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George Bass Coastal Walk Visitor Guide

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George Bass Coastal Walk Visitor Guide George Bass Coastal Walk Visitor Guide What a sight it must have been when the explorer George Bass first sighted the coast of what we now call Victoria. And now it’s your chance to follow the route of Bass’ voyage of discovery along the Victorian coastline. The George Bass Coastal Walk offers panoramic coastal views from a narrow winding path, along cliff tops rising high above the pounding surf of Bass Strait. Location and access stunted trees (Forest Oak) with low bush, The George Bass Coastal Walk is situated 120 excepting at, or near the point on the North side kilometres south east of Melbourne between San of the entrance, the land ends abruptly, towards Remo and Kilcunda. The walk commences at the bay and the opposite side of the entrance, the southern end of the Punchbowl Road, off the facing Cape Woolamai and in many parts ends Phillip Island Tourist Road. Visitors may also start in perpendicular bluffs”. the walk from the Bass Highway in Kilcunda. Plant and wildlife The walk is 7 kilometres in length and takes Although grazing occurred on this coast for many approximately 2 hours one way. The Anderson years, remnants of native vegetation cling to Wonthaggi Rail Trail can be used to provide a stubbornly to the windswept cliff tops. These return loop from Kilcunda to Anderson. plants include Coast Beard-heath, White Correa, Sea Box and Coast Tea-tree. An attractive stand Remnants of history of Coast Banksia is thriving at Half Moon Bay and For thousands of years the Boonwurrung Boobiallas grow along the sheltered creek gullies. indigenous people looked out over the treacherous stretch of water known today as Bass Strait. The low vegetation along the George Bass Coastal Evidence of this people’s once proud existence Walk provides excellent opportunities for observing is marked by middens, hidden in the dunes behind bird life along the coast. Pacific Gulls constantly sandy beaches along the coast. patrol this coast exploiting the strong updraught created by the high cliffs. Black-shouldered Kites and Nankeen Kestrels may be seen hunting in the neighbouring farmlands. Through winter, the high cliffs provide a vantage Parks Victoria Ranger point to view Southern Right Whales on their annual migration to the warmer waters along the southern coastline of Australia. Victoria has all the outdoors Please take care you could wish for mountains, Caution must be exercised when undertaking this forests, beaches and bushland, walk. The track follows a narrow strip of public all preserved in our parks. George land along cliff tops, consisting of slashed track Our natural landscapes have Bass through grassland. The track surface can be been here longer than anyone slippery or uneven, therefore sturdy footwear knows, and together we can In 1797, George Bass set sail from Sydney Cove should be worn. make sure theyre here forever. in an 8.7 metre whale boat to prove the existence Beaches along the walks are unsuitable for of a strait between Tasmania and New South swimming due to the presence of strong undertows, Wales. During this epic voyage George Bass rips and steep sloping sandy bottoms. Fishing discovered and named the first natural harbour or walking near the waters edge can be extremely on the southern mainland coast, Westernport Bay. dangerous, swells and large waves can crash up For more information Mathew Flinders said of the voyage made by against the rocky coastline. call the Parks Victoria George Bass “A voyage expressly undertaken for There is little shade along the George Bass Information Centre the discovery in an open boat, and in which six Coastal Walk. Please remember to wear a hat, on 13 1963 or hundred miles of coast, mostly in a boisterous shirt and sunscreen and to take plenty of drinking visit our website at climate was explored, has not perhaps its equal water. www.parkweb.vic.gov.au in the annals of Maritime history”. William Hovell explored this coast on foot in 1826, describing the area in his diary “….the land here is high, soil light but not good, very thick of low reserve; pleasetakeyourrubbish Phillip IslandInformationCentre When walkingremembertowear edgesandbases. away fromcliff Keep todefinedtracksandstay the presenceofstrongcurrents unsuitable forswimmingdueto Parks a hat,usesunscreenandcarry Bunurong EnvironmentCentre waves whenwalkingorfishing Please observeallregulations For furtherinformation environment byobservingthe on rockplatformsorbeaches. Please helpuslookafterthe All Plantsandanimalsinthe No firesmaybelitwithinthe Beware oflargeunexpected Beaches alongthiswalkare Bins arenotprovidedinthe and signsrelatingtodogs. www.parkweb.vic.gov.au V plenty ofdrinkingwater. ictoria reserve areprotected. or visitourwebsiteat following regulations. Personal safety Tel (03)56743738 Tel Phillip IslandRoad Melbourne Bairnsdale Caring forthe Ph 1300366422 environment Newhaven 3925 Information Line and undertows. Warragul Inverloch 3996 Taralgon Ramsey Blvd contact 13 1963 reserve. home. GEORGE BASS COASTAL WALK George Bass Coastal Walk Highway to Melbourne Sealed road Minor/unsealed road ISLAND Walking track PHILLIP Rail Trail Anderson Coastal Reserve ROAD Recreational Facilities Car parking Caravan park Anderson – Information shelter Picnic area PUNCHBOWL RD BASS Wonthaggi Toilets Fenceline 22 Emergency beach no. 6 Punch 0 0.5 1.0 Bowl KILOMETRES Fenceline RailTrail N Cartography by Charles Walsh HIGHWAY 7 Nature Tourism Services 01/05 Half Moon GEORGE BASS Bay 8 COASTAL WALK MELBOURNE Sandy 9 Beach Waterhole access only Kilcunda Beach Walk Section Fenceline (low tide only) MABILLA ST April 2003 10 11 12 Shelley Beach 13.
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