GREAT OCEAN ROAD

The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243-kilometre stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I.

It is an important tourist attraction in the region, which winds through varying terrain alongside the coast, and provides access to several prominent landmarks; including the nationally significant Twelve Apostles rock formations. The Twelve Apostles is a collection of miocene limestone rock stacks jutting from the water in Port Campbell National Park, between Princetown and Peterborough on the Great Ocean Road.

The apostles were formed by erosion: The harsh weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed; leaving rock stacks up to 45 metres high. The site was known as the Sow and Piglets until 1922 (Muttonbird Island, near Loch Ard Gorge, was the Sow, and the smaller rock stacks the Piglets); after which it was renamed to The Apostles for tourism purposes. The formation eventually became known as the Twelve Apostles, despite only ever having nine stacks.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

INVERLOCH

Inverloch is a seaside town located in Victoria, Australia. It is located 143 kilometres south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland Highway on the Bass Highway at the mouth of Anderson Inlet, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Known originally for the calm waters of Anderson Inlet, it is now also known for the discovery of Australia's first dinosaur bone. At the 2011 census it had a population of 4,960.

Inverloch is a popular tourist destination, particularly for swimming, kitesurfing and windsurfing at the calm waters of Anderson Inlet. Fishing and surfing are also popular. The town was first named Andersons Inlet after Samuel Anderson, the first European to settle here. It was later renamed Inverloch after Loch Inver (Lake Entrance) in Scotland. The town is also home to a tennis club which is home to the some of Australia's greatest players.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme,

and also part of Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of Nature Notes meme.

BEACH, DROMANA

Dromana is a seaside suburb on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 57 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local government area. Dromana recorded a population of 6,626 at the 2021 census.

It is believed that the name Dromana is of Irish origin and that it came about from the influx of gold prospectors in the late 1830s. There is a Dromana (Irish: Drom Eanaigh) on the tidal section of the River Blackwater, near Cappoquin, County Waterford in Ireland, and this is the most likely origin of the name.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

SENDING SUMMER THOUGHTS

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme

MORNINGTON

Mornington is a seaside suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia located on the Mornington Peninsula 46 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. It is the most populous locality in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local government area. Mornington had a population of 25,759 at the 2021 census. Mornington is a tourist destination renowned for its bay beaches and wineries, with a town centre that runs into the foreshore area and local beach.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

LAKES ENTRANCE

Lakes Entrance is a town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It is situated approximately 320 kilometres east of Melbourne, near a managed, artificial channel connecting the Gippsland Lakes to Bass Strait. At the 2016 census, Lakes Entrance had a population of 4,810. The township was originally named Cunninghame, the Post Office of that name opening on 5 February 1870. It was renamed Lakes Entrance on 1 January 1915.

Lakes Entrance, which lies almost at sea level, can be reached from Melbourne via Bairnsdale (which can be acessed via train and bus from Melbourne), and the town of Kalimna to the north-west by a stretch of the Princes Highway, which snakes down and around a point protruding into the Gippsland Lakes known as "Jemmy's Point". Views of The Entrance and of the Lakes can be seen from various look-outs on Jemmy's Point.

The town is predominantly fishing and tourism-driven. The main beach front is a harbour for commercial fishing and recreational watersport operations. The surf beach is patrolled by the Lakes Entrance Surf Life Saving Club. The waterfront is populated by the fishing fleet and two floating restaurants. The town's main residential areas lie farther inland. Lakes Entrance has a number of camping and caravan parks, and free camping spots in Colquhoun State Forest.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

and also part of the Roentare Water Meme.

WILSON'S PROM

Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland, located in the state of Victoria, about 200 km southeast of Melbourne CBD. Coastal features include expansive intertidal mudflats, sandy beaches and sheltered coves interrupted by prominent headlands and plunging granite cliffs in the south, backed by coastal dunes and swamps. The promontory is surrounded by a scatter of small granite islands which, collectively, form the Wilsons Promontory Islands Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for breeding seabirds.

