Point Lonsdale
Places of interest on Point Lonsdale’s coastline include the several groynes which extend into the sea from the front beach and the Rip View Lookout which offers panoramic views across The Rip and towards Point Nepean on the Mornington Peninsula.
The front beach features public BBQ’s, a children’s playground and provides protected and patrolled swimming areas with snorkeling opportunities in the marine park. The Back Beach, accessed at various points along Ocean Road, consists of windswept and sandy stretches of surf beach with access tracks to the beach going over tall sand dunes with several designated lookouts offering fine along the coast and inland over the town’s residential areas.
The major landmark in town is the lighthouse situated at the tip of Point Lonsdale, which was built in 1902. Walking tracks circle the lighthouse and extend down the rocky headland to the beach below. Just north of the lighthouse is the Point Lonsdale Pier which is a popular spot for fishing and a good vantage point for taking in views of the lighthouse and surrounding coastline.
Walking Distance
Eddington Cottage is a few minutes walk along the front beach promenade from the Point Lonsdale shopping strip which features a supermarket, several cafes, takeaway food stores, clothing stores and homeware boutiques.
A Few Minutes Drive
There’s no denying Queenscliff’s cultural heritage value – you’ll see plenty of it in the impressive Victorian hotels and residences, quaint cottages and maritime and military influences. To counter balance the ‘old’ is a range of contemporary art galleries and award-winning restaurants.
Queenscliff is increasingly becoming renowned as a home for the performing arts, holding major events such as the annual Queenscliff Music Festival and the famous Queenscliff Blues Train.
Queenscliff Heritage Guided Walks are conducted every Saturday to share Queenscliff’s heritage with visitors.
Explore the Arts Trail – a series of artist boards featuring artists and photographers of historical significance who have captured the local landscape. These are strategically dotted around Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, predominantly in parks and beachfront areas.
A Longer Drive
Set off on your own Great Ocean Road adventure and experience one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives. It’s 300km from Queenscliff to Warrnambool along the Great Ocean Road. Driving time is about 5½ hours.
Highlights
- Mouth of the Barwon River at Barwon Heads
- Surfworld Surfing Museum, Torquay
- Bells Beach
- Memorial Arch and Bronze Statue at Eastern View
- Erskine Falls, Lorne
- Koalas along Grey River Road, Kennett River
- Maits Rest boardwalk near Apollo Bay
- Cape Otway Lightstation
- Otway Fly Tree Top Walk near Lavers Hill
- Twelve Apostles.
For the return trip, travel inland on the Princes Highway through lush, undulating farmlands and the crater lands region, cutting travel time by one to two hours.
The Ferry – Queenscliffe to Sorrento
If you’ve tried all that is on for offer on this side of the bay, why not take a 40-minute trip on the ferry from Queenscliff across to Sorrento. You can even take the car across in the morning and spend the day touring the Mornington Peninsula before returning in the late afternoon. The views are magnificent and depending on the time of year, you may even see dolphins or whales. Details, timetables and fares can be found by clicking here
Links
http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au