Merricks Beach - Clifftop and Coast Hike

Merricks Beach is a small seaside village on the eastern side of Westerport Bay, about 65 kmn asouth of Melbourne.

It is one of the few coastal places within a 100 km radius of Melbourne that has been basically untouched by development. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.

An interesting fact about Merricks Beach is that all of the streets in the area are still unsealed and it has experienced little change since the 1960s. Because of this the area is very rustic and many Manna Gum and Pine trees line the side of these streets.

The area also has a significant Koala population. This particular population has been able to survive in this area because of the lack of development which has occurred here.

I visited Merricks Beach on Tuesday September 29, 2009, undertaking a 3 km hike which started at the small car park at the end of Merricks beach Rd. My route was along the western beach, then up a staircase to the clifftop, passing through bushland, and along the main walking track.

Side tracks to two lookouts yielded superb views across the Bay, and east towards Balnarring and Somers.

It was then a descent down a narrow winding foot-track through the foreshore reserve to the beach.

The tide was out, exposing beautiful reefs and rock pools, which were explored!

Then, a walk back along the beach to the car park.

See the full set of Photos which show the scenery, the tracks, the beaches, the views, the seabirds, and some "candid camera" shots of activities on the beaches!

Balnarring Coast and Bird Sanctuary

On Sunday September 27, 2009, I visited the Balnarring Coast, 70 km south of Melbourne.

From the car park at Balnarring Beach (Tulum Beach) I explored the interesting Bird Sanctuary to the west, and continued along the coast past the Merricks Beach Cliffs, abiout 4 km in total.

The day was extremely cold - 9 degrees on the beach, with 100 km/h winds and horizontal biting rain sweeping in from Westernport Bay from Antarctica.

Nearby is the site of the former Balnarring railway station, adjacent to the Balnarring Community Wetlands, which was located on the Red Hill railway line. The line was opened in 1921 and was one of the more short-lived branch lines on the Victorian Railways closing in 1953 along with a few other smaller branch lines in the railways system.

Following official closure of the line, trains (railmotors) continued to run as far as Balnarring to cater for the Balnarring picnic races, Lord Somers camp and a Railway Historical Society tour in 1956.

Part of the railway alignment between Red Hill and Merricks stations has been converted into an equestrian/hiking trail with the remaining majority of the line now located on private properties.

See the complete set of Photos of my visit!

Balnarring Community Wetlands

The Balnarring Community Wetlands are about 65 km south of Melbourne.

They are reached from a turnoff at Civic Court at Balnarring Village on the Frankston-Flinders Rd.

15 years ago, parents, teachers and community members in Balnarring formed a sub-committee to develop and manage a wetlands site adjacent to the primary school. The Balbirooroo Community Wetlands Management Plan provides strategic direction for both the school and community in their on-going efforts to enhance and manage the wetlands.

Balbirooroo is a tribal language Koori name for Ibis.

Work at the wetlands has included construction and placement of nest boxes in trees, interpretive signage, and provision of habitat for fauna species, e.g. Growling Grass Frogs.

Regular school and community working bees at the wetlands continue the on-going and large scale revegetation efforts to enhance and develop the wetlands

I visited these beautiful Wetlands on Sunday September 27, 2009. My 3 km exploration included the Koorie Trail, the Ian Wisken Wetland Walk, and the Korra Bun-yan Wetland (Growling Grass Frog).

The Wetlands were originally inhabited by the Bunurong People.

The area is quite extensive, 12 hectares, and includes a large Lagoon, smaller lakes and ponds, intrepretative signs, boardwalks, footbridges, bird-hide, lookout, picnic tables, and viewing platforms.

Adjacent to the Wetlands is the old embankment of the disused Bittern-Red Hill Railway, which operated from 1921 until 1953.

For further details about the Wetlands, visit

http://www.balnarringps.vic.edu.au/wetlands/

See the complete set Photos of of my visit!

Pound Bend Reserve - Warrandyte State Park

The Pound Bend Reserve, in the Warrandyte State Park, 25 km from the Melbourne CBD, is popular in all seasons.

There are grassy areas for picnicking, a walking track along the river which supplies access to koalas and a variety of flora, toilets (including disabled facilities), information boards, canoeing, swimming and horseriding opportunities and a nature walk.