Wilsons Promontory is home to many marsupials, native birds and other creatures. One of the most common marsupials found on the promontory is the common wombat, which can be found in much of the park (especially around campsites where it has been known to invade tents searching for food). The peninsula is also home to kangaroos, snakes, wallabies, koalas, long-nosed potoroos, white-footed dunnarts, broad-toothed rats, feather-tailed gliders and emus. Some of the most common birds found on the promontory include crimson rosellas, yellow-tailed black cockatoos and superb fairywrens. There are also many pests, including hog deer, foxes, feral cats, rabbits, common starlings, and common blackbirds.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

and also part of the Roentare’s Water Meme.

INVERLOCH BEACH

Inverloch is a seaside village in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Bass Highway 143 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, at the mouth of Anderson Inlet, in the Bass Coast Shire and is located close to Australia’s southernmost stand of mangroves. At the 2021 census, Inverloch had a population of 6,526 people.

Inverloch is a popular tourist destination, particularly for surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers and fishers. The town hosts a jazz festival each Labour Day long weekend in March. Inverloch's amenities include a visitor information centre, two Pubs, three motels, seven bed and breakfasts, three caravan parks and a foreshore camping reserve.

Like most other Australian coastal towns Inverloch has a local surf lifesaving club. During 2005 and early 2006 the RACV built an eco-village holiday resort on the Cape Paterson Road near Inverloch. Inverloch is a popular holiday resort town for Melbournians and many of them have holiday houses here.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

FUN IN THE SUN, MORNINGTON

Mornington is a seaside town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, located 57 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. It is in the local government area of the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.

Mornington is known for its "village" atmosphere and its beautiful beaches. Mornington is a popular tourist destination with Melburnians who often make day trips to visit the area's bay beaches and wineries. The town centre runs into the foreshore area and local beach. Several conserved areas on the waterfront and hinterland preserve native flora and fauna.

Mornington is an attractive destination for shopping and features some excellent restaurants and cafes. The north of Mornington is also home to several horse breeders and stables. It has a modern library, cinema and numerous parks, gardens and historical buildings, many of which are open to the public. It holds several annual festivals, and holds a market day in the main street every Wednesday, which attracts hundreds of people.

Mornington has an active Yacht club (Mornington Yacht Club), located at Schnapper Point, catering for sailors of all levels and abilities, from beginners - “Tackers”, through to those competing at ocean racing level. The club hosts many state, National, & International regattas, as it provides a good location in sheltered, pristine waters. 2014 saw the successful running of the largest single class Yachting regatta ever held in the Southern Hemisphere - the Optimist National Championships. The Optimist is a youth class and drew over 2000 people to the Club and Mornington shire.

This post is part of the "Roentare’s Water Meme"

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

SUMMER DAY

We've had a typical Melbourne Summer day today: Overcast, muggy morning with a sudden semitropical downpour that refreshed the gardens. Then, the clouds disappeared, the sun started to climb in the sky and the heat intensified, reaching a high of 40˚C. Then, fortunately, in the evening a cool change rolled in and the temperature fell, with a more comfortable 22˚C now at night. The temperature is predicted to fall a few more degrees later tonight and a maximum of 22˚C tomorrow... Never a dull moment!

Needless to say, this being a long weekend (on account of Australia Day yesterday), the beaches were packed full of people seeking some relief and unfortunately, there a few spot fires around the City, with one of them at least suspected arson. Fortunately, no casualties and no houses lost. Thank you, Fire Brigade!

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

SUMMER DAY

A perfect Summer's day today in Melbourne. And as I was stuck in the City, here are some archival photos of seaside vistas. Sigh...

