The pier at Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula

Point Lonsdale
Township at the entrance to Port Phillip
Point Lonsdale is a popular but relatively peaceful holiday resort located on an outcrop which forms the western head of Port Phillip Bay. 3 km east is Point Nepean (see entry on Portsea). In between is the entrance to Port Phillip where the calm waters of the bay meet the turbulent waters of Bass Strait. This stretch of water is, for good reason, known as The Rip which, with its turbulent cross-currents and variable depths, is recognised as one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the Australian coastline. Point Lonsdale is 101 km south of Melbourne and 28 km south-east of Geelong at the south-eastern tip of the Bellarine Peninsula. It is a sort of twin town to Queenscliff which sits at the eastern end of Lonsdale Bay.

The area was originally inhabited by the Wathawurung Aborigines. European visitation of the bay dates back to 1802 when Lieutenant Murray spent over three weeks exploring its features. He was soon followed by Matthew Flinders who mistook Port Phillip Bay for Western Port.

Two French ships were also exploring the southern waters at this time and, largely to forestall French claims to any part of the continent, the first European settlement on Port Phillip Bay was established by the British in 1803, though it was abandoned the following year (see entry on Sorrento). A convict escapee from this settlement, named William Buckley, was adopted by the local Aborigines with whom he lived for 32 years. He is thought to have lived in a cave beneath Point Lonsdale lighthouse.

Buckley aside, white settlement of the peninsula was not resumed until the 1830s after the establishment of Melbourne.

Point Lonsdale was named in 1837 after Captain William Lonsdale, the first police magistrate of Port Phillip. A pilot service for ships passing through The Rip was established beneath Shortland Bluff in 1838. This was the genesis of Queenscliff which emerged as a town in the early 1850s.

A signal station was established at Point Lonsdale in 1854. The operator, Captain Preston, built a house there. His nearest neighbours were two kilometres away. After a stone lighthouse was constructed at Queenscliff in the 1860s, the old wooden structure it replaced was rebuilt at Point Lonsdale in 1867. It was superseded by the current structure in 1902.

Little development occurred at Point Lonsdale until the first land sales proceeded in 1876. In the early 20th century, a shell-processing works was established at the southern end of Lake Victoria, just west of Point Lonsdale. Here shellgrit was removed and processed for commercial usage in glass-making and the poultry industry. Large deposits were found beside the Geelong Highway in 1935.

The Point Lonsdale Markets are held on the second Sunday of the month from 9.00 a.m. all year round at the primary school in Bowen Rd.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The Queenscliff Tourist Information Centre is located at 55 Hesse St and is open daily, tel: (03) 5258 4843.

The beach at Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula

Coastline
Front Beach, in Lonsdale Bay, is a fine sheltered beach for swimming and fishing while the Back Beach, on the other side of a series of large sand dunes, is ideal for surfing (it is patrolled in the holiday season). There are plenty of opportunities for walking along the beaches, cliff-tops and through the abundance of ti-tree. Salmon, barracouta and mullet can be caught from the rocks at Point Lonsdale while snapper, whiting and salmon inhabit the waters off Point Lonsdale jetty.

The foreshore around the headland is very pleasant, particularly at low tide when there are plenty of exposed rock pools and caverns.

Rip View Lookout
Rip View Lookout offers fine ocean views over The Rip - a 3 km stretch of water dividing Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean - the two headlands at the mouth of Port Phillip Bay. With its turbulent cross-currents and variable depths it is recognised as one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the Australian coastline. The lookout is on the water's edge and is signposted off Point Lonsdale Rd. It affords the opportunity to observe the ships entering and leaving Port Phillip Bay.

A walking track leads from the lookout to the lighthouse and around to Point Lonsdale Lookout.

Point Lonsdale Lighthouse
The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse is at the end of Point Lonsdale Rd. It provides panoramic views of the area, taking in Point Lonsdale, Queenscliff, Barwon Heads and Point Nepean.

After a stone lighthouse was constructed at Queenscliff in the 1860s, the old wooden structure was dismantled and rebuilt at Point Lonsdale in 1867. In 1902 it was replaced by the current structure which stands 120 m above sea-level, radiating light for 30 km out to sea. It is manned 24 hours a day and is equipped with meteorological equipment, rendering it an important link in local weather forecasting.

Tours of the lighthouse explain the history of this and other local lighthouses and the nature of the channel through which ships must pass to enter Port Phillip Bay. They are conducted at half-hourly intervals every Sunday from 9.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and more frequently in school and public holidays. Prior bookings are essential. Ring from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily on (0419) 513 007. Group sizes are limited to eight and the cost is $5 for adults, $4 for concessions and $3 for children.

A cliff walk leads west to Point Lonsdale Lookout.

