4 /5 TheGreenKangaroo Kangaroo: Firstly, theres no car park here. The closest car parking we found was about 650 meters up the road towards Mount Martha beach, where there were a few spots available beside the road.
Secondly, there are signs saying no entry and unstable cliffs and the main two paths in are blocked off with a low wooden fence, but that didnt stop anyone entering. The life guards from Mount Martha beach came over a few times on their jet skis to check on people but didnt ask anyone to leave.
So, it seems that the authorities are not encouraging access but neither do they seem to be actively stopping people from accessing the cliffs.
The walk (rather, climb) down is fairly steep and I wouldnt recommend the path for anyone except reasonable climbers. Definitely not suitable for anyone needing mobility aids.
There is also no shade here, so if staying a while, sun protection is highly recommended. We visited in Summer and got a bit sun burned on exposed areas even though it was a cloudy, cool day.
When we were there it was quite windy and the water was very choppy. Even though its a bay without big ocean waves, the waves were still about a metre or so high and very choppy. There is one somewhat difficult path to climb down to the water that we found, where we surveyed the waves, water depth and rock positions to assess the risks involved. The swimming was not too difficult, as long as you stay clear of the sharp rocks.
I decided on doing the lower jump only, about two meters, as a test, and nearly injured my eardrum, so I was glad I didnt take on the higher jump, although many did without apparent issues.
My feet did touch the sandy bottom briefly after jumping, and most of the jumpers from the higher position said their feet touched the bottom also. Not sure how the water depth would vary with the tide, but it didnt seem the safest. Serious injuries have been reported and I can imagine how these could happen given the close proximity of the rocks, the choppy water and the limited access back out once you have dived in.
You need to identify a safe exit path back out before you jump in and make sure your swimming is competent enough to handle the water conditions.
I saw a few people climbing some of the steeper lower cliffs out again after swimming, which seemed even more risky due to the chance of falling back onto underwater rocks.
It is quite easy to get cut on the sharp rocks while climbing or swimming.
There was also some garbage left behind by inconsiderate people. Its astonishing how little some people care for their environment, especially given whats known now about the effect of plastic pollution on the ocean environment and micro plastics. They probably dont realize that the plastic garbage they discarded without thinking may one day find its way back into their own bodies.
Overall, a beautiful place for catching the view, ocean swimming or cliff diving from limited points, but the conditions need to be assessed very carefully before swimming and especially before any diving.
Hight rate 14 location for tourist in Mount Martha, VIC Australia
