Queenscliff Maritime Centre

Queenscliff
Delightful resort town on the Bellarine Peninsula
Queenscliff is one of those delightful seaside resorts which is both a popular beachside destination and a sophisticated retreat characterised by elegant hotels, guesthouses, galleries, some substantial public buildings, chic restaurants, cafes, a fine golf course, ferries, wide streets faced by terraced houses and both bay and surf beaches. In Australia most beach resorts are either very sophisticated (Palm Beach, Noosa) or very popular (Surfers Paradise) but rarely do they combine the two. At the same time Queenscliff is, and always has been, a working town with modest 19th-century stone and timber fisherman's cottages, a working wharf, boatbuilders and anglers galore. In the case of Queenscliff the mixture is unusual and makes the town both distinctive and special.

Queenscliff is located on an isthmus at the south-eastern tip of the Bellarine Peninsula. It sits just inside the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, 103 km south of Melbourne and 30 km from Geelong at an elevation of 15 metres. On one side is Swan Bay and, on the other, Shortland Bluff overlooks the channels leading into Port Phillip Bay. Fishing and tourism are the main sources of income. The borough of Queenscliff (which includes part of Point Lonsdale) has a current population of some 3419.

The area was originally inhabited by the Wathawurung Aborigines who, in 1803, befriended a white man, William Buckley, a convict who had absconded when a party under the command of Lieutenant Governor Collins established a settlement at Point King( see entry on Sorrento). Buckley married a woman of the tribe, had a daughter by her and lived in the area for 32 years before rejoining European civilization (see entry on Point Lonsdale).

In 1838 George Tobin was licensed to operate a pilot service from the beach below Shortland Bluff (then a heavily wooded headland) where he and his crew lived. Tobin was soon joined by other operators. The pilot boats steered ships through the treacherous waters of The Rip at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. The waters between Port Phillip Heads are still regarded as highly treacherous and the area is known as a ship's graveyard due to the number of wrecks that have occurred over the years. Indeed the pilot service is still in operation.

The area was named Whale Head in 1836 but was soon renamed Shortland Bluff after a midshipman on the vessel which carried out an early official survey of Port Phillip Bay. A lighthouse was erected at Shortland Bluff in 1842 or 1843.

A pastoral run was established on the future townsite in 1850. However, the discovery of the Victorian goldfields in 1851 caused shipping to greatly increase and, when the licence expired in 1852 the government resumed the land and a survey for a prospective townsite was executed. Land sales proceeded in 1853. Governor Charles La Trobe renamed the townsite Queenscliff in honour of Queen Victoria. The first hotel and an Anglican school were erected in 1854 (the father of renowned artist Arthur Streeton was headmaster here in the late 1860s before it became a government school).

Shortly afterwards the health officer moved to Queenscliff from Point Nepean (see entry on Portsea) and he was joined by a customs officer who boarded vessels on a whaleboat. Thus Queenscliff gradually became something of an administrative centre.

As a consequence of the upturn in shipping, the pilot service was expanded. It was privatised in 1854 and numerous companies were soon in operation. A lifeboat service was established in 1856. A jetty and a planked roadway across the foreshore to the pier were built in 1856 when bay steamers began plying back and forth from Melbourne. It was extended in 1860 and a crane and tramway added the following year. Further extensions were added due to siltation and the need to accommodate larger boats.

As Queenscliff overlooks a major shipping channel relating to Melbourne and Geelong it quickly developed a role as a garrison town and strategic defence post with the installation of three cannons during the Crimean War. Volunteers manned them from 1860 and a fort proper was constructed in the 1880s amidst scares of a Russian invasion.

Fishermen began to move to Queenscliff c.1860 and a sizeable fishing fleet soon developed as demand had been greatly increased by the massive influx of immigrants associated with the goldrushes. Some were Chinese anglers who supplied dried fish to their countrymen on the goldfields. In 1865 the Geelong Advertiser reported 130 anglers at Queenscliff, including Maoris, Italians, Dutchmen, Frenchmen and Chinese. Complaints about their occupation of the sand flats led to the subdivision of the area into allotments for lease to men licensed under the Fishing Act.

