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Coastline

There is almost 1,900 kilometres of mainland coastline to explore in Victoria, fronting both oceans and bays.

Visitors to the state may choose to see it all by going on a road trip from the South Australian border in the far west to the New South Wales border in the far east, passing through the picturesque seafront of Victoria and taking in parts of the Bass Strait, Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean along the way. There is plenty to see on this trek and some dazzling coastal attractions Victoria has to offer.

Cape Bridgewater

This natural phenomenon is located not far from Portland and can be accessed either via the western end of the Great Ocean Road or inland along either the Princes or Henty Highways.

Cape Bridgewater is a hiker's paradise, and boasts some of the highest cliff faces in the world and hurtling winds that career along a huge crater formed by an ancient volcano. Visitors can take in nature's wrath via a series of lookouts, which are perched over the beaches of Bridgewater Bay. Hikers can take in the sights of freshwater lakes along the rugged trails and visit the popular volcanic "blowhole" where the sea spray from the cape blasts to the sky.

If you are lucky, you might catch the fur seals that breed along Cape Bridgewater at certain times of the year. The cooler Victorian climate and windy coastal conditions are the perfect delight for the fur seals and you can grab a close-up view of the seal's natural habitat on a boat tour of their colony or from the jetty or lookout platforms.

The area is also home to something rather unique - and known as a petrified forest. The "forest" is basically made up of the left over limestone that used to cover the cliffs, but was gradually eroded away by rough seas and gale force winds that thrash the area.

The area is rich in wildlife and the type of natural traits that saw the Australian Aborigines live among their tribes in this location for many moons.

Great Ocean Road

Drive from Torquay to Warrnambool along the picturesque tourist ambling known as the Great Ocean Road. The route offers up some spectacular natural vistas and stretches of coastline that you have only ever before seen in movies or imagined in fairytales.

Nature and beauty combine with force along the Great Ocean Road, as the road itself winds along steep cliffs that drop away to expose the natural miracle and indescribable treachery of the Victorian coastline. The rock formations you will see along this drive are nothing short of striking, and while the Twelve Apostles are the most well-known, visitors will also notice The Grotto - a formation 3km east of Port Campbell National Park that has long been known as a cavernous beachfront marvel created by sinkholes in the cliffs as they eroded and receded.

Near the small community of Peterborough you will come across a view of the Bay of Islands rock stacks at a lookout known as the Bay of Martyrs. Seek out the huge and defining Massacre Point rock formation and be amazed by the view that you will behold at sunset.

East of Peterborough is the marvel of the natural rock formation known as The Arch. Most noticeable during rough high tides, The Arch was formed through years of limestone erosion.

A little east of Port Campbell you will find the amazement of Loch Ard Gorge. A display of Mother Nature at her finest, the crashing waves that belt the cliffs in the loch's narrow opening into the sea put on a spectacular show for visitors.

Further east of Port Campbell are giant sandstone stacks that mark the famous Twelve Apostles - a marvel of Mother Nature. This spectacular sight can be taken in from the picturesque backdrop of Port Campbell National Park, a popular picnic and hiking spot for travellers passing along the Great Ocean Road. The Twelve Apostles - of which there are only eight still standing - were created when the waves of a tumultuous Victorian sea tore away at the limestone cliffs of the mainland. You can take in the dramatic oceanic display from a number of viewing platforms and boardwalks that are erected in the area, and it is suggested that the remaining apostles look their most magnificent right on sunrise or sunset.

Still in the area of Port Campbell National Park, many visitors choose to trek down to the white sands of the pristine beachfront via 86 steps that line the steep cliffs. These steps are known as "Gibson's" and the trek is not suggested for the faint hearted as the cliff face is 70m high and vertical.

Port Phillip Bay

POINT NEPEAN:

Ensure that a visit to Point Nepean Visitor Centre at Portsea is on your "to do" list when seeking out the natural beauty of the Victorian coastline.

Take a step back in time and discover the Aboriginal history behind the Point Nepean National Park and find out where military forces set up a defence post during World War II. The remote headland is also the site where former Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt is believed to have gone missing in 1967 - he was never seen again. The area is rich in shellfish, which it is believed the Aboriginal tribes lived off as their main food source for many years.

Indulge your senses with the 3½ kilometre trek known as the Fort Nepean Walk which begins in a location called Gunners car park and leads visitors through the 1882-built fort that provided military soldiers with shelter until the end of World War II. From this vantage point you will be impressed by the sheer beauty and danger of The Rip - the treacherous oceanic divide between Point Nepean and Point Lonsdale which has claimed the lives of many sailors and swimmers in its time.

EASTERN COASTLINE:

The beaches fronting the eastern half of Port Phillip Bay are some of the safest in Victoria.

An almost continuous line of sand fronts the beaches along the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula, from Sorrento to Safety Beach, dotted with jetties, boat clubs, foreshore picnic facilities and walking tracks. Some sections of these beaches are patrolled by life guards, particularly during the summer months.

Further north, from Mount Martha to Mount Eliza, the coast transforms itself mainly into rocky cliff tops which overlook stretches of sandy beach below. Walking tracks line the cliff tops, providing scenic views.

Frankston and Seaford are located at the northern end of the Mornington Peninsula and offer wide beaches perfect for safe swimming and other water activities.

Great beaches line the rest of the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay, all the way to Melbourne, including the affluent bayside suburb of Brighton and Melbourne's favourite beach suburb of St Kilda, well known for its cafes and entertainment.

Ninety Mile Beach

A true wonder of nature, the coast of Victoria between Port Albert and Lakes Entrance is known as Ninety Mile Beach and you simply could not ask for a more pristine and golden coastline. Nature lovers will be absolutely mesmerised by this outlook.

The beach is in the Gippsland area of eastern Victoria and does not have the cliffs and headlands that the areas of Port Campbell and Portsea are famous for, but is rather an unspoiled stretch of endless sand, dunes and golden plains that seem to extend into oblivion.

Take in Seaspray and Golden Beach for the chance to indulge in the delight of dipping your toes in the deep blue waters of the most naturally-beautiful oceans in existence.

The marine lives housed in the area are thought to be prolific. This place is an absolute marine biologist's dream world. Some studies have showed that more than 800 species live in the underwater sands of the area. Such statistics even boggle the minds of the non-biologists among us.