The beaches of Port Phillip Bay can be calm and peaceful or dramatic and wild For quite some years I have swum, played and beachcombed the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay. From the soft sands of Point Lonsdale to the wild and rugged shores of Point Nepean and the beaches in between, Port Phillip Bay has provided me and my family many hours of pure enjoyment and lots of memories to hold onto. I am going to take you on a journey now, visiting some of my favourite beaches. Beaches that are great for you to take the family to on a day trip any season, any climate. Before we take off though, let me give you a little of Port Phillip Bay's History. Port Phillip Bay was founded in 1802 by Acting Lieutenant John Murray Commander of the Lady Nelson. The Bay was originally named Port King and later renamed Port Phillip Bay. Since then The Bay has been honed, refined, developed and now boasts as having some of the most beautiful, safe and pristine beaches that you could ever find. The Bay has many beaches, most of which are flat, shallow and long, with very small breaks making swimming quite safe. This attracts many tourists, mostly families, to the beaches of Port Phillip during the summer months and school holidays. Most sandy beaches are located on the bay's northern, eastern and southern shorelines, while the western shorelines host a few sandy beaches, swampy wetlands and mangroves. The occasional pebble beach and rocky cliffs can also be found, mostly in the southern reaches. Soft sand and clear shallow waters makes these bayside beaches a perfect place for you and your family to enjoy. There are rugged cliffs to explore, rocky shallow inlets to snorkel in, private deserted beaches to indulge in a little naked sun-worshiping. There are so many areas to explore, so many that I haven't even discovered as yet myself. Port Phillip Bay has so much to offer.  Having lived in Melbourne and mainly around the bayside fringe I would have to agree. I can remember lying in the shallows watching my little ones as they built sand castles, skins brown and healthy. Squeals of pure delight as wave upon wave knocked us off our feet. Finding those great sea treasures and once home crafting them into precious keepsakes. Great memories. Port Phillip Bay Beaches are The Best Due to its shallow depth, there are quite a few artificial forts and islands that have been built in the bay. One such Fort is the South Channel Fort. It is a reminder of the bay's early history as part of the defense lines for Melbourne. The artificial island was constructed in the 1880s to illuminate the channel at night and electronically explode mines under attacking ships coming through the Heads. A system of antiquated gun emplacements and tunnels are a feature of the island which is now a significant refuge for seabirds. The Popes Eye was initially proposed for defense purposed, however the partially constructed artificial island was never completed. Another example of an artificial Island is the South Channel Pile Light. The South Channel Pile Light is one of the most recognizable features in the bay. The 'cottage style' lighthouse was completed in 1874 and was occupied by lighthouse keepers until the early 1900s. The light was finally switched off in 1985, having operated as a navigational beacon for some 111 years. The structure has been recently restored by Parks Victoria in accordance with Heritage Victoria guidelines. It now stands proudly in the bay, a local diving attraction and home for the fur seal colonies.  There are only a few real islands and these are mainly sandy, muddy banks and shallows...most of these are situated on the western side around and in the marshy shallows of Swan Bay. Nearly half the bay is less than 8 meters deep. The greatest depth is 24 meters.  LighthousesIf you love Lighthouses then you will not be disappointed for Port Phillip Bay has some really great examples...  Point Lonsdale Lighthouse
Shipwrecks If you are into exploring shipwrecks you will not be disappointed. Dive or snorkel around these wrecks where you will find some amazing marine life. Some of the more significant and historical shipwrecks in the bay include...
 Port Phillip Bay has grown to become Australia's busiest Commercial Port. Huge amounts of imports and exports move throughout the bay daily. Transportation of dry bulk, oil, natural gas, steel, oil products, wool and live stock etc makes this a very busy stretch of water.  Searoad Ferry Plenty of large ocean liners visit bringing tourist and immigrants alike. Locals and Tourist can enjoy trips around, across and along the bay with Ferries shuttling to and fro. The Searoad Ferry travels across the mouth of the bay each hour between Sorrento on the eastern shore to Queenscliff on the western shore. You can drive your car onto the ferry for a nominal price, cheaper these days than petrol to drive all the way around the bay and of course far more convenient once on the other side. Ferries also run from St Kilda to Williamstown across Hobsons Bay. There are also lots of Recreational Cruises that depart from various locations around the bay. Here are some websites you might like to investigate. These offer cruises across and around the bay.  The ultimate Ferry Cruise, more like a small ocean liner, is the Spirit of Tasmania. This passenger and car ferry transports you through the bay, out through the Heads and into the open ocean of Bass Strait. You travel in comfort all the way down/across to Australia's beautiful Tasmania. If you get the chance do visit this magnificent part of Australia. Tassie is jam packed full of History, the most incredible scenery and the friendliest of people. Oh and by the way, the beaches are glorious too.  There are plenty of Lifesaving Clubs around the bay. They are manned by volunteer lifesaving services and usually operate during the weekends, public holidays and during the busy summer months some are manned during the week. For a full list of the Port Phillip Bay Lifesaving Clubs just visit this website... Remember to swim between the flags. Because of the temperate water, Port Phillip Bay is a favourite destination for scuba diving. You can dive from the many piers scattered around the bay or from boats out on the water, whichever way you can be assured some great finds.  There are lots of different diving environments including... In, on and around the 1950 square kilometers of the bay the fishing is great. Be aware of fishing rules and licenses and always be ready to catch the unexpected. This tiny catch was hooked off the pier at Point Lonsdale.  There are lots of recreational activities to enjoy at any of the Port Phillip Bay beaches. A family Picnic on the foreshore with plenty of free to use electric BBQ's and playgrounds for the kids to keep themselves amused. What better way to enjoy the sun and nature's water playground than at one of Port Phillip Bay's beautiful beaches.  Grab all the Picnic Gear, the kids and the car keys and head on down to the beach and remember to Keep safe  So which of my favorite beaches would you like to visit?
 One of my favourite pastimes is to sit and watch the always spectacular sunsets over the bay...always a photographer's delight. Enjoy visiting Port Phillip Bay as I am sure you will not be disappointed. Visit the sandsculptures on the ### Frankston foreshore. Head Home from Port Phillip Bay
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