If you think one National Park is very much like another, then you surely have not seen Point Nepean National Park. This little jewel is to be found at the very tip of the Mornington Peninsula, right after Portsea.
We discovered it quite by accident, my husband and I; – very soon after its debut as a National Park. We were away for the weekend in Martha Cove for our twentieth anniversary in March 2009. So, on the Saturday, we got into the car and just drove along the coast as far as we could go, and discovered that it was now possible to go all the way to the end of the Point.
No cars, of course. Just bikes – or a walk along a beaten track that meanders onto the beach now and then. A 3.5 km walk to get to the Point. So armed with only water bottles and two pieces of fruit each, we set off. On the shore with just the blue sky above, a sandy tree-topped cliff on the left and glassy blue bay on the right – it seemed like heaven. We walked on and on, not seeing another soul and got concerned about whether we might be lost. Don’t worry if that happens to you when you do the walk. Eventually you get to the end. And then there is no more land to walk on anyway, and you have to turn and head back.
At times, the path leads back up the cliff and through the green foliage. Then, just as you turn a corner, or reach higher ground you get the magnificent view of the sea – the Bass Strait, that is, on the left hand side. You see, eventually you will be walking on a strip of land that becomes so narrow that you can see the Bass Strait on one side and Port Phillip Bay on your right. An absolute delight to the senses. A stark contrast between the calm ripples of a peaceful bay on your right and the mighty crashing waves of the sea on the left.
Hidden amongst the foliage on the track is a fort. Its grey facade looms up over the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Here it was that our country was protected by men who stood here and kept a watchful eye out for any threats to security. Narrow passages, vacant now, whisper of a bygone era. No wonder this area was closed to the public for over a hundred years. More old forts and a huge unused canon are to be found near the very edge of the Point.
Steps, small, narrow and worn lead down to a large garrison that ends at the water’s edge. Inside the old building, the walls tell the story of the World Wars of the last century.
Ah! The beauty of this place, the History! It’s a secret you almost want to keep to yourself, but somehow the urge tears at your heart to share it with anyone who would listen and want to come.
So come and enjoy! And no, you don’t have to walk 7kms there and back. Cycle if you like or take the transporter if you must. But it would be wise to carry water and a few snacks if you going to walk all the way to the end, or you could take a picnic basket along on the shuttle.
No pre-booking is necessary to visit the park. If you happen to be in Melbourne, take a drive down south past Sorrento, then Portsea and all the way to the end of the Point Nepean Highway. It’s a must see place, even if you’re not into visiting National Parks.
