Nineteen walkers set off from Koonya Beach carpark at Sorrento on a mild overcast morning, enjoying the coastal moonah woodland of the lifesaving track and glorious bay and ocean views from “Mt” St Paul. We crossed the Mornington Peninsula through the Tuckey Reserve and past massive blue gums to the site of the short-lived 1803 convict settlement at Sullivan Bay, where we lunched. The settlers didn’t find sufficient fresh water or other resources on this land of the Boonwurrung people; within a few months their survivors adjourned to van Diemen’s Land, apart from escapee William Buckley, who was taken in by First Nations people. Leaving this site we walked along the bayside water’s edge, detoured to visit the lookouts on the Eastern Sister and continued along the beach, returning to our cars via Hughes Road.
This gentle unhurried 7km was enough for the majority, but seven of us drove the few minutes to Portsea Back Beach carpark and walked the Farnsworth Track along dune ridges to London Bridge, with spectacular views of bay, ocean and paragliders in action, returning along the beach with surf rolling in, the sun by now sparkling the sea. The additional 2.5km earned us liquid refreshments and hot chips at Portsea Pub, which we enjoyed while looking across the lawn to boats on the bay in the milky afternoon light.
Several commented that the walk revealed unfamiliar aspects of a familiar area.
Christine Bayly