The Pound Bend Tunnel was created in 1870 by a goldmining company in order to divert the course of the Yarra River, thereby enabling the exploitation of the old riverbed. It is now a popular swimming spot.

Pound Road is a signposted surfaced road which heads north off Warrandyte Road (which, in turn, heads west from Warrandyte to Templestowe). The entry gates to this site are closed of an evening (times are posted on the park entrance signs).

The Reserve dates back to the early 1930s, many years before the Warrandyte SP was proclaimed. The area occupied by the present-day Reserve was originally proposed as a large Koala Sanctuary in 1937, but this was abandoned.

Koalas are occasionally seen in the bushland along the Pound Bend Walking Track, north from the Reserve.

I visited the Reserve on Friday September 25, 2009, exploring the Tunnel area and the walking tracks.

South of the Tunnel observation area is a narrow foot-track, which continues through bushland for about 1 km above the river. This is not marked in any maps and offers interesting views of the Yarra's opposite bank.

See the complete set of Photos of my visit!

A Hike on Hall Track - Sherbrooke Forest

Hall Track is a nice 2 km return walk through the forest and ferns, in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, 45 km east of Melbourne.

The Track starts at Cook's Corner, at the junction of Grantulla Rd and the Kallista-Emerald Rd.

The pictures were taken on a cold, bleak, and cloudy day, September 22, 2009.

The Track is a former logging route, used in the early 1900s for carrying timber from the forest to the Mill, at nearby Sassafras. See all of the Photos of my hike!

John's Hill Lookout - Kallista South

John's Hill Reserve is on a ridge extending to the south-east from the main Dandenong Ranges massif in the Kallista district, 45 km east of Melbourne.

The lookout and picnic table area on the summit offers magnificent panoramic views to the distant Yarra Ranges National Park, the Kinglake National Park, Mt St. Leonard, the Dandenong Ranges National Park, the Cardinia Reservoir, nearby farmlands, Port Phillip Bay and Westernport Bay.

A Trig Point is located at the summit, and an information board provides useful information about the history of the region.

The Trig Point is at an altitude of 410 m.

I visited John's Hill on Wednesday September 23, 2009, a very windy day!

See all of the Photos of my visit!

A hike in scenic Norman's Reserve - Warrandyte State Park

Norman's Reserve is a large area of remnant bushland adjacent to the Yarra River, Warrandyte State Park, 20 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

A car park and picnic area are located at the end of Bradley's Lane, from which the main walking track starts.

Bradley's Lane is reacheds just over the Warrandyte Bridge, off the main road to Research.

The Track passes the Pound Bend Tunnel and continues through grassy and forested bushland for about 2 km, reaching the rapids. The track ends at this point.

There are nice views of the Yarra - immediately opposite are the open paddocks of the old Orchard.

Great Cormorants were having a good time on the river!

My visit was on Tuesday afternoon September 22, 2009

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Balnarring to Somers - Coastal Hike

On Saturday September 19, 2009, I went down to Westernport Coast, 65 km south of Melbourne.

From a starting point at the Balnarring Beach car park, I did a 5 km return beachwalk to the Merricks Creek mouth, at Somers Beach.

Good views across the Bay, many sea birds were having a good time along the Creek!

See all of the Photos of my visit.

Warrandyte State Park - Pound Bend Hike

I visited the Pound Bend Section of the Warrandyte State Park, on Friday afternoon September 18, 2009, 15 km from the Melbourne CBD.

From the car park at the Pound Bend Reserve, I went along the Main Trail, then on the "unofficial" trail extension around the large Kangaroo Paddock. This Paddock, which is next to the eastern bend of the Yarra, is managed by Parks Victoria, and walkers are permitted to use it.

There are many Eastern Grey Kangaroos inhabiting the Paddock, some of whom had come out to be photographed!

There were good views of the Yarra and the cliffs on the opposite bank, with some ducks, a Kooka, a magpie, and other assorted creatures of the air!

All this was about 5 km.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Shoreham Coastal Hike at Low Tide

I visited Shoreham Beach on Wednesday afternoon September 16, 2009, on Westernport Bay, 65 km south of Melbourne.

It was a very low tide, and the magnificent reefs and wonderful rock pools were exposed.

I hiked along the reefs and beach almost to the town of Flinders, a total distance of some 6 km return.

