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Looking for a good place to holiday?
Look no further than VENUS BAY…
If you have just wandered in from the other side of the world
I hope you’ll enjoy visiting this spectacular Victorian small coastal resort.
We love Venus Bay!
We very nearly bought a holiday house there a few years ago, before deciding on a closer location on the Mornington Peninsula, and being the unadventurous types, opting for a town on mains drainage! However for many, the pristine surf beaches make it worth going the extra mile. Venus Bay is a two hour drive, being 170km’s South East of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The town is on a narrow peninsula of land, so it offers the holiday maker the choice of the wild, open sea of Bass Strait, or the calm waters of Anderson Inlet.
Being just that bit further than many of the other more popular South Gippsland holiday destinations it is less crowded. A greater distance than the favoured Melbourne escapes of Cape Paterson and Inverloch and well down the coast than Phillip Island, famous for it’s tiny fairy penguins and for when Miley Cyrus visited her then boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth there. Venus Bay remains unspoilt and is certainly not ‘wrecked’ by tourists.
Having said that, this sleepy pretty town with a winter population of around 500, can surge into the thousands in January. Word has got out amongst anglers, surfers and families about what a great holiday can be had here…
Well apart from the fisherman who posted the following comment…
‘It’s a great place to catch whiting and squid, but there is nothing there’.
‘You can park your 4wd on the beach while you launch your boat. Great fishing, but as I said there is nothing else there…’
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| Number One beach – Venus Bay |
Yep, that’s exactly the point. If you love endless unspoilt beaches, and striking scenery then this is the place for you. The weather changes the landscape here. One minute you will find the rugged landscape and golden sands peaceful and relaxing, the next minute you will feel exhilarated by the squally, choppy waters!
Whatever the weather, you will find delight in VB, as the locals call the place, at every turn. Well, except maybe not if you are a fisherman after riotous party weekend. Or if retail therapy is on the agenda…
There are no flash shops here – in fact in agreement with our friend above, there is not much here at all, which is definitely part of the charm. Indeed the nearest supermarket is 5 kms away in Tarwin Lower.
Although, I must give a special shout out to the lovely gift shop hidden in the Venus Bay Caravan Park on the main drag. A couple of years ago I had bought some some presents (jewellery, scarves and general beachy gifts), all very reasonably priced. So I headed straight there on this visit and happily find the same helpful owner, and the shop still as attractive as I remembered!
Did I tell you there is even WIFI Internet to be had at the Venus Bay Caravan Park?!
There are no flash shops here – in fact in agreement with our friend above, there is not much here at all, which is definitely part of the charm. Indeed the nearest supermarket is 5 kms away in Tarwin Lower.
Although, I must give a special shout out to the lovely gift shop hidden in the Venus Bay Caravan Park on the main drag. A couple of years ago I had bought some some presents (jewellery, scarves and general beachy gifts), all very reasonably priced. So I headed straight there on this visit and happily find the same helpful owner, and the shop still as attractive as I remembered!
Did I tell you there is even WIFI Internet to be had at the Venus Bay Caravan Park?!
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| Great choice of superb surf beaches in an unspoilt setting |
Erm, how did I get onto shopping, we are here for the beach…?! There are no less than five surf beaches to choose from, which have the rather uninspiring names of Beach 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. But this is typical of Venus Bay, this place is not out to impress. Indeed if you are in need of being impressed, the locals would say ‘go elsewhere’!
However, as you will be holidaying you will be pleased to know the Venus Bay Surf Livesaving Club located at the No. 1 Beach. This is the only patrolled beach, although during the busy summer period surf patrols regularly make their way up and down the beaches to just beyond No. 5 beach. The beach is exposed with strong rips and they call it ‘high energy’ which means dangerous, swim between the flags!
However, as you will be holidaying you will be pleased to know the Venus Bay Surf Livesaving Club located at the No. 1 Beach. This is the only patrolled beach, although during the busy summer period surf patrols regularly make their way up and down the beaches to just beyond No. 5 beach. The beach is exposed with strong rips and they call it ‘high energy’ which means dangerous, swim between the flags!
In keeping with the Beach 1, 2 etc. The town is split into three estates. The First Estate is where you’ll find the few shops, situated on Jupiter Boulevard at the Centre Road junction. Here you can grab a decent coffee at the General Store, enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the food outlets, grab some more WiFi at the Caravan Park and check out a number of speciality shops.
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| Tarwin Lower – Venus Bay |
It is appealing for families to have the option of the calm waters for swimming and fishing at Anderson Inlet, the state’s longest sand spit which is rather like a large lake and ideal for boating and fishing. This large body of water extends extends all the way from Inverloch to the mouth of the Tarwin River at the small township of Tarwin Lower.
There is a certain old world charm to Venus Bay, which has been protected because it is that little bit further from Melbourne and because it doesn’t offer all mod cons – you still need to take your rubbish to the tip before you leave. There is no refuse collection here.
On arrival, your host will gently remind you, that water is from a tank and to be used sparingly. The locals reckon mains drainage is at least 30 years off. If they have their way it will stay like this. They know as soon as water, sewerage and weekly rubbish collections appear, so will more people!
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| Friday Night Paella at Cavity |
Arriving on a Friday night there is no better place to head than Cavity in the main street (no need to give you the address, you can’t miss it!) Here we found Friday Paella, $5, with a glass of bubbly at $3 before 7pm. Us Townie’s were impressed!!! The Friday night unwind here is a great mix of locals, holiday home owners and tourists just passing through. Everyone is welcome and there is a nice camaraderie and the locals are really friendly.
Venus Bay is central to many natural attractions in the South Gippsland area, including Wilsons Promontory National Park, (check out my earlier post here) which is just under an hour’s drive east. The coastline from Venus Bay to Cape Liptrap offers visitors the chance to see an old lighthouse and native Australian plants and wildlife. If you like bushwalking you’ll be busy!
Tarwin Lower – Venus Bay
A favourite activity for holiday makers is scenic and easy bike ride (or walk) between the two towns of Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower that follows the banks of the Tarwin River on a gently undulating shared pathway.
Distance: 5km one way
Track: Generally smooth dirt or gravel track
Grade: Level 1 – No experience required, suitable for beginners and children
Start: Long Table,Tarwin Lower
Finish: Town centre, Venus Bay
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| Sunset – Beach Number 1 – Venus Bay |
So if you are after a holiday retreat where you are at one with nature,
with bush walking, fishing and swimming and surfing,
where Kangaroos lollop around the streets in the Third Estate,
with fabulous 20km’s of beaches
and everything from
‘nothing to do’ and everything to see,
then check out Venus Bay.
See you there…
but don’t tell too many people!
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Thank you to the hosts.
