22|S|145|20|E|type:waterbody_region:AU_region:AU-VIC|display=inline,title}}
| type               = Saline, Permanent, Natural
| inflow             = [[Bunyip River]], [[Lang Lang River]], [[Bass River (Victoria)|Bass River]], [[Cardinia Creek]]
| outflow            = [[Bass Strait]]
| catchment          = 
| basin_countries    = Australia
| date-built         = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| date-flooded       = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| agency             =
| length             = {{convert|263|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width              = 
| area               = {{convert|680|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| depth              = {{convert|6|m|abbr=on}}
| max-depth          = {{convert|25|m|abbr=on}}
| volume             = 
| residence_time     = 
| shore              = 
| elevation          = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}
| frozen             = ''never''
| islands            = [[Phillip Island (Victoria)|Phillip Island]], [[French Island (Victoria)|French Island]], [[Quail Island, Victoria|Quail Island]], [[Churchill Island, Victoria|Churchill Island]]
| cities             = [[Hastings, Victoria|Hastings]], [[Tooradin, Victoria|Tooradin]], [[San Remo, Victoria|San Remo]], [[Cowes, Victoria|Cowes]]
| reference          =
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_date = 15 December 1982
| designation1_number = 267<ref>{{Cite web|title=Western Port|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/267|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}}
}}
'''Western Port''', ([[Boonwurrung language|Boonwurrung]]: '''''Warn Marin''''') commonly but unofficially known as '''Western Port Bay''', is a large [[Tide|tidal]] bay in southern [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], Australia, opening into [[Bass Strait]]. It is the second largest bay in the [[States and territories of Australia|state]]. Geographically, it is dominated by two large islands; [[French Island (Victoria)|French Island]] and [[Phillip Island (Victoria)|Phillip Island]]. At the time it was renamed, its position was west of other known ports and bays, but Western Port has become something of a misnomer as it lies just to the east of the larger [[Port Phillip]] and the city of [[Melbourne]]. It is visited by [[Australian fur seal]]s,{{dn|date=October 2025}} [[whale]]s and [[dolphin]]s, as well as many [[bird migration|migratory]] [[wader]]s and [[seabird]]s. It is listed under the [[Ramsar Convention]] as a wetland of international significance.<ref name="ramsar">{{cite web | url = http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/ramsardetails.pl?refcode=19# | title = Australian Wetland Database, Ramsar wetlands: Western Port overview | access-date = 6 September 2015 | publisher = Australian Government: Department of the Environment}}</ref>

The area around the bay and the two main islands were originally part of the [[Bunurong|Boonwurrung]] nation's territory prior to European settlement. Western Port was first seen by Europeans in 1798 when an exploration crew in a [[whaleboat]] led by [[George Bass]], journeyed south from [[Sydney]] to explore Australia's south eastern coastline. Due in most part to a lack of food, the expedition was halted, spending two weeks in Western Port before returning to Sydney. As it was the most westerly charted point at the time, it was named ''Western'' Port.

The bay is home to the three Marine National Parks&mdash;[[French Island National Park|French Island]], [[Churchill Island Marine National Park|Churchill Island]] and [[Yaringa Marine National Park|Yaringa]],<ref name=PV>{{Citation| title = Western Port Marine National Parks| url = http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources05/05_0797.pdf| publisher = [[Parks Victoria]]| date=  December 2003
| access-date = 2011-02-24}}</ref> while the land adjacent to the north is largely used for farming purposes including cattle and wineries.  Today the bay is mostly used for recreation; however, there is also a military base ([[HMAS Cerberus (naval base)|HMAS Cerberus]]), shipping and oil production facilities adjoining the bay.  Western Port is around one hour from Melbourne by car and a small number of holiday villages with sandy swimming beaches lie on its shores.

