Our Glorious Gippsland Adventure
- Lauretta Stace
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Whilst staying in the area close to the Wilsons Promontory National Park, we decided to explore the surrounding region to the east and west of the Prom. It was a great decision. The coastal region surrounding the Prom is both varied and stunning. We found some magical beaches, excited fishermen, lots of water-birds and enjoyed a glorious feast of crispy fresh fish and chips. The intermittent rain and sun provided interesting cloud formations and fabulous light patterns for photographing these wonderful landscapes.
Mcloughlins Beach
Birdwatching, river estuary, wetlands, and woodlands walk to stunning beach - that sounds like a great place to visit! So, off we went heading east from our campsite and following the coast road through dairy farmland. The first person we met was an energetic and enthusiastic fisherman, launching his boat from the jetty and heading out to catch his supper. He described the estuary as 'untouched' and 'sensational' so we thought we were in the right place. The estuary was full of contented water-birds who cunningly stay close to the boatramp waiting for the scraps from the returning fishing vessels.
The early morning light on the estuary was beautiful, with silvery clouds reflected in the clear, shallow water.
After walking across the bridge over the estuary, we experienced a lovely walk through coastal woodland to Mcloughlins beach. It's an impressive expanse of golden sand and ocean, and a delight for beach fishing enthusiasts. This beach is at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach, a series of vast, untouched beaches along the Gippsland coast and marine park.
Port Albert
Our next drive took us past three wedge-tail eagles in a field which is an unusual sight and worth stopping for. We then continued along the coast to the picturesque town of Port Albert - Victoria's first established port. From the mid-1800's, Port Albert was the supply port for Gippsland's european settlers. It has a great maritime history and some lovely architecture from that era. It remains a commercial port with a great reputation for recreational and commercial fishing. The old port walking trail took us on a journey past some wonderful port infrastructure, lots of boats and a bunch of kayakers having lunch on the beach with their colourful water-craft before setting off again on their aquatic adventures. At the end of the dock, we found a well-loved fish and chip establishment for lunch - yummy!
Again, the light was perfect for landscape photography and the waterways surrounding the busy port area showed lots of promise for birdwatching. The Port Albert area is known as a destination for many migratory bird species on their long journeys across several continents.
Shallow Inlet and Waratah Bay
The next day we headed west from our campsite to visit Shallow Inlet and the rocky coastline of Waratah Bay, stopping at the lovely beachside village of Sandy Point for a walk and a coffee.
Shallow Inlet is a small tidal waterway on the eastern side of Waratah Bay. It was peaceful and beautiful in the morning light and a haven for waterbirds.
Along the coastline of Waratah Bay, we visited a number of small hamlets including Sandy Point where we found a magnificent stretch of ocean beach with some enthusiastic dog-walkers and their pooches having fun. The reflected light on the shoreline was stunning.
Driving further west, we followed the road to Walkerville with its interesting rock formations, caves and crystal clear rockpools brimming with sea-life. This part of the bay has the remnants of some historic lime kilns. The lime kilns were once a very important source of material for Melbourne's building industry. Limestones was mined and processed at Walkerville and then transported to Melbourne for use in major building projects.
To see more of our travels through South Gippsland, watch our YouTube video:
We're now heading north, away from the coast and into the Strzelecki Mountain range to enjoy the beautiful Tarra Bulga National Park and other adventures.
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