Queenscliff became a borough incorporating Point Lonsdale in 1863. At that time the business and residential area of Queenscliff had expanded and five hotels were in operation. St George's Anglican church was built at this time and it was soon joined by Catholic, Presbyterian and Wesleyan churches.

In 1879 a railway line connecting the town to Melbourne opened. This was the beginning of dramatic growth which saw Queenscliff become a popular holiday resort on the western shore of the bay. In the 1880s and 1890s the town became a very popular weekend getaway for the wealthier classes of Melbourne society who rode paddlesteamers such as the Ozone while newspapers reported on the families who were holidaying in the resort and which of the elegant hotels they occupied.

Ironically it was the motor car which also saw Queenscliff fall from favour as access to other coastal resorts was facilitated. However, this decline of internal dynamism meant that the Victorian resort feel of the town has been preserved, along with its fine old hotels.

Pirate Benito Benita is said to have buried plundered Spanish treasure in a cave in the cliffs of Swan Bay in 1798. Other aspects of the legend entail Benita being caught in the act by the British navy and sealing the cave entrance with gunpowder. He was allegedly caught and hanged while his cabin boy, who was supposedly tattooed with the map, laid low in Tasmania. This lad is said to have returned to spend his last years in Queenscliff, presumably without consulting the map on his body, as this dubious tale has, in reality, inspired some serious treasure-hunting over the years. Despite the fact that no record of Benita's capture exists and despite the fact that an alleged part of his treasure - statues from a cathedral in Peru - remain in the Peruvian cathedral, various syndicates and individuals have undertaken serious excavation work in search of the treasure, but to no avail.

Literary buffs may recognise Queenscliff as 'Shortlands' in Henry Handel Richardson's Ultima Thule (1929). Richardson's father Walter was port medical officer at Queenscliff in the late 1870s and the family lived in a cottage at 26 Mercer St which, at last report, is still standing. Postmaster Henry Charles Dod was cast as Mr Spence in Richardson's novel - the postmaster who tutors Mrs Mahony as a postmistress after her husband collapses.

A great story about Queenscliff from the 1930s involves the famous Australian painter Sidney Nolan. Apparently Nolan and a friend stowed away on a ship in Melbourne in 1934 hoping they could get a free passage to France. They decided that if they were caught they would insist they were missionaries who were trying to get to Tahiti to bring the gospel to the locals. Unfortunately neither Nolan nor his friend had a working knowledge of The Bible and neither of them had much of a desire to remain teetotal for the duration of the trip. They were discovered before the ship left Port Phillip, were removed and taken to Queenscliff where they were gaoled.

In recent years Queenscliff has been rediscovered as a premium holiday destination. It is a genuinely delightful seaside resort which has plenty of 1880s charm and enough attractions to seduce the most curious visitor.

Tours are available on weekends and public holidays at 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. and on weekends and public holidays, tel: (03) 5258 0730. Queenscliff Historical Tours also conduct tours of the fort every day at 1.30 p.m., tel: (03) 5258 3403.

Things to see:  

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

Queenscliffe Historical Museum and Start of Historic Buildings Tour
At the corner of Hesse and Hobson Sts is the old post office (1889). Next door is home of the Queenscliffe Historical Centre & Museum (the extra 'e' is not an accident as the museum (insists that 'Queenscliff' is the town and 'Queenscliffe' is the borough). It houses about 10 000 items, including historical artefacts, photographs, documents, lace, textiles and relics from shipwrecks as well as information about the families who settled the area, particularly those who spent time working in Fort Queenscliff. It is open from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. For further information contact (03) 5258 2511.

The museum has information regarding the town's heritage buildings. Over the road, at 46 Hesse St, is the ornate and opulent interior of the Vue Grand, with its tiled floor and marble columns. It was erected in 1881-82 with a front section rebuilt in 1927 after a fire.