==History==
Prior to European settlement, the [[Bunurong]] people lived around ''Warn Marin'' living off shellfish, mutton birds and plant life. The bay was first explored by Europeans in 1797, when [[George Bass]] received permission from Governor Hunter in [[Sydney]] to sail a [[whaleboat]] along the unexplored section of coast south of [[Botany Bay]]. On such a rough stretch of water, Bass could not get more than halfway through the strait now known as Bass Strait. This voyage led to the recording of Western Port, so named because of its situation relative to every other known harbour on the coast at that time (the area from [[Point Hicks]] to [[Cape Howe]]),<ref>{{gutenberg|no=12929|name=A Voyage to Terra Australis by Matthew Flinders}}</ref> even though it lies to the east of [[Port Phillip]] and the city of [[Melbourne]]. [[Seal hunting]] was conducted here in the 19th century.<ref>Karen Townrow, ''An archaeological survey of sealing & whaling sites in Victoria'', Heritage Victoria & Australian Heritage Commission, Melbourne, 1997, p.15.</ref>

==Attempted colonisation==
In the year 1826 it was reported that the French had resolved to found a settlement at some Australian harbour – probably [[King George's Sound]] or Western Port. The British Government at once sent instructions to Sydney for Governor Darling to immediately take possession of these places. As a result, Colonel Stewart, Captain S. Wright, and Lieutenant Burchell were sent in {{HMS|Fly|1813|6}} (Captain Wetherall) and the brigs ''Dragon'' and [[Amity (brig)|''Amity'']], with orders to proceed to Western Port, on 18 November 1826. They took a number of convicts and a small force composed of detachments of the 3rd and 93rd regiments. The expedition landed at Settlement Point, on the eastern side of the bay near present-day [[Corinella, Victoria|Corinella]], which was the headquarters until the abandonment of Western Port at the instance of Governor Darling about twelve months afterwards, as unfit for civilisation,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65840366 |title=ATTEMPTED COLONISATION AT WESTERN PORT. |newspaper=[[Mornington Standard|Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908)]] |location=Vic. |date=12 August 1905 |access-date=24 January 2012 |page=5 Edition: MORNING |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37071987 |title=Abandonment of Western Port |newspaper=The Australian |date= 21 March 1828}}</ref><ref>{{Citation 
 | last1= Watson | first1= Frederick | title= [[Historical Records of Australia]] | series= Series III – Despatches and Papers Relating to the Settlement of the States | volume= V – Tasmania, December, 1825-March, 1827. Northern Territory, 1823-1827. Western Port, Victoria, 1826-1827 
 | publisher=Library Committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, Commonwealth of Australia
 | date=1922
 | pages=827ff
 | doi= 10.26181/22300321.v1 | hdl=1959.9/512894 }}</ref>

[[Samuel Anderson (Australian settler)|Samuel Anderson]] established the third permanent European settlement in Victoria, after [[Portland, Victoria|Portland]] and [[Melbourne]], at [[Bass, Victoria|Bass]] in 1835.<ref name=ADB>{{cite AuDB | first = Niel | last = Gunson | title = Anderson, Samuel (1803–1863) | volume = 1 | year = 1966 | id2 = anderson-samuel-1706}}</ref>

It was only after the end of [[World War II]] that serious consideration was given to the development of the port, and its flat shores north of Stony and Crib Points have become a centre for heavy industry.

==Geography==
Formerly a major river drainage system, it was inundated together with [[Port Phillip]] by the rising sea in the [[Holocene]] period; the Western Port sunkland now forms an extensive tidal bay. The waters of Western Port cover an area of 680&nbsp;km² of which 270&nbsp;km² are exposed as mud flats at low tide. The topography of Western Port is dominated by two large islands: [[French Island National Park|French Island]] and [[Phillip Island (Victoria)|Phillip Island]]. The coastline, including that of the islands, is some 263&nbsp;km.  The bay and its islands are criss-crossed by seven seismically [[active fault]] lines and experiences numerous minor earthquakes every year.

In the northern reaches, several rivers and creeks drain into the bay and flow through extensive mangroves, mudflats and sand banks before being channelled either side of French Island and into the open water in the southern reaches around Phillip Island. Several natural river paths and channels provide access for boats to the northern reaches; however, this is highly dependent on the tides and local knowledge is essential. Some of the major tributaries of Western Port are [[Bunyip River]], [[Lang Lang River]], [[Bass River (Victoria)|Bass River]], [[Cardinia Creek]], Redbill Creek, Mosquito Creek, Brella Creek and Tankerton Creek.  Until the mid 20th century, the [[Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp]] adjoined the bay in the north, covering an area of 30–40 thousand hectares, extending inland to present-day [[Pakenham, Victoria|Pakenham]], prior to cultivation of the land by early settlers. The mangroves in the northern reaches are the only remnants of this swamp today.

