Home to beautiful beaches, Waratah Bay is a much loved holiday destination for many Victorians.

Waratah Bay is a small town in the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, on the shore of Waratah Bay itself.

Location

Waratah Bay is located roughly 180km or 2.5 hours from Melbourne.  Travel along the Monash Freeway and South Gippsland Highway, turning off at Meeniyan, then pass through Fish Creek and turn into Waratah Road.

History

– Waratah Bay is named after the bay which was named after a ship the Waratah which anchored here for repairs when damaged.

– A Post Office named Waratah Bay opened on 10 August 1885, but was at nearby Walkerville and was renamed as such in 1892.

– The Brataualung Aboriginal clan occupied the area of Wilsons Promontory and Waratah Bay. A large number of coastal middens containing charcoal, stones and the remains of shellfish can be found along the coast and around Shallow Inlet. These are the remains of campsites used by Brataualung and are up to 6000 years old. Earlier sites have been covered by rising sea levels.

– The Shallow Inlet Marine and Coastal Park was declared in 1986 in recognition of the area’s habitat values for migratory wading birds and shorebirds.

Quick Facts

Quick facts about Waratah Bay
– Approximately 200 kilometres south-east of Melbourne

Activities and attractions in Waratah Bay
– Swim, paddle and play along the sweeping coastline of Waratah Bay.
– Try your hand at fishing at one of many great fishing spots.