PHILLIP Island Nature Parks’ (PINP) annual report for 2021-22 has been released highlighting the struggles of lockdowns with a net loss of $10.5M.
However, during that time Nature Parks restored 13.8 hectares of habitat, the local penguin population continued to thrive and grow, with the penguin census recording 40,000 Little Penguins, and the Hooded Plovers had their second most successful breeding year in 30 years.
A net result for the financial year was a loss of $10.5M, which was consistent with expectations, given the challenging operating environment, according to PINP.
Revenue from operations increased by 62 per cent compared to 2021, which was significantly impacted by pandemic restrictions including a loss in revenue from overseas tourists.
Phillip Island Nature Parks CEO, Catherine Basterfield highlighted the first six months of the 2021/22 financial year were incredibly difficult due to COVID restrictions at the time.
“Visitation was restricted to just people from regional Victoria, because Metro Melbourne was still largely in lockdown,” she said.
“It was a really quiet start to those first six months, and then the calendar year (2022) has been really good.
“The visitors have been really supportive and come back in greater numbers.
“We’ve just seen month on month growth really from January right through to December, so it’s been a fantastic 2022.”
Ms Basterfield said there had been a huge increase in local visitors coming from across the state.
“In our pre-COVID world, we were about 70 per cent international visitors and 30 per cent domestic.
“We’re back to almost peak numbers this summer and about 75 per cent of them have been domestic and 25 per cent are international.
“When they’re domestic visitors they tend to stay longer and absorb more of what we do in terms of conservation.
“A lot of businesses have realised, not just PINP, that even though we don’t have quite the same number of visitors, they’re spending more.”
Annual report highlights
Key aspects of the annual report include:
• Financial - “Site attractions were closed for a fifth of the year and when opened, operated with greatly reduced capacity,” the annual report states. “This resulted in immediate and material impacts to the Nature Parks’, and a sustained loss of revenue. The Nature Parks tourism operations achieved 415,130 paid visitors to its sites, a 30.7% increase compared with 2020-21. The Nature Parks realised $8.6 million in revenue excluding Government funding, $3.3 million greater than 2020-21, but $9.2 million less than 2019-20 and $16.3 million less than 2018-19. Following the easing of COVID Safe Principles the Nature Parks were able to resume much of its conservation activities and welcomed more guests back to each of the attractions. With this came greater investment in operational activities when compared with 2020-21, and as a result of this resumption of activity, the Nature Parks’ other expenditure increased for the reporting period by 29.5% versus 2020-21, however this was still 6.6% less versus 2019-20 and 22.1% less than 2018-19.
• Wildlife rescues - In 2021-22, the Wildlife Clinic team responded to over 1910 calls for wildlife rescues and advice. Cared for 79 Little Penguins (71 in 2020-21) and rescued and cared for 155 other native animals from 65 different species (550 in 2020-2021).
• Short -Tailed Shearwaters - PINP recorded the third most successful Short-tailed Shearwater breeding season in the past 12 years of monitoring. This season, 25 geolocator tracking devices were deployed to understand the birds’ movement patterns. Their annual Shearwater Rescue Program rescued 409 birds off the roads which were relocated back to the colony and given a second chance.
• Bush Stone-Curlews – PINP’s application for a wild release of Bush Stone-curlews was approved and is expected to take place on Phillip Island (Millowl) in 2023. The Koala Conservation Reserve became home to four critically endangered Bush Stone-curlews that were housed in specially designed aviaries for the purpose of captive breeding for wild release and visitor engagement.
• Foxes and feral cats - Two mainland fox baiting programs removed an estimated 110 foxes from the Anderson Peninsula on the mainland and surrounding areas in a collaborative program between Parks Victoria, local landholders and the Nature Parks. In early May, the first evidence of a fox on Phillip Island (Millowl) in seven years was confirmed. Ongoing surveillance and control programs located and removed the fox. Conservation dogs Jazz, Marbee and Milly surveyed 105 kilometres across the island and 82 kilometres on the mainland for evidence of foxes. They were also deployed to locate evidence of feral cats. The first GPS tracking study of feral cats was undertaken on Summerland Peninsula. A total of 76 feral cats were caught over 9059 trap nights.Other highlights included:
• Premier Daniel Andrews MP visiting the Penguin Parade in May 2022 and announcing $5 million towards stage one of the Penguin Parade Boardwalks and Stands Redevelopment Project.
• The Nature Parks welcoming 415,130 paid visitors across its four attractions.
• Winning the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) award for Tourism Innovation and Resilience in Regional Victoria in recognition of the Penguin Parade Live Stream phenomenon that brought joy to millions around the world.
• A record 5,219 penguins crossing the beach in April. A number that was broken again in October last year.
• Hosting Southern Ocean Live and being part of Meet the Penguins, which both aired on the ABC.
• Celebrating Research Director Dr Peter Dann’s 42 years of service at Nature Parks in the lead up to his retirement.Phillip Island Nature Parks Annual Report 2021-22 is available as a summary and in full at https://www.penguins.org.au/about/corporate-affairs/publications/annual-reports/ Media