===Islands===
[[File:French Island National Park.png|right|200px|Northern Western Port and French Island]]
[[File:Map of Phillip Island, Victoria.png|right|200px|Southern Western Port and Phillip Island]]
Western Port contains two large islands and several small ones; in approximate order of size:
* [[French Island (Victoria)|French Island]] - 170&nbsp;km² (population: 116)
* [[Phillip Island (Victoria)|Phillip Island]] - 100&nbsp;km² (population: 9,000)
*Middle Spit - exposed at low tide
* [[Quail Island, Victoria|Quail Island]]
*Tortoise Head Bank - exposed at low tide
* [[Churchill Island (Victoria)|Churchill Island]] - 57&nbsp;ha
* [[Chinaman Island]]
* [[Elizabeth Island (Victoria)|Elizabeth Island]]
* [[Sandstone Island]]
*[[Reef Island (Victoria)|Reef Island]]
*[[Long Island (Victoria)|Long Island]]
*[[Snapper Rock (Victoria)|Snapper Rock]]
*[[Pelican Island (Victoria)|Pelican Island]]
* [[Barrallier Island]]
* [[Ram Island (Victoria)|Ram Island]]
* [[Joe Island (Victoria)|Joe Island]]

==Ecology==

===Flora===
Western Port supports a mosaic of habitat types including underwater seagrass beds, intertidal rock platforms, sandy beaches, intertidal mudflats, tidal channels, saltmarshes and mangroves. The coastline around Phillip Island is of State significance because of its remnant coastal tussock grasslands and dune scrub, a rare vegetation community in Victoria.

===Fauna===
Western Port consists of rocky platforms, sandy beaches and marine habitats. It is home to a diverse range of [[invertebrate]]s including colonial ascidians, [[sponge]]s and [[coral]]s. [[Mudflats]] and [[mangrove]] swamps around the northern end of the bay support a large number of invertebrates that are an important food source for [[wader]]s and visiting migratory birds. [[French Island (Victoria)|French Island]] is home to [[bird migration|migratory]] [[wader]]s, [[Australian pelican]]s, [[short-tailed shearwater]] rookeries, and many other significant fauna species.  The bay has been identified as a 623&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) by [[BirdLife International]] because it regularly supports small numbers of [[critically endangered]] [[orange-bellied parrot]]s, over 1% of the world populations of [[Far Eastern curlew]]s, [[red-necked stint]]s and [[pied oystercatcher]]s, and declining numbers of [[Vulnerable species|vulnerable]] [[fairy tern]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Western Port |access-date=2011-11-26 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia |archive-date=22 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722071823/http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Phillip Island Important Bird Area|Phillip Island]] Penguin Reserve has the largest colony of [[little penguin]]s in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] as well as a major [[seabird colony|colony]] of short-tailed shearwaters, with breeding [[hooded plover]]s and [[peregrine falcon]]s. Seal Rock off Phillip Island is home to the largest colony of [[Australian fur seals]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.visitphillipisland.com/listing/the-nobbies/ | title = Philip Island: The Nobbies | access-date = 4 August 2015 | publisher = Discover Philip Island}}</ref> and a breeding site of [[kelp gull]]s and [[sooty oystercatcher]]s. San Remo's marine community is a rich assemblage of marine biota listed under the State Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, 1988. The bay is listed under the [[Ramsar Convention]] for its internationally important [[wetlands]].<ref name="ramsar"/>

The [[Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park]] situated near the north western corner of the bay in [[Pearcedale, Victoria|Pearcedale]] offers a close up look at some of the indigenous mammals and birds of the region.