There were a few other people and hounds doing what I was doing, a couple of swimmers, and a small motor boat.

These reefs are arguably the best along the northern section of Wssternport Bay.

New information boards have been constructed describing the history of the Foreshore, and the ocean environment.

Please see the complete set of Photos of my visit, which includes some historical images, showing the Beach as it looked in the 1930s and early 1940s. The Jetty was dismantled by 1940. There are also two photos showing myself, taken on January 13, 1952: one shows our tent at the YMCA's boys' camp at Shoreham, the other is a group of us at the rockpools.

I was a skinny kid then, with thin legs!

I did this beach hike on January 18, 1952 as an activity organized by the YMCA camp. This was exactly the same route as I took on September 16, 2009, 57 years later!

Gunnamatta Coastal Hike

On Tuesday afternoon September 14, 2009, I went down to Gunnamatta Surf Beach, in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, about 70 km SE of Melbourne.

The surf was up, with a few surfers making the most of the big waves!

I hiked about 8 km (return) along the coast - my turnabout point was at the point just past the magnificent orange-colored ancient rock formations, adjacent to the Fingal Beach.

My trip was at low tide - at other times, access past the rocks is not posssible.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Kurth Kiln Park - Possum Track in Spring

The Possum Track is in the north-west section of the Kurth Kiln Park, 70 km east of Melbourne. It links Beenak Rd and Monkhouse Track, and follows the beautiful ferns in the Possum Creek Gully.

A large lake, surrounded by tall forest, was discovered at the northern end of the track!

I hiked this Tk, 4 km return, on September 14, 2009, with some sections being thick red mud, after the recent rains!

The highest altitude reached on the Tk was 278 m - the lowest was 222 m.

It is not far from the historic Kiln.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Warrandyte River Reserve - early Spring

I visited the Warrandyte River Reserve, 25 km east of the Melbourne CBD, on September 10, 2009, for a 3 km hike along the main trail.

See the full set of Photos, which show the Yarra River, the unusual Flying Fox, the Swimming Hole, the Diving Cliffs, many ducks, the Trail, and some historical images.

Olinda Forest in early spring

I visited the Olinda Forest and Woolrich Lookout on September 12, 2009, 35 km east of the Melbourne CBD.

Starting at and returning to the locked gate on Silvan Rd, I went along Price's Track and then into Bridge Track, descending to the bridge across the Lyrebird Creek.

The Lyrebird Track, leading off Bridge Track, is now impassable, due to to overgrown vegetation, fallen trees, and branches, and is no longer maintained.

Bridge Track is no longer signposted and care is needed, due to large fallen trees.

After the hike of about 3 km, I drove up to the Woolrich Lookout, at the top of Silvan Rd, adjacent to the Olinda Arboretum. There were some excellent views across the Upper Yarra Valley towards the Yarra Ranges.

My "candid camera" took some shots of other visitors having a good time near the Lookout!

The day was hot and humid, with a top of 30 degrees, the highest early-September temperature ever recorded for Melbourne!

See the full set of Photos of my visit, which include some historical images of the Victorian Railways Steambus of year 1905, which was a popular mode of transport to the hills in that era!

Point Leo Coast - East Creek - Westernport Bay

On September 11, 2009, a very windy day, I visited Point Leo, Westernport Bay, 65 km south of Melbourne.

My 4 km (return) hike started at the Pt Leo Public Park, adjacent to the Boat Club, then east along the Foreshore Reserve, past Gus' Lookout, crossing the East Creek Estuary, to a turnabout point about 2 km from the start.

East Creek originates several km to the north, near the town of Red Hill.

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Wolley's Coastal Reserve - Bittern

Woolley's Beach reserve is a large coastal park on Westernport Bay, 60 km SE of Melbourne.

It is located at Crib Point, in the municipality of Bittern, near the town of Hastings, and extends about 3 km to the Stony Point Ferry Terminal.

The main walking track passes through lush fern forests and bushland, with good views across the mangroves towards French Island.

I visited the park on September 9, 2009, completing a 6 km hike.

The Navy Submarine Museum is nearby, along with the decommissioned Oberon class submarine HMAS Otama.

The signed remains (fenced off) of Bill Woolley's underground cool-room are just off the beach, near Crib Point, which are of local historical interest.

See the full set of Photos of my visit.