What is French Island (Victoria)?
[[Image:French Island National Park.png|thumb|right|240px|Map of French Island]] '''French Island''' is a large [[island]] in [[Western Port]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]. It is 61&nbsp;km southeast of [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]]. In 1997 about 70 per cent of the island was made the [[French Island National Park]]. It has also been listed as part of the National Estate. In 2002, the waters on the north coast were made into the [[French Island Marine National Park]]. Even though it is close to Melbourne, French Island is relatively isolated and undeveloped. There is no water or electricity supply, or medical services on the island. There is one small shop and post office on Tankerton Road about 3&nbsp;km from Tankerton Jetty. There is a number of places to stay, including camping, [[bed and breakfast]]s, [[guest house]]s, and the McLeod Eco Farm which was once a [[prison]]. ==History== [[Image:Western Port from French Is.jpg|thumbnail|right|Looking west over [[Western Port]] to [[Mornington Peninsula]] from the Coast road on French Island]] An [[Australian aboriginal]] clan, Bunarong Tribe lived and hunted on French Island.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frenchislandinfo.com/aboutfi.php |title=About French Island |author= |publisher=French Island Community Association |accessdate=22 February 2016}}</ref> The first Europeans to discover the island were the French in April 1802. A group from the ship, ''La Naturaliste'', explored the area naming it ''Île de Françoise'', (French Island).<ref name=np>{{Cite web |url=http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=52 |title=Parks Victoria: French Island National Park page |work=parkweb.vic.gov.au |accessdate=27 July 2010 |archive-date=31 January 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050131094427/http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=52 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1847 the first settlers, William and John Gardner, started farming on the island. In the 1880's, [[koala]]s were released on to the islan