Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FRENCH ISLAND
POP 116
Exposed, windswept and wonderfully isolated, French Island is two-thirds national park
and it retains a real sense of tranquillity - you can only get here by passenger ferry, so it's
virtually traffic-free, and there's no mains water or electricity! The main attractions are
bushwalking and cycling, taking in wetlands, checking out one of Australia's largest
koala
colonies
and observing a huge variety of birds.
Pick up the Parks Victoria brochure at the Tankerton Jetty for a list of walks and cycling
routes. All roads on the island are unsealed and some are quite sandy.
The island served as a penal settlement for prisoners serving out their final years from
1916 and you can still visit the original prison farm.
The ferry docks at Tankerton; from there it's around 2km to the licensed
French Island Gen-
eral Store
( 03-5980 1209; Tankerton Rd, Lot 1; bike hire $25; 8am-6pm, from 9am Sun)
, which also
serves as post office, and tourist-information and bike-hire centre, and has accommodation
($120 per person). Bikes can also be hired at Tankerton Jetty.
Located 10km from Tankerton is the
Bayview Chicory Kilns
(Bayview Rd; daily)
, where
fourth-generation local Lois will give you a tour of the historic kilns (by donation), show
you a few resident koalas and whip up chicory coffee and Devonshire teas in her rustic
cafe. Chicory (a coffee substitute) was the island's biggest industry from 1897 to 1963. You
can camp here for $8/5 per adult/child.
Tours
If you want to see the best of the island, especially if your time is limited, a tour is the best
way to go. Book ahead and arrange a pick up from Tankerton Jetty.
French Island Biosphere
Bus Tours
( 0412 671 241, 03-5980 1241;
www.frenchislandtours.com.au
; half-day adult/child $25/12, full day $49/22; Tue,
Thu, Sun, plus Sat during school holidays)
Lois from the Bayview Chicory Kilns runs half-day tours
with morning or afternoon tea. The full-day tour includes lunch. The ferry to the island
costs extra.
BUS TOUR
