Walkerville (including Waratah Bay)
Quiet holiday retreat on Waratah Bay near Wilsons Promontory
Walkerville, situated 190 km south-east of Melbourne via the Bass Highway, is a township divided into two parts, North Walkerville and South Walkerville, which sit, separated by a couple of kilometres, on the shores of Waratah Bay. It is testimony to the rugged nature of this stretch of coast that it is named after the Waratah, one of at least ten large vessels shipwrecked in the area. The skipper, William Bell, took refuge in the bay while repairing his craft. Local mythology insists that the ghostly wife of one of the less fortunate sea captains still occasionally appears on the beach.

As a holiday spot, Walkerville is truly a place to 'get away from it all'. It is only accessible by gravel roads and offers few facilities. It is therefore advisable to bring provisions with you as there is only one small store. However, the trek through the lush countryside, together with the superb sandy beaches, magnificent coastal scenery and sea caves are adequate compensation for these small inconveniences.

The coastline around Walkerville is distinguished by steep stratified cliffs of limestone and greenstone, which afford impressive views of the bay and of distant Wilsons Promontory. From 1878 to 1926, the quarrying of the limestone was the staple industry of the township. The remnants of the old kilns, in which the calcium carbonate was fired, are still visible at Walkerville South and Digger Island.

A large jetty once projected from the bay to supply the bagged powder to trading vessels, while tram tracks connected the cliffs with an inland shanty town, established to supply firewood for the kilns. The settlement was sometimes referred to as "a little bit of Cornwall", due to the tendency of some of the miners to build their cottages on the cliff face, as was the practice in the English coastal town.

Things to see:  

Walks in the Area
Treks along the beaches and through the country are very relaxing and rewarding. It takes about an hour to walk from the northern township to the south, and approximately another three (it is 14 km along the beach) to reach the lighthouse at Cape Liptrap. Wildlife is evident in the marshy areas around the bay and the Cape Barren Goose passes its summer at Shallow Inlet, around the corner from Sandy Point, at the south-eastern corner of the bay. Keep an eye on low tide and time your walks accordingly if you wish to walk on the beach all the way.

Walkerville North
There is a camping area on the stretch of beach at Walkerville North. Although the rough waters of Bass Strait are calmed somewhat by the Bell Point breakwater, the sea can still be choppy and the rocks, offshore reefs and occasional undertow require a sensible approach to swimming and surfing and care with younger children. Launching a boat can be problematic, but rock and beach fishing are usually very rewarding.

Waratah Bay
The best time to walk around the bay is at low tide. The township of Waratah Bay is about an hour and a half away from Walkerville and is a little more developed. It lacks the cliffs and rocky foreshore further south, although this tends to make it safer for children. This is an ideal place for beach fishing, surfing, still water fishing in Shallow Inlet and surfing. The biggest problem with the area is that there are very limited boat launching facilities.

Wyberg Cave
An apocryphal story connected with Wyberg Cave concerns Martin Wyberg, who, in true Treasure Island-fashion, supposedly stashed his booty in the cave, after jumping ship with gold coin purloined from his vessel's strongroom (see entry on Inverloch).

	Farm & Eco Holidays
	Walkerville Beach Houses Waratah St Walkerville VIC 3959 Telephone: (03) 5663 2291 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Walkerville Foreshore Reserve Foreshore at North Walkerville Walkerville VIC 3959 Telephone: (03) 5663 2224 Rating: **