Swim in natural rock pools near Melbourne, only just over an hour from the city itself!
Discover the secret swimming spot at Bushrangers Bay, along Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula. These pristine natural rock pools are deep enough to dive into, and the cold water will awaken your senses. Bask in the sun on black volcanic rocks to warm up again, before diving back into the crystal cool waters.
How to get there
To swim in natural rock pools near Melbourne, drive 90km from Melbourne to Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park. From there you walk east along a 3km coastal trail to reach Bushrangers Bay beach. The route is signposted at the start. There are some steps along the route and once you get to the pools the rocks can be slippery.
Best time to Visit
The Bushrangers Bay rock pools are best enjoyed on a hot summer’s day.
What to bring
Pack a picnic so that you can make a day of it! Sun cream is essential (don’t be deceived if it’s a windy day) and swimming togs and a towel of course! Remember to bring plenty of drinking water.
Facilities
There are public toilets at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse car park.
Be aware
The rock pools are tidal so you need to aim for low tide. Once the tide starts getting high the waves will crash over the pools, making it too dangerous to swim. However, at low tide the area is transformed into a lovely safe swimming spot (much safer and more sheltered than the sea in this area!). Aim to arrive before low tide while it’s still dropping to get as much time as possible.
Note that the pools are not patrolled.
Read my other posts about Australia here: https://www.calloftheworld.com/category/oceania/australia/
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your photos look so good!
Aaah I love it when you can find large rock pools like that to swim in. These look fabulous. 🙂
These remind me of the natural pools in Madeira–though a long way from there. Look forward to visiting these.