Queenscliff Hotel

Queenscliff Hotel
Walk along Hobson St then turn left into Gellibrand St. To the left, at no.16, is the red-brick Queenscliff Hotel (1887-88). Although restored it has not been modernised and the interior retains its old-world charm. The owners have written of the hotel 'The building had and has great character ... the original owners, sister Nugent and brother Goslin had it purpose built in 1887 in the style of a large house rather than a public building (even to the extent of excluding a ballroom, a most unusual decision for the times) and went against the tide of florid Victoriana and with the William Morris aesthetic movement.' It features two-storey bay windows, some fine lacework, Flemish gables, an enclosed tower and a fine dining room.

At the Symonds St corner is the The Esplanade Hotel which was built in the early 1880s.

Foreshore
Turn right into Symonds St and walk along to the so-called 'New Pier' which was built in 1884. Walk south along the beach to the Pilots Jetty. Hot sea baths and a bathing enclosure were once located in the area between the two. Adjacent the Pilots Jetty is the modern operations centre of the Port Phillip Sea Pilots. Walk up Thwaites steps to Shortland Bluff lookout, near the water tower. There are excellent views of Port Phillip - north to the city skyline and east to the Dandenong Ranges, Mt Eliza and Mt Martha (see entry on Mornington) and Arthurs Seat (see entry on Dromana). On the other side of the mouth of Port Phillip Bay is the Quarantine Station (see entry on Portsea).

Gellibrand Street
Walk away from the coastline until you reach the roadway (Gellibrand St) and proceed to the corner of Gellibrand St and Stokes St. On the north-western corner is the former Lathamstowe Hotel which was built in 1881-83 by Edward Latham, a brewer who founded the Carlton Brewery. Part of Melbourne society, he married Emma Bailleau, the daughter of George Bailleau who built the Ozone Hotel which is located next door at no.42.

The Ozone, originally known as Bailleau House, was built in 1881-82. It is, by any measure, a superb old hotel with three storeys and a tower that offers great views over the town and Port Phillip Bay. The current name honours a paddlesteamer which carried passengers from Melbourne in the late 19th century when Queenscliff was a highly fashionable resort for the state capital's wealthier classes. The steamer was sunk off the coast of Indented Head to form a breakwater and can still be seen above the waterline (see entry on Portarlington).

Walk south back along Gellibrand St. Numbers 66 and 68 are the best preserved examples of residences built to house the pilots and boat crews which greeted the ships arriving at Port Phillip. They are amongst the oldest structures in town.

Fort Queenscliff

Fort Queenscliff
At the top of Gellibrand Street is the impressive Fort Queenscliff which was built on Shortlands Bluff, strategically overlooking the commercial shipping lanes to Melbourne and Geelong. Cannons were first installed here during the Crimean War (1853-56). They were manned by volunteers from 1860 and, despite the report of Captain Scratchley of the Royal Engineers (responsible for Fort Scratchley in Newcastle) that the shipping of the bay was supremely vulnerable to attack, little was done until the early 1880s when fears of a Russian invasion arose. A comprehensive network of fortifications were then established around the heads of Port Phillip Bay, including works at Fort Nepean (see entry on Portsea), South Channel Fort, Eagle Nest, Fort Franklin, Crow's Nest, Swan Island and Fort Queenscliff. So comprehensive were these fortifications that the bay was then considered one of the most heavily defended ports in the Southern Hemisphere.

Fort Queenscliff was designed not only to attack enemy shipping but to render it secure from land assault, hence there is a loopholed fort wall, a dry moat (once crossed by a drawbridge) and a castellated keep, along with the guardroom, cells, an underground shell magazine and muzzle-loading cannons. Today there is a subterranean museum of military memorabilia.

Also on the grounds is the 'Black' Lighthouse. It is the only one of its kind in Australia being made from bluestone which was cut in Scotland. The stones were numbered and shipped out to Australia where the lighthouse was erected in 1863. In conjunction with the 'White' Lighthouse it steered ships through The Rip at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. The stone administration centre was built in 1856. It housed Queenscliff's courthouse, post office, telegraph station and police station until 1882. Today Fort Queenscliff is used as the Australian Army Command and Staff College, though this connection may be severed in the near future.