In recent years, the number of whale sightings (mostly [[southern right whale|southern right]] and [[humpback whale|humpback]]) has increased; local institutes conduct research of their presence in the bay and the neighbouring [[Port Phillip Bay]] and ask the public to report sightings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.preservewesternport.org.au/whale-spotting/ |title=Whale Season - Winter 2017 |access-date=2017-08-03 |publisher=Preserve Western port Action Group }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/whale-numbers-increasing-western-port-bay-watchers-say/news-story/1a3827a63f03445720eed9a8aa808a78 |title=Whale numbers increasing, Western Port Bay watchers say |access-date=2017-08-03 |first=  Strachan P.|last= Leader B.|publisher=The [[Leader Community Newspapers]] |date=2015-07-31 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-12/record-whale-sightings-port-phillip-bay-western-port-bay/7589168 |title=Record whale sightings in Melbourne's Port Phillip and Western Port bays |access-date=2017-08-03 |work=Brown L.S. |publisher=ABC Radio Melbourne |date=2016-07-20 }}</ref>

=== Environment monitoring ===
Western Port's marine water is monitored by the [[Environment Protection Authority (Victoria)|Environment Protection Authority of Victoria]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Victoria |first=Environment Protection Authority |title=Marine monitoring {{!}} Environment Protection Authority Victoria |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/for-community/monitoring-your-environment/monitoring-victorias-water-quality/marine-monitoring |access-date=2023-12-19 |website=www.epa.vic.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> and was considered Good over the 2021-2022 period.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Environment Protection Authority Victoria |url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/publications/2059-annual-report-card-2021-22 |title=Report Card 2021-2022 - Port Philipp, Western Port and Gippsland Lakes |date=May 2023 |publisher=Environment Protection Authority Victoria |publication-date=May 2023 |pages=8}}</ref>

==Parklands==
*Land:
:[[Coolart Wetlands and Homestead Reserve]]
:[[French Island National Park]]
:Langwarrin Flora and Fauna Reserve
:[[Mornington Peninsula National Park]]

*Marine:<ref name=PV/>
:[[French Island National Park]] - 2,800ha
:[[Yaringa Marine National Park]] - 980ha
:[[Churchill Island Marine National Park]] - 670ha

==Recreation==
Fishing, pleasure boating and yachting are some of the popular pastimes on the bay.

===Recreation on Phillip Island===
* [[Little penguin|Penguin]] Reserve - visited at dusk to watch the penguins return to their burrows in the sand dunes
* [[Fur seal|Seal]] Rocks - viewed through binoculars
* [[Koala]] Conservation Centre
*Bird watching
*Scenic Flights from Philip Island Airport (Located on Cape Woolamai)

===Recreation on French Island===
*Bushwalking or bird observing; bush [[orchid]] and fishing areas; horse riding, bike rides, and deep water fishing
*Koala habitat
*Camping

==Shipping and boating==
Deep channels lead from [[Bass Strait]] into the western section of the bay, giving access to the region's port facilities. The town of [[Hastings, Victoria|Hastings]] is the main boat landing in the bay with the Yaringa Marina at [[Somerville, Victoria|Somerville]] also offering boat harbor facilities.

There are boat launching ramps at:<br />
'''Stony Point'''  -Concrete 3 lane ramp, 2 holding jetties, All Tides<br />
'''Blind Bight'''  -Tarmac Single lane ramp, Holding Jetty, High Tide<br />
'''Corinella'''  -Concrete 2 lane ramp, 2 Holding jetties, All Tides<br />
'''Hastings'''  - Concrete 4 lane ramp, Holding Jetty, All Tides<br />
There are also ramps at Tooradin, Newhaven, Cowes, Warneet, Lang Lang, Grantville, Flinders, and Rhyll (Phillip Island).

[https://www.westernportferries.com.au/Default.aspx Western Port Ferries] operates between Stony Point, French Island, and Phillip Island

The boundary between the coastal waters of Bass Strait and the enclosed waters of Western Port is defined on the western side by a line from West Head on the Mornington Peninsula to Black Rock, Phillip Island. Then from Black Rock to the tip of Point Grant at The Nobbies on Phillip Island. On the eastern side, it's a line from the southeastern tip of Cape Woolami, Phillip Island to Griffiths Point on the Bass Coast. Source: Western Port Recreational Boating Guide: sixth edition, June 2021.

