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!