Tours are available on weekends at 1.00 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. and the Fort is open daily in school holidays, tel: (03) 5258 1488. Queenscliff Historical Tours also conduct tours of the fort at 1.00 p.m. on weekdays.

Hesse Street
Walk along King St and turn left into Hesse St. At the top end of the road there is a carpark and a lookout offering fine south-westerly ocean views over The Rip - a 3 km stretch of water dividing Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean. It is recognised as one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the whole Australian coastline.

Nearby is a memorial to the men involved in the Goorangi disaster which occurred in 1940. This was one of those tragedies that so often happen in wartime. On 20 November 1940 the minesweeper Goorangi moved from Queenscliff to Portsea and was accidentally rammed by the Duntroon. All 24 men aboard the Goorangi were killed. The impressive 'White' Lighthouse dates from 1892.

Walk north down Hesse St. Near the Stokes St corner are a number of churches - St Andrew's Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church (1898), the former Wesleyan chapel (1868) and the former Methodist Church (1888) with its distinctive barrel-vaulted ceiling and rose windows.

As you cross Stokes St have a look along this cross-street which, like Hesse St, has a 19th-century feel.

As you continue north along Hesse St you will return to the historical museum. Next door is the library. Only the front section is original (1888).

St George's
If you wish to extend your walk, turn left into Hobson St. At Hobson and Mercer are the church and parish hall of St George the Martyr (Church of England). The church, with its steeply-pitched roof, lancet windows, buttressing and stained-glass windows was built from local limestone. It dates from 1863-66 and the square tower from 1877. The Parish Hall (1870), like the church, was designed by Albert Purchas and has a central gabled bellcote and distinctive flanking gables. The church stands on a site where Governor Latrobe once built a small cottage for himself.

Mercer St
Turn left into Mercer St. 'Roseville' at no.42 is a rendered brick house with octagonal observation tower built before 1864 and later used as a holiday house. 'Warringa' at no.80 is a large single-storey Regency residence of cement-rendered limestone blocks built in 1856. At Mercer and King is the Royal Hotel, the first hotel in Queenscliff, which was built in 1854 as the Queenscliff Hotel (it became the Royal Hotel in 1860).

Church of the Holy Trinity
Turn right into King St then right into Stevens St. To the left is the Church of the Holy Trinity (1867). The presbytery and church hall date from 1901-02.

Flinders Street
Walk back along Stevens St to Flinders St. Just over Flinders St is the Crows Nest Camp which was established during the 1914-18 war. It was used as living quarters for sergeants and other ranks from 1938-1984. At Flinders and Swanston is the historic Cottage By the Sea and on the other side of Henry St is the Santa Casa Roman Catholic School which was built in 1902 and used as a home for disadvantaged children from 1918.

The Bellarine Peninsula Railway line which runs from Queenscliff to Drysdale

Bellarine Peninsula Railway
At the northern end of town, in Symonds Street, is the railway station (1879) which established an important link between Queenscliff and Melbourne (via Geelong). The station is now home to the 16-km Bellarine Peninsula Railway which is run by the Geelong Steam Preservation Society. It has an outstanding collection of vintage steam locomotives and carriages which take passengers on scenic pleasure trips to either Drysdale or Laker's Siding, taking in views of Swan Bay, the Bellarine Hills, Corio Bay and Port Phillip Bay.

Trains to Drysdale take 45 minutes one way, or 105 minutes return, with a 15-minute stopover in Drysdale. Every Sunday, most public holidays, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays during school holidays, trains depart for Drysdale at 11.15 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.The cost, one-way, is $8 for adults, $4 for children and $24 for families. Return is $14 for adults, $8 for children and $44 for families. It is possible to board the train at Drysdale for a one-way trip to Queenscliff.