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes Meme

Fishing in Mornington

Brighton Bathing Boxes

Sandringham Beach

Williamstown Foreshore

Dromana Pier

FUN IN THE SUN

In Mornington, making the most of the sunny, warm, fine day.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

MORNINGTON BEACH

The Mornington Peninsula's rainbow-coloured bathing boxes have provided a colourful backdrop to countless swims and lazy beach days all along the coast of Port Phillip Bay. While technically no more than a shed, with no water or electricity, many of the historic bathing boxes have been passed down through generations and remain in high demand. Found on beaches from Mount Eliza and Dromana to Rosebud and Portsea, these iconic bathing boxes are the peninsula's symbol of summer and have become a tourist attraction in their own right.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

PORT MELBOURNE BEACH

Port Melbourne is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, 5 km south-west from Melbourne's Central Business District with the beach stretching along the top eastern end of Port Phillip bay. The beach is close to the CBD district and has excellent public transport access. Dotted with palm trees and wide open sandy beaches, this area is a favourite place for families to spend time.

South Melbourne and Port Melbourne Life Saving Clubs patrol the beach between the Kerferd Road and Lagoon piers. At both clubs you will find toilets, dressing rooms and kiosks. Port Melbourne Beach is one of the closest patrolled beaches to Melbourne city with the Beach Lifesaving Club situated on the foreshore along Beaconsfield Parade. Along this stretch of foreshore there is a low seawall and promenade. When waves are low the beach is quite safe to swim at, however it is advisable to stay on the sand bar and in the patrolled area in front of each club.

You can also surf when the southerly winds are high enough. At the end of each of the Kerferd Road and Lagoon piers you can fish as the waters are quite deep. To the east of Lagoon Pier the beach is quite narrow since the vegetated dunes occupy a large area and are fenced off. All along this area the sand dunes are being re-vegetated with native plants and it is appreciated that you walk on the designated tracks so as not to disturb the plantings.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SEAGULLS

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

TWIN REEFS, INVERLOCH

Close to Inverloch, in Victoria's Southeast, is a secluded beach, called Twin Reefs.  Twin Reefs are two protruding, exposed reefs, in lee of which is a narrow, 500 m long, crenulate platform beach, lying between the base of the vegetated bluffs and the continuous intertidal rock flats. The Cape Paterson Road runs along the top of the bluffs and there is a car park and track down to the beach and rocks.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

INVERLOCH

Inverloch is a seaside village in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Bass Highway 143 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, at the mouth of Anderson Inlet, in the Bass Coast Shire and is located close to Australia’s southernmost stand of mangroves. At the 2006 census, Inverloch had a population of 4,140.

Inverloch is a popular tourist destination, particularly for surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers and fishers. The town hosts a jazz festival each Labour Day long weekend in March. Inverloch's amenities include a visitor information centre, two Pubs, three motels, seven bed and breakfasts, three caravan parks and a foreshore camping reserve. Like most other Australian coastal towns Inverloch has a local surf lifesaving club.

During 2005 and early 2006 the RACV built an eco-village holiday resort on the Cape Paterson Road near Inverloch. Inverloch is a popular holiday resort town for Melbournians and many of them have holiday houses here.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

ON THE BAY

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

Phillip Island is an Australian island about 140 km south-southeast of Melbourne, Victoria. Named after Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales, Phillip Island forms a natural breakwater for the shallow waters of the Western Port. It is 26 km long and 9 km wide, with an area of about 100 km2. It has 97 km of coastline and is part of the Bass Coast Shire. The southern coast of the island lies exposed to the ocean of Bass Strait and can experience some wild weather, which doesn't seem to deter avid surfers.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

NINETY MILE BEACH

The Ninety Mile Beach is a sandy stretch of beach on the south-eastern coastline of the East Gippsland region of Victoria in Australia. The beach faces Bass Strait and backs the Gippsland Lakes. The beach is just over 151 kilometres (94 mi) in length, running north-eastward from a spit near Port Albert to the man-made channel at Lakes Entrance. Behind the beach are long sandy dunes that separate the Gippsland Lakes from Bass Strait. 

The beach is an uninterrupted stretch of untamed coastline; it does not have any rocky headlands or platforms, and offshore there are only a few ribbons of reef which are periodically covered by sand. In the northern section, the beach runs along a sandbar on what amounts to a series of tidal islands. Behind this are several large lakes and numerous shallow littoral lagoons. The three main lakes are Lake King, Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington, partially contained within The Lakes National Park.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Blue Monday meme,

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.