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| SEALS
One of Bridgewater's most popular natural attractions would undoubtedly be the seals. Bridgewater boasts one of the largest mainland colonies of Australia fur seals in south west Victoria. Seal Point is home to 650 seals and 'Seals by Sea Tours' will take you on a 45 minute boat trip alongside the rock platforms and into the mouth of the cave where you will experience a unique interaction with the seals, in their natural habitat. There are several ways to access the Seal Colony, either by boat or walking. You can follow the Great South West Walk from Spindrift Tearooms or from the Blowholes. December is the peak breading time, however the seals can be see all year round. The walk to the seal colony is very scenic and quite a memorable experience taking in the dramatic coastline from Stony Hill, which are the highest coastal cliffs on the southern Australian coast and are part of the Western rim of a volcano which once occupied the area of Bridgewater. |
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WHALES Whales are a common visitor to Cape Bridgewater. During Winter, Southern Right Whales migrate to the temperate waters around South Western Victoria. Southern Right Whales can be seen in the period from June - Sept.
Blue Whales visit between Nov - May, |
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PETRIFIED FOREST The highlight of the area is the barren moonscape of the Petrified Forest. Many theories exist as to how this area was formed. One accepted theory is that there was once a forest of Moonah trees which was smothered by a large sand dune. Water seeping down through the sand formed a crust of sandstone on the outside of the tree trunks, gradually increasing in diameter. This process decayed the organic matter, leaving behind the "Petrified Trunks". |
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BLOWHOLES Carved into the nearby cliffs are the Blowholes, which create spectacular spouts of spray and a sensational cannon-like noise during high seas. The volcanic rock at the base of the cliff is mainly basalt(black) and scoria (purple). Scoria is eroded more readily than basalt, thereby creating the blowholes. |
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" Take a walk on the wild side" Experience Victoria's most scenic natural bush, picturesque cliff formations and rugged coastline on the magnificent 250km Great South West Walk. The Great South West Walk has been described as a symphony in four movements. It consists of four very different walking environments. These contrasting experiences include a forest section with spectacular wild flowers, a river gorge with precipitous limestone cliffs, long stretches of beach with mountainous sand dunes and rugged capes with sheer cliff faces that endure the wrath of the treacherous southern sea. . The walk takes you past the seal colony, the gannet colony, the mighty Glenelg River gorge, the enthralling Petrified Forest, and Blowholes and the massive Sand Dunes of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park. There are 17 different sections varying from 8km-21kms try one- or tackle the lot. |
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THE GIANT SAND DUNES Fifty kilometres of expansive white sand dunes are a striking feature of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park. Take a walk through the dunes to the wild Discovery Bay Beach. These dunes are the largest moving sand dunes in Victoria. They change constantly due to the prevailing winds which sculpture and shape them. |
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These freshwater lakes are over one and half kilometres long. It is
a popular recreational area for waterskiing and fishing. A walking track
gives easy access to Discovery Bay beach.
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LIMESTONE CAVES Magnificent limestone caves opposite Bridgewater Lakes provides an excellent viewing area across the bay. |
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PORTLAND BAY / HARBOUR
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EXCELLENT FISHING
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