On the days listed above, another train leaves Queenscliff at 1.30 p.m. but it only goes as far as Laker's Siding (40 minute return). For adults it is $4 one way and $8 return and, for children, it is $2 one way and $4 return. Families are $24 return.

From 26 December to 14 January, trains operate on a daily basis and, from 15 to 26 January, they operate every day except Mondays and Fridays. On these days (26 December to 26 January), there is an extra service to Laker's Siding at 2.30 p.m.

A special timetable pertains to Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday and there is a special trip with Santa just before Christmas. An all-weather cycling and walking trail runs parallel to the railway track and those wishing to take the train one way and ride a bicycle back can transport their bikes for an additional fee of $3. The trail continues from Drysdale along the original rail line as far as South Geelong. Trains can also be hired for special occasions.

Contact (03) 5258 2069 for bookings and further information. Recorded information regarding train times is available on (1900) 931 452.

Marine Discovery Centre
A delightful attraction, surrounded by old anchors and propellers, is the Queenscliff Marine Discovery Centre which is run by the Marine Freshwater Resources Institute. It features an aquarium (including a 'touch tank') and organises rockpool rambles, catchment studies, boat cruises of Port Phillip Bay, sand dune and zonation studies, snorkelling expeditions and activities specifically tailored for school groups (there is also a marine laboratory for senior students and a resource room).

The centre is open weekdays from 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.but it is best to ring first to ensure the centre isn't booked out by a school group. The centre is also open every day in school holidays and on the last Sunday of the month from September to May (10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.). It is not necessary to ring first at these times, tel: (03) 5258 3344.

Queenscliff Maritime Centre and Museum
Over the road in Weeroona Parade is the Queenscliff Maritime Centre and Museum with exhibits relating to sea rescue, shipping and other aspects of maritime history, including the 'Queenscliffe' lifeboat (the last of four lifeboats which were continuously stationed at Queenscliff from 1856 to 1976), two rooms of a typical fisherman's cottage, rescue gear, the Coutabout building project, a diving technology display, photographs, rocket launchers, lots of displays of navigational and lighthouse equipment, an extensive history of the town's pilot service and a hydrographic model of The Rip (the dangerous entrance to Port Phillip which has caused many wrecks). It is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5258 3440.

Harbour Area and Swan Island Golf Course
It is worthwhile taking a stroll down to the boat harbour, slipway and Fisherman's Wharf (off Wharf St and Harbour St) where you can observe the colourful fishing fleet at work. A bridge leads over to Swan Island Golf Course.

Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferries
Peninsula Searoad Transport offers a car-and-passenger ferry service to Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula. It carries up to 80 vehicles and 700 passengers per trip, which lasts 40 minutes. The Sorrento Ferry Co. carries passengers to and from Sorrento and Queenscliff with a stop in-between at Portsea. It also takes time out for some dolphin-watching.

Horse-Drawn Coaches
Queenscliff Horse-Drawn Coaches operate daily from December to April. From May to November they operate on weekends only except in school holidays when the service is again daily. It is $3 from the ferry terminal to the town centre ($5 return) or $5 for a town tour.

Swan Bay
Swan Bay is on the northern side of the Queenscliff isthmus. Its quiet sheltered waters are good for fishing and boating. There is a boat ramp. Swan Bay is also a recognised wetland habitat which is a haven for birds such as the orange-bellied parrot.

Galleries
The Queenscliff Arcade at 79 Hesse St is open Wednesday to Monday. It sells crafts and antiques, tel: (03) 5258 3097. The Seaview Gallery at 86 Hesse St sells a selection of paintings, antique Japanese furniture, hand-blown glass and pottery. It is housed in an 1875 residence and is open daily in peak periods and on Wednesdays and Sundays at off-peak times, tel: (03) 5258 3645.

Hobsons Choice Gallery is located in an historic house at 2 Hobson St. It is open daily in holidays but closed Wednesdays and Thursdays off-peak. They sell paintings, antique furniture, hand-blown glass, jewellery and pottery, tel: (03) 5258 2161. The Grand Ballroom Gallery is located at 13 Hobson St, tel: (03) 5258 4300.

