William Eastwood Thompson

William Eastwood Thompson (c. 1868 - November 1952) was an Australian settler of Phillip Island, Victoria, and a philanthropist. Born around 1868 in Brighton, Victoria, to James Thompson and his wife Ruth, he grew up in Melbourne and first visited Phillip Island as a youth in 1889. The middle name “Eastwood” came from his mother’s family, and he would later use it as part of his identity. Thompson married a woman named Lucy, and together they would become deeply involved in community life. His business background and financial security enabled him to support local initiatives.

William Thompson also championed many other greening projects on the island. He also partnered with other locals (such as Percy Hutchinson) to plant street trees like those along Steele Street. Thompson even saw to it that a shelter belt of pines was planted around three sides of the Cowes Recreation Reserve (football ground) for wind protection, and he pushed for proper drainage of the sports ground. Determined to improve this, the Thompsons stepped forward in 1923. They agreed to purchase a large house in Cowes known as “Buena Vista” (formerly owned by the Walpole family) and donate it for use as the island’s first hospital.

Warley Bush Nursing Hospital officially opened on 8 December 1923 with six patient beds and a modern operating theatre. His life dates are often given as circa 1870–1955 in local records, but contemporary reports indicate he died in late 1952. Thompson Avenue remains a central thoroughfare in Cowes, and the founding of Warley Hospital is recorded as a significant development in Phillip Island’s local history. Several public spaces and infrastructure projects on the island are associated with Thompson’s initiatives, reflecting his long-term involvement in civic and community affairs.