Heading off to Wilsons Promontory for a long weekend, and the weather forecast was grim, but if you wait for Mother Nature in VIC to do her thang, nobody would go anywhere! We decided to stay at Venus Bay, a 2.5-hour drive from Melbourne and 47 minutes to the Prom. Situated on a narrow peninsula, with the open sea of the Bass Straight on one side and the calm waters of the Anderson Inlet on the other, it’s a holiday hot spot in the Gippsland.
As we drove into Venus Bay, I couldn’t help but notice the multitude of astronomical street names. Jupiter Boulevard, Mercury Drive, Satellite Road, Saturn Place (Uranus a conspicuous omission). And then those named after ancient gods: Juno and Vulcan Drive (live long and prosper). We stayed in a funky little Airbnb at Venus Bay, all perky, bright, and retro, a stone’s throw from one of the best pizzas I have ever had – snaps to The Cavity!
The tiny town boasts five surf beaches, creatively named No 1, No 2, No 3…you get the drift. On the day we arrived, the beaches were wind bashed and there were white caps on the milky, caramel-coloured Tarwin River, which had broken its banks with river creep on the roadside. A harbinger of things to come.
Driving from Venus Bay to Wilsons Prom the next day, the road, bordered by lush green pastures, was juxtaposed by angry dark clouds, and anxious black and white cows scurried to who knows where. We were on our way to trek Mt. Oberon Summit, and watching the trees on the roadside whipped into a frenzy by cyclonic winds was not comforting.
Starting at Telegraph Saddle Carpark, the trail to Mt. Oberon Summit is a moderately challenging steady incline, weaving up the mountain, 6.8 km return. We did it in dingy weather; hiking conditions were festy; rain fell by the bucketload; it was wet, windy, wild, and woolly. We were drenched and freezing, and the summit was a total whiteout (the things you do for fun!)
At the apex of the climb, there’s a rocky summit with a conglomeration of large boulders and no barriers. With gale-force winds belting across, it was super dangerous for the obligatory selfie! On the way down, the wind factor cranked up, sounding like aircraft landing, and I was on high alert for Stringy Bark and Casuarina widow-makers!
Departing the Prom, we noticed a curious aberration, one that must perplex international travellers. A road sign with a silhouette of a bird, kangaroo, koala, and echidna. Shortly after that, another road sign said “Wildlife congregation area next 300m on right.” We drove past, and there was no wildlife congregating. Guess they didn’t get the memo.
Back to Venus Bay, and the wetlands to the right of Lees Road were teeming with mobs of Roos, literally hundreds! I noticed that cows and kangaroos in the Gippsland are furrier than others I’ve seen in VIC, and there’s a reason for that. Because it’s cuss word freezing in Victoria’s east!
The day we arrived in Venus Bay, fine weather; the day we left, glorious sunshine; the day we hiked Mt. Oberon, black, ominous clouds; 7 degrees (with a feels like 4) and sheeting rain. Mother nature was filthy, whipping up 131 km/hour winds, forcing the trees into weird, torturous tribal dances. I can imagine Wilsons Prom dressed in sparkling sunshine. I’m not done with you yet! Back on the bucket list you go.
