Mornington Peninsula: Point Nepean

We spent 4 days on the Mornington Peninsula this week, exploring old favorites and visiting a couple of new places. On Thursday morning the weather was cloudy so we decided to visit the narrow strip of land that is the end of the Mornington Peninsula -- Point Nepean. At the point on one side you can see Bass Straight (which seperates Tasmania from Australia) and on the other Philip Bay. The entrance into Philip Bay is incredibly narrow -- so narrow that some early explorers missed it entirely! It is a dangerous passage and even now large boats use a navigator to help them through the channel.

Here you are looking out towards the tip of the point. Bass Strait is on your left and Philip Bay on your right. Just past the point you can see the town of Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Here you are looking back towards the Peninsula with the calm water of the bay on the left and the wild ocean water on the right. On the right is the beach where a Prime Minister of Australia drowned while surfing...

Point Nepean is also a historical fort, built in the late 1800's when Melbournians feared someone would come to steal their new-found wealth. It also played a role in WWI and WW2. The first shot fired in WW1 was fired at Point Nepean just hours after war was declared. The shot was fired against a German ship that was trying to leave the bay. The fort is underground so the boys loved it. What's not to love? Creepy tunnels...