I love off the beaten path, hidden gems. And Bushrangers Bay is a good one. Located south of Melbourne city on the Mornington Peninsula, this secluded spot is the perfect way to spend a sunny day. The waters are crystal clear and you can’t help but wonder why there aren’t more people there.
That being said, it is about a 40 minute walk, so not cut out for those looking for easy access. It’s a great place to spend the day and I recommend getting there early to experience the fairy pools before the tide comes in. And boy does it come in, fast. So you want to be smart about it. Fear not, I have outlined everything you need to know for the perfect day in Bushranger’s Bay right here.
How to get to Bushrangers Bay
Ok, so it’s pretty simple to get here. However, DO NOT put Bushrangers Bay into Google maps and follow it straight there. This takes you to a private driveway which you (obviously) cannot access. You can put Bushrangers Bay Parking Area in and follow that. It will take you right where you can park and leave the car, then follow the natural path all the way to the bay. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Melbourne city.
Because this is not a tourist destination and not located close to other attractions, I could not find any public transit to get you here. This means you have to rent a car if you don’t have one. It is easy and affordable to rent cars in Australia (depending on your age), I recommend Jucy or a price comparison on Kayak.
What to bring
BRING WATER!
Lots of it! We often get spoiled in Australia because the council does such a good job providing water refill stations everywhere, even unexpected places. This is not one of those places, and you’re in for a 30-40 minute walk. Not to mention, if you don’t know it yet, the Australian sun is HOT. Don’t forget your water, friends.
Light lunch.
I highly recommend spending your day here so pack something light to eat. Something that will help keep your energy up. The walk is long and exploring the fairy pools take some effort as well so you might want a little snack.
Sunscreen.
Ok this one goes without saying, especially in Australia where the ozone layer protection is particularly low. Please bring lots of sunscreen, there is not much shade out here so you are going to need it.
An umbrella.
(Optional of course) Piggybacking off the last note, there are no trees here and very little options for shade so an umbrella might be helpful for you. If you want to relax without worrying about the sun, grab an umbrella that is lightweight and easy to carry.
A hat.
I recommend a hat of some kind just to keep the sun out of your eyes on this long day. Again this one is optional but definitely worth considering.
Bug Spray!
So one downside to Bushrangers Bay (and a lot of off the beaten path spots in Aussie land) are the flies. If you haven’t been to Australia yet, they have really clingy flies here. They land on your face and are a bit relentless. So do yourself a favor and bring some bug spray, don’t make the same mistake we did 😉
Important Notes about Bushrangers Bay
1. The fairy pools are amazing but the tide does come in quick.
Be sure to plan time to hang out in the fairy pools while the tide is out. This fluctuates so check the chart here for live tide checks. We did not check this (because I am a horrible planner) and we got out there, with my expensive camera I should add, and almost got swept away by a tide with all of our gear in our hands. Not to mention, it can be really dangerous as these currents are strong so just use your best judgement and always be careful.
2. The flies are a bitch.
Bring some bug spray and get in the water and you should be fine. I just feel it’s important to be prepared for this one. Don’t let them deter you from your visit!
3. Always be careful
One more time. There are not a lot of people here and no lifeguards, so just make sure you are careful. The ocean is the ocean and therefore powerful enough to take you out.
That’s all you really need to know for you day at Bushrangers Bay. This was one of my favorite excursions so far in Melbourne and I want you to experience it too! Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in any way! Drop a comment or hit me up at hannah@badtourist.co, I love to hear from you!
Looking for other amazing watering holes in Australia? Check out this post on six waterfalls you must visit near Cairns.
Love ya,
Hannah
2 Comments
Dom and Jo
February 18, 2020 at 10:17 pmDefinitely don’t miss the Aussie flies.. a BITCH is an understatement haha. Love the name of the bay though! We basically just drove along the coast when we were in Aus but we’ll be back and hopefully explore more hidden gems like this.
Hannah
March 2, 2020 at 6:17 amhahaha RIGHT?? The flies are insane. YESSS if you come back you MUST check this place out, it’s one of my favorite places we’ve been!