Flinders Ocean Beach - coastal hike in the big storm!

I visited the Flinders Ocean Beach on August 5 2012, 80 km south of Melbourne, in the Mornington Peninsula National Park.

My 2 km coastal hike was a difficult undertaking due to a tremendous gale blowing in from Bass Strait, and huge waves.

It was also bitterly cold!

But I survived, despite my training shoes filling with seawater...!

See an Album of all of  the Photos!

Mornington Peninsula NP - Highfield

Highfield is a large area of open bushland in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, about 70 km south of Melbourne.

The land is home to mobs of kangaroos, and a special viewing area has been constructed.

Sadly, the kangas didn't come out to play during today's visit!

The entrance to Highfield (well signposted) is reached from the Boneo Rd, between Flinders and Cape Schanck Rd - there is a small car park next to the Parks Vic gate.

The kanga viewing area is immediately adjacent to the gate.

The main walking track heads north, passing the Highfield Bunkhouse (basic paid accomodation for backpackers) and the Parks Vic depot (an old farm shed!) It continues to a junction with other signed tracks.

There are good views across the rolling hills and farms to Westernport Bay.

My visit was on May 8 2012, a 3 km hike.

Click here to see the complete set of Photos.

Fingal Beach, Mornington Peninsula National Park

On Thursday January 28, 2010, I visited Fingal Beach, in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, about 100 km south of Melbourne.

It is reached by a 4 km (return) foot-track, starting at the Pines Picnic area on the Cape Schanck Rd.

The track initially winds its way through coastal bushland, passsing a lookout with superb views along the coast.

From there, it follows the cliff top, then reaches a junction. The track contuinues along the cliff top to Gunnamatta Beach, about 3 km further on.

The track to Fingal Beach starts at this junction, and is a very steep descent about 1 km on steps and a staircase to the beach, far down below.

The beach is sandy, with many rock formations exposed at low tide.

I went along the beach westerly towards Gunnamatta Beach, linking up with a previous hike of some weeks ago.

The return was up the steps, then along the "shortcut track" back to the picnic ground.

All this was about 4.5 km - there is a change in altitude from123 m to zero.

The ascent is rather tough! Not recommended on very hot days !

See all of the Photos of my visit!

Dimmick's Beach - Blairgowrie - Mornington Peninsula National Park

Dimmick's Beach is a beautiful secluded section of coastline in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, about 80 km south of Melbourne, in the district of Blairgowrie.

It is reached by a foot track passing through interesting coastal bushland.

My visit started from a small car park at the corner of Tasman Drive and Harold Rd, then following the orange markers to the beach.

There are other tracks leading to the beach from Tasman Drive.

The coastal views are spectacular - at the western end of the beach is Jessie Kirwood's Rock, a rugged formation extending into Bass Strait.

Wooden seats are placed overlooking the Beach - one is quaintly signed as "The Office" !

The main access track forms part of the long Coastal Trail which runs from Portsea through to Cape Schanck.

My visit was on Monday afternoon, October 26, 2009.

See the full set of Photos of my visit!

Pirate's Bay - Blaigowrie Ocean Beach - Mornington Peninsula National Park

Pirates' Bay is a beautiful secluded cove in the Mornington Peninsula National Park, facing Bass Strait.

It is about 80 km SE of Melbourne, in the municipality of Blairgowrie.

I visited this bay on Friday afternoon May 29, 2009, for a 4 km coastal hike along the cliff tops, which included nearby Bridgewater Bay, Prickly Rocks, and Pearse's Beach.

My visit started at the small car-park at the end of St. John's Wood Rd, reached from Melbourne Rd.

The coastal views from the clifftop were spectacular, extending from Cape Schank about 20 km to the south-east, to Portsea Ocean Beach in the north-west.

My route followed the Lifesaving Track, and is a section of the 40 km Coastal Walk which runs all the way from London Bridge, in the NW, to Cape Schank in the SE.

I had already completed 95% of this long walk, over several visits from 2007 to the present, and I am now finishing off the remaining 5%! When that is done, I will do the entire walk again.

See the full set of Photos of my visit!