==Coast Guard Flotillas==
* [http://www.coastguard.com.au/ Coast Guard Western Port]

==Industry==
Western Port has several industrial complexes, including a [[BlueScope]] steel processing works and the major [[Royal Australian Navy]] training base, [[HMAS Cerberus (naval base)|HMAS Cerberus]]. The [[Westernport Refinery|Westernport Oil Refinery]] was operated by [[BP]] at [[Crib Point]] from 1966 to 1985.

In 2018, [[AGL Energy]] and [[APA Group (Australia)]] jointly proposed the construction of a gas import jetty at [[Crib Point]], as well as a 56&nbsp;km high pressure gas pipeline to connect the jetty to the existing gas transmission network in [[Pakenham, Victoria|Pakenham]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Planning |date=2024-02-23 |title=Crib Point gas import jetty and Crib Point Pakenham pipeline |url=https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments/browse-projects/crib-point-gas-import-jetty-and-crib-point-pakenham-pipeline |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Planning |language=en}}</ref> The proposal was met with heavy protest from conservation groups and residents of the area due to the environmental impact <ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2021-03-30 |title=Contentious floating gas terminal proposal at Crib Point rejected |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-30/crib-point-agl-floating-gas-terminal-rejected/100036926 |access-date=2025-08-23 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref> and the proposal was rejected by the Victorian government on March 29, 2021 due to the "unacceptable impacts on the Western Port environment and the Ramsar wetlands" <ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The Port of Hastings Corporation has submitted many proposals for industrial shipping development in Westernport Bay to provide extra storage space for shipping containers.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/files/649a99bb-d803-465a-9304-a55300c3b890/152311ca_att_310_4j.pdf | title=Port of Hastings - Land Use & Transport Strategy | website=www.mornpen.vic.gov.au}}</ref> The current proposal for the development of the Port of Hastings is as the base of operations for the construction of offshore wind infrastructure, with the potential of long term support maintenance, re-powering, and decommissioning of the off shore wind facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Planning |date=2025-02-18 |title=Victorian renewable energy terminal |url=https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments/browse-projects/referrals/victorian-renewable-energy-terminal |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Planning |language=en}}</ref> Significant criticism of the proposal and other previous proposals of development of the Port of Hastings primarily focus on the dredging of the seafloor.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Calls for scrutiny as Port of Hastings Terminal advances |url=https://cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au/news/2025-08-11/calls-for-scrutiny-as-port-of-hastings-terminal-advances/ |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Cranbourne Star News |language=en-US}}</ref> The Phillip Island Conservation Society stated that the revised proposal "would still destroy or permanently modify 45.2 hectares of Ramsar wetland, including 12 hectares of intertidal mudflat and 9.38 hectares of seagrass."<ref name=":2" />

==Regulations==
For the protection of the marine environment, a number of activities are prohibited within the boundaries of Victoria's Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries. No fishing, netting, spearing, taking or killing of marine life. All methods of fishing, from the shore or sea, are prohibited. No taking or damaging of animals, plants and objects or artefacts. There are strong penalties under the National Parks Act for fishing in Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries. All offenses can by reported to the Department of Primary Industries.

However, you may carry fin-fish on board your boat within park boundaries if you caught the fish outside the parks and you may also carry but not use, a fishing rod or spear gun. You may also have abalone or rock lobster associated equipment on board the boat provided that you are travelling straight through the park by the shortest practicable route.

==See also==
{{portal|Victoria}}
*[[Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://www.visitvictoria.com/regions/Phillip-Island/See-and-do/Nature-and-wildlife/National-parks-and-reserves/Western-Port Western Port] at Visit Victoria
*[https://www.visitphillipisland.com.au/ Visit Phillip Island]
*[https://www.visitcorinella.com/ Visit Corinella]

{{Coastal townships and localities of Western Port, Victoria |state=autocollapse}}
{{Bays of Victoria (Australia) |state=autocollapse}}
{{Islands of Western Port}}
{{Ramsar sites in Australia}}
{{Victoria}}
{{Rivers of Victoria (Australia)}}
{{Waterways of Melbourne}}
{{Rivers of the Port Phillip and Westernport catchment}}
{{Islands of Victoria}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Western Port| ]]
[[Category:Bays of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Mornington Peninsula]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Australia]]
[[Category:Seal hunting]]