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 from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on weekends, public holidays and every day during school holidays. Outside of school holidays the weekday hours are 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., except in June and July when the hours are midday to 5.00 p.m. A Maze 'n' Things doubles as something of a tourist information centre for the Bellarine Peninsula, tel: (03) 5250 2669. To get there, head north-west along the Bellarine Highway (towards Geelong) for about 12 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.

Moped Hire
Mopeds can be hired, without a licence, from Geelong and Bellarine Mopeds, tel: (03) 5258 4796 or (0414) 581 264.

Fishing and Fishing Charters
Queenscliff is a noted surf, boat and pier fishing area. Popular fishing areas are Queenscliff pier, the bight between Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale, the rock walls and jetties of Queenscliff anchorage and the sheltered water of Swan Bay. Sharks, barracouta, salmon, snapper, squid, trevally, slimy mackerel, flathead and reef fish can all be caught in offshore waters.

Big Red Fishing Charters are located at 27 Ward Rd. They have a 7.2-m aluminium cruiser (max. 8 people) available for half-day and full-day trips, tel: (03) 5258 4647 or free-call (1800) 805 587. They depart from Queenscliff public boat ramp or the pier at Portsea, by prior arrangement.

Kyena Fishing Charters offer charter trips for groups and clubs all year round. They also run fishing trips daily at 7.30 a.m. from 27 December to 30 January. They operate from Fisherman's Wharf (Bridge St end), tel: (03) 5258 1424.

Queenscliff Fishing Adventures offer four-hour budget fishing trips ($30 per person) at 8.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. daily from Queenscliff Boat Harbour. They also run sport fishing trips ($75 per person for 5 hours) at 7.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. daily and shark fishing ($135 per person for 10 hours) at 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. daily. The latter two excursions depart from Queenscliff public boat ramp, tel: (03) 5258 2802.

Impulse Charters can be reached on (03) 5258 3739.

Dolphin Swims
Sea-All Charters offer cruises of the off-shore waters, taking in dolphin swims, a seal colony, a gannet rookery and Point Nepean. They depart from Queenscliff Harbour, tel: (03) 5258 3889 or (0411) 873 777.

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.

Diving
The Bellarine Peninsula is a popular snorkelling and diving area. The Queenscliff Dive Centre at 37 Learmonth St runs diving trips and courses and hires out equipment, tel: (03) 5258 1188.

South Channel Fort
The South Channel Fort is a small artificial island located offshore. Work began on the construction of the island in 1879 when about 14 000 tons of bluestone rocks (mostly weighing over two tons each) were laid in a ring. The foundations for a similar construction, known as the Pope's Eye, were laid to the west. Both were intended to illuminate (with searchlights) and stand guard over the main route through the shoals to Melbourne and to electrically detonate a series of sub-aquatic mines. Work on both projects was halted at the outset of the 1880s and the Pope's Eye never got any further. It is now home to a seal colony.

Fears of a Russian invasion led, in 1885, to the construction of numerous coastal defence works around Australia. As part of that enterprise, work recommenced on the South Channel Fort. Two eight-inch muzzle-loading guns were mounted with a range of 9 km. Innovative gun mountings were installed (one has been restored and is on display at Fort Queenscliff). When fully manned 100 people were garrisoned at the fort.

In the early 20th century the installation of new and more powerful guns at Port Phillip Heads lessened the need for the minefield and South Channel Fort and, by 1918, only a few men were garrisoned there. It was decommissioned after World War II and used as a magazine and then a weather station.

Many of the original fortifications, gun emplacements, magazines and subterranean passages remain intact though access is limited. The island offers fine views and it is also a declared sanctuary and breeding site for the white-faced storm petrel. Owing to the fragility of their nesting burrows visitors are restricted to a defined network of paths. Access is via seven companies who operate out of Sorrento and Queenscliff. These include Moonraker Charters (tel: 03 5984 4211), the Sorrento Ferry Company (tel: 03 5984 1602), Polperro (tel: 03 5988 8437) and Saltwater Adventures, tel: (03) 5258 4888.

