Holiday houses in Venus Bay

When you close your eyes and picture the quintessential Victoria seaside holiday destination, Venus Bay might be it. Set on a peninsula curving around Anderson Inlet — hosting the state’s longest sand spit — the sleepy town is surrounded by water. The inlet’s calm conditions are ideal for boating and fishing, and paddling around sheltered coves. Just west is Bass Strait, providing the surf for five beaches, named (imaginatively) Beach 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

This stretch of the Gippsland region’s coastline is known for natural drama, and whether you travel south toward Wilsons Promontory or north past Inverloch and on to Phillip Island, you’re guaranteed wild clifftop vistas, unusual rock formations, and vast stretches of ocean. Not to mention the bushland, with a web of hiking trails taking you through coastal parks, national parks, and reserves.

The permanent population of Venus Bay is small, but surges over holiday periods year round — particularly during the summer festive season and end of year school break, when the area’s five beaches are patrolled by surf lifesavers. It starts to heave again around Easter school holidays, when the water is still warm enough for a swim.

Much of this part of the state enjoys cooler temperatures than Melbourne, making it a welcome year-round hiking destination — even over the summer months, which are particularly attractive given long hours of daylight savings sunshine. Spring wildflowers are also a major draw.

Cape Liptrap Coastal Park

Reaching from Point Smythe at the tip of Venus Bay all the way south to Waratah Bay, this coastal park is nature writ large. Watch wild Bass Strait seas as you set off along the reserve’s walking track, through coastal woodland, around rock pools, and past the historic limestone mining kilns at Walkerville South. Pause to catch your breath and admire the view of Wilsons Promontory from the Cape Liptrap Lighthouse, before descending to the calm waters of Waratah Bay.

Wilsons Promontory National Park

Blanketing Victoria’s southernmost peninsula (and the most southerly point of mainland Australia), Wilsons Promontory National Park covers a staggering 50,500 hectares (125,000 acres). Needless to say, it’s a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Drive the hour here from Venus Bay to hike through native forest in the company of kangaroos, wombats, and echidnas; wander along beaches so soft the sand squeaks; swim, surf, and snorkel in the marine reserve; then soak up the serenity from dramatic granite mountain top lookouts.

Eagles Nest

A piercing rock formation, Eagles Nest’s surrounding sea is legendary among Victoria’s surfers. Its hosting cove gets reliable breaks, even when other local waves are not frothing. But it’s equally popular among families who come to explore rock pools at low tide.