Rhyll Introduction

Rhyll in its beginning, with its sheltered port, offered shelter to early explorers and expeditions.

Rhyll today has an excellent all-tide boat ramp, slipway, two jetties, yacht club, angling club and sailing school. Other services available are boat hire, general store, restaurant and bar, take-aways, cafe' and bed & breakfast accommodation.

Public toilets, BBQ and tennis courts are located in Rhyll Park behind the Rhyll Mechanics Hall in Lock Road, and public BBQs and toilets are located on the foreshore on Beach Road, near the jetty.

Take a stroll along the Rhyll Inlet - it is a haven for myriads of sea birds. Watch out for pelicans, black swans, gulls and ibis. The inlet is recognised the world over as a significant area for migratory wading birds.

Other nature walks include the Oswin Roberts Koala Reserve in Harbinson Road, Conservation Hill Lookout and the Rhyll Swamp Bird Sanctuary board walk located on the Cowes-Rhyll Road.

To the south, the Phillip Island Tourist Road takes you to the centre of the island and the Koala Conservation Centre, Motel, Caravan Park, Restaurant and Maze.

Rhyll was the temporary site for the very early settlement of Fort Dumaresq (Flagstaff) where in December 1826 the area was established as a temporary British settlement. The claim of formal possession of the region was a bid to forestall French occupation.

Historic sites include:

• A memorial on the Rhyll-Newhaven Road, 50 mtrs south of the Cowes-Rhyll Road proclaiming the area British possession.
• A memorial near the jetty to commemorate the discovery of the area (port) and later expeditions.
• A memorial bronze plaque on pink Woolamai granite, commemorating the visit to Western Port by Lieutenant James Grant in the Brig “Lady Nelson”, and for the naming of Lady Nelson Point, located on the corner of Beach Road and Reid Street north of the yacht club.

The name Rhyll comes from Rhyl, a holiday resort in North Wales (Great Britain).

Rhyll