Let me tell you the intriguing story of how Cape Woolamai, perched at the southeastern tip of Phillip Island, got its name. Back in 1798, the daring explorer George Bass, traversing the island by whaleboat, spotted the headland. He named it “Wollamai,” after the snapper fish, known as “Wollamai” in the language of the Eora Aboriginal people in Sydney. Bass, who had learned some Sydney language from Bennelong, the Eora leader, thought the headland resembled the head of that fish.
Cape Woolamai holds more than just a fascinating name. It was originally part of a sprawling 7000-acre landholding called the “Woolamai Run,” owned by John Cleeland, a sea captain, publican, and owner of the 1875 Melbourne Cup winner, “Woolamai.” The land was purchased from the government in 1868. Cleeland, a man of many talents, built Woolamai House on the headland and grazed merino sheep on the land. In 1910, his son, John Blake Cleeland, noticed the pesky problem of erosion, so he planted rows of Marram grass to stabilize the shifting sand. Thankfully, those rows of grass are still there today!
In 1959, a portion of the land was subdivided into housing estates, initially called “Woolamai Waters and Woolamai Waters West,” and eventually renamed Cape Woolamai. It’s hard to imagine, but this iconic spot, known today for its world-famous surf beach, was once just farmland. And that’s not all. Did you know that the Cape Woolamai Circuit Walk, a popular trek that takes you to the highest point on Phillip Island, starts from the beach carpark and leads you past the impressive granite formations called “The Pinnacles”? It’s a must-do walk for any visitor to Cape Woolamai.