A Book About The Great Ocean Road
The best book about the Great Ocean Road is the remarkably cheap ($19.95 for a full colour hardback) book by Port Campbell photographer, Rodney Hyett. It is 96 pages long and has everything you could possibly want - great photographs, maps of the area, a potted history of the area, details about national parks and visitor information centres, accommodation, walking tracks, even details of the region's eight lighthouses and succinct (not as detailed as this website) pieces of information about all the major destinations from Queenscliff to Cape Bridgewater. If you are planning to travel the Great Ocean Road and explore the totality of its attractions this is a small masterpiece of publishing and a great travel guide. It is available from many shops along the way and can be ordered from Port Campbell Shopping at http://www.portcampbellshopping.com.au.

	Tourist Information
	Queenscliff Tourist Information Centre 55 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4843
	Caravan Parks
	Beacon Resort Holiday Park 78 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1133 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1152 Rating: *****
	Motels
	Beacon Resort Motel 78 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1133 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1152 Rating: ****
	Caravan Parks
	Queenscliff Tourist Park 134 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1765 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1750 Rating: **
	Motels
	Wyuna Motor Inn 32 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4540 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4636 Rating: ****
	Hotels
	Mietta's Queenscliff Hotel Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1066
	Ozone Hotel 42 Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1011, 1800 804 753 Facsimile: (03) 5258 3712 Rating: ***1/2
	Queenscliff Hotel 16 Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1066 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1899 Rating: **1/2
	Royal Hotel 34 King St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1669
	Vue Grand Hotel 46 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1544 Facsimile: (03) 5258 3471 Rating: ****
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Athelstane House 4 Hobson St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1024, 1800 170 180 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4930
	Banks at Queenscliff 78a Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4326 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4362 Rating: ****1/2
	Kia-Ora Cottage 38 Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1122 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1833 Rating: ****
	Leyton Gables Bed & Breakfast 35 King St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3452 Rating: ****
	Mariann's by the Sea B & B 23 Ward Rd Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4477 Rating: ***1/2
	Maytone by the Sea Cnr Stevens St & The Esplanade Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4059 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4071 Rating: ****
	Queenscliff Lavender Farm 6 McDonald Rd Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3389 Rating: ***1/2
	Seaview House Cnr Hesse & Stoke Sts Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1763 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4772 Rating: ****
	The Pilot's House Bed & Breakfast 50 Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4171 Facsimile: (03) 5258 4163 Rating: ****1/2
	The Queenscliff Inn Guesthouse 59 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4600 Facsimile: (03) 5258 3737 Rating: **1/2
	Apartments
	Riptide Motel Holiday Apts 31 Flinders St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1675 Rating: **1/2
	Beacon Resort Motel 78 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1133 Facsimile: (03) 5258 1152 Rating: ****
	Cottages & Cabins
	Queenscliff Seaside Cottages 96 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1934 Rating: ***
	Suma Park Cottages 2135 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3507 Facsimile: (03) 5258 3602 Rating: ****
	Caravan Parks
	Four Winds Caravan Park 40 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1884
	Springs Caravan Park 54 Bellarine Hwy Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1895
	Swan Bay Caravan Park Swan Bay Rd Swan Bay Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1481
	Restaurants
	Athelstane House 4 Hobson St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1024
	Avia Cafe Bar Restaurant 80 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3613
	Harry's by the Sea Gellebrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3750
	Lombardi's on Queenscliff 38 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 3277
	Mietta's Queenscliff Hotel Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1066
	Ozone Hotel 42 Gellibrand St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1011
	Ripview Restaurant Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1773
	Sails Licensed Restaurant 32 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 4540
	Seaview House Bed & Breakfast Cnr Hesse & Stoke Sts Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1763
	Victoria Tavern 18 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1115
	Vue Grand Guesthouse 46 Hesse St Queenscliff VIC 3225 Telephone: (03) 5258 1544