Melbourne is known for its cultural scene, sports, food and coffee, however it still has its fair share of beautiful beaches! The beaches of Melbourne are different to those of the East Coast of Australia and offer gentle, often wave-free beaches, charming piers and colourful bathing boxes. However, once you leave the Melbourne region, you’ll find Victoria’s wind-swept rugged beaches that stretch for miles and offer some of Australia’s best surfing! Most of Melbourne’s beaches aren’t too far from the city and here are 10 choices in and around Melbourne for you to cool down and spend your next scorching summer day!
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is famous for its 82 colourful bathing boxes that line the beach. These bathing boxes are one of the most popular tourist icons of Melbourne. Brighton Beach is ideal for swimmers, sunbakers and surfer alike and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and galleries nearby in this popular, wealthy suburb.
Elwood Beach
Elwood beach is a family-friendly, bayside beach with clean, calm water and barbeques, picnic tables and sporting grounds nearby. It also has a wonderful view, stretching to the Melbourne CBD, St Kilda Beach and you can sometimes see the Spirit of Tasmania docked at Port Melbourne.
Williamstown Beach
Williamstown Beach is a wide, sandy beach that is popular with swimmers, sunbakers and sailors, and also has a clear, unobscured view of the city skyline! It has calm waters and has plenty of facilities for families.
Mothers Beach
Mothers Beach is located in Mornington and is known for its family-friendly vibes and scenic, sailing boat dotted harbour! There is plenty of shade with enormous cypress trees lining the beach and calm, sheltered water. Again, there are plenty of facilities for everyone and you can hire water sport equipment here as well.
Altona Beach
Altona Beach has a dedicated boat-free zone, making it very popular with swimmers and lovers of water sports! It has jetties and boat ramps outside this area which also makes it popular for boaters and yachters! It’s a very popular place for families.
Gunnamatta Beach
Located on the Mornington Peninsula, is Gunnamatta Beach which is an exposed, rip-heavy beach with powerful swell making it popular with die-hard surfers! It’s also really popular for beach and rock fishing and is a beautiful place for coastal walks.
Sorrento Beach
Located in one of the most popular parts of the Mornington Peninsula is beautiful Sorrento Beach. The beach lies in a natural amphitheatre and has a lush headland along with crystal clear waters perfect for swimming, snorkelling and sea kayaking! There is also an iconic 200 metre long jetty and no shortage of walking trails, making it well worth the 90 minute trip from the CBD!
Hampton Beach
Hampton Beach offers a stretch of perfect sand lapped by gentle waters that are ideal for swimming. Throughout the foreshore reserve, barbecue, playground and picnic facilities are sprinkled between palm trees, landscaped lawns, and a walking and cycling path. There is a coastal walk along the cliffs allowing you to admire the panoramic views.
Half Moon Bay
The crescent shaped shoreline of Half Moon Bay is a protected bay popular with boaters, fishers and swimmers. The iconic HMVS Cerberus was sunk here and now acts as a breakwater and artificial reef structure, making it popular with snorkellers who love to see the wide variety of marine life and fish species who also call it home.
St Kilda Beach
Last, but certainly not least is St Kilda Beach! It’s one of Melbourne’s most famous and popular beaches and also the closest beach to get to, being only 6km from the city centre! Its close proximity to the city makes it the perfect beach to visit from CBD hotel’s such as the Grand Chancellor, where you are surrounded by all of Melbourne’s amazing food and drink options!
It’s St Kilda is not just popular for its beach, but also its many other sites including Luna Park, the historic St Kilda Pier and the vast numbers of cafes, bars and restaurants and boutique shops which have made it a popular destination all year round! The ocean is mostly wave-free and is popular with kite surfers, paddleboards and yachts. The shoreline is lined with palm trees and is filled with families, cyclists, skaters, joggers and people just admiring the uniqueness and beauty of St Kilda.
St Kilda was quite close to where we stayed at the Melbourne Parkview Hotel when we visited for our anniversary a few years ago. Any of these beaches would be the perfect place to relax before or after you watch the Melbourne Cup 2019 horses battle it out for the prize!