Buckley's Cave
Another cliff walk from the base of the lighthouse leads to Buckley's Cave. In April 1803 three convicts escaped from the newly-formed British settlement at Point King which had been established largely to forestall the creation of a French settlement on the mainland (see entry on Sorrento).

The convicts made their way around to the Bellarine Peninsula but starvation loomed and two of the men vanished while attempting to return. William Buckley (who had been transported to Australia for life in 1802 for being in possession of a roll of purloined cloth) remained on to the western side of the bay where he was discovered by the Wathawurung people who thought he was a reincarnation of a dead tribal chief. He learned their language and customs, married, had a daughter and lived in the Point Lonsdale area until 1835. One of his dwellings is thought to have been this cave.

In 1835 Buckley allegedly overheard the Aborigines plotting to attack a party of whites at Indented Head (see entry on Portarlington). He gave himself up to the party of John Wedge who had followed in the wake of John Batman. It was some time before he regained enough English to communicate his experiences. He received a pardon and acted as an intermediary and interpreter between the whites and Aborigines but he was divided in his loyalties and felt he lacked the trust of both sides. Disillusioned he went to Tasmania, obtained employment, married and later received a government pension. He died in Hobart in 1856.

Point Lonsdale Pier
At the end of Point Lonsdale Rd is the pier which extends out into The Rip, offering fishing opportunities and fine views of the coastline and Queenscliff.

Historic Cemetery
The cemetery on Williams Rd (which runs off Point Lonsdale Rd) contains some interesting graves of shipwreck victims, lighthouse keepers and early pilots. It was opened in 1856.

Marconi Memorial
A memorial to Marconi, the first successful inventor of the wireless telegraph, is located on the foreshore in Royal Park, just off the Point Lonsdale Rd, opposite Anderson St and adjacent the oval. It was from this point that the first radio transmission from mainland Australia to Tasmania was made in 1906.

The Terminus
The Terminus, at 31 Point Lonsdale Rd, is one of the state's oldest guesthouses (1884).

A Maze 'n' Things
This complex features a giant three-dimensional wooden maze, a puzzle and jigsaw centre, a croquet court and a putting green. There is a kiosk, a playground and barbecues. It is open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and doubles as something of a tourist information centre for the Peninsula, tel: (03) 5250 2669. To get there, head north-west along the Bellarine Highway (towards Geelong) for about 8 km and it is located at the corner of the highway and Grubb Rd.

Bellarine Adventure Golf
Opposite A Maze 'n' Things is Bellarine Adventure Golf, a mini-golf course, tel: (03) 5250 3777.

Adventure Park
3 km further west along the highway is the intersection with Swanbay Rd. Turn right into the latter and you will immediately see Adventure Park. Set in 52 acres of picturesque parkland, it has a wide range of activities for families, including a 115-metre raft waterslide, go-karts, jumping castles, volleyball, a merry-go-round, paddleboats, the Big Bouncer, flying foxes, an archery range, Adventure Island mini-golf, aqua bikes, moon bikes, juming jets and canoes, the Paddle Pop Express Train and the Adventure Playground. Facilities include a kiosk and cafe, undercover seating and wheelchair access. Gas barbecues and lockers are available for hire, birthday parties can be organised and group bookings are also available for corporate and social clubs.

Admission charges were (at June 1, 2002) $15.50 for general admission (there is an additional fee of $4.50 for a five-minute ride on the go-karts), free for under 4s, $9 for senior citizens (55 yrs & over) and the disabled and $22 for a two-day pass. An annual pass is also available for $40.

Opening hours are from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Wednesday to Monday and every day in school and public holidays. Adventure Park is closed for about two months each winter, approximately from July to September, tel: (03) 5250 2756 or email, havefun@adventurepark.com.au. The web site is www.adventure-park.com.au. A site map is available from the admission centre.

Historic Tours and Bike Hire
Queenscliff Historical Tours and Bike Hire conduct regular daily bus tours of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale and excursions to Fort Queenscliff at 2.00 p.m. on weekdays, tel: (03) 5258 3403.

Harold Holt Marine Reserve
The Harold Holt Marine Reserve includes Mud Island, Pope's Eye, the South Channel Fort, gannet nesting sites and coastal reserves.

	Hotels
	Lonsdale Villas Hotel Bellarine Hwy Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4533
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Point Lonsdale Guesthouse 31 Point Lonsdale Rd Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1142 Rating: ****
	Cottages & Cabins
	Dorset Cottage 1 Simpson St Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3184 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Royal Caravan Park Point Lonsdale Rd P.O. Box 115 Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1765 or 015 342 949
	Restaurants
	Lighthouse Resort Motel 31 Point Lonsdale Rd Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1142
	Terminus Bed & Breakfast 31 Point Lonsdale Rd Point Lonsdale VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1142