Travel Guide: Point Leo Foreshore Camping Reserve
I’d been aware of the Point Leo Foreshore Camping Reserve for a long time. Point Leo is a hamlet on the Western Port Bay side of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. It’s a charming beachside town if ever there was one. However, I’d never felt motivated to stop in at this camp site. After all, it’s so close to home that it would be unlikely I’d ever stay there.
Therein lies my mistake: we don’t always have to travel for days to reach an amazing destination. Often, if you look close enough, you’ll find somewhere special in your own backyard.
POINT LEO POPULARITY
An unspoilt beach, clean facilities and shaded sites, some of which are virtually on the sand… it’s a relaxing way of life at Point Leo Foreshore Reserve.
The first thing you need to know, though, is that this place is popular, particularly in the peak periods. Is this any surprise? If you saw this gem for yourself, you’d agree that it’s not.
However, its popularity requires a bit of luck: bookings in the peak summer holiday period, including Australia Day, are allocated by ballot. When I called in to look around, a few weeks before Christmas, it was fairly quiet, but it was easy to picture the campsite bustling with vanners, happy kids and blissful beach-goers.
Before booking, there are a few things of which to be aware. With Point Leo Foreshore Reserve being home to some sensitive flora and fauna, dogs are never permitted, with the exception of service dogs (with some stipulations). It won’t take you long to spot some pretty special fauna. A short track leads from the main campground to the beach, and I quickly spotted two echidnas as I meandered to the sand. But herons, ibis, cormorants and a host of other interesting species can be found in this rather special spot.
The reserve offers about 170 camp sites, of which 45 are powered. The majority of the sites are open year-round. However, while you’ll find shared water taps around the reserve offering potable water for your van’s tanks, it is important to know before you book that campfires are not permitted, nor are solid-fuel stoves and barbecues. Is this a deal-breaker? For some, no doubt it would be, as would be the no-dogs rule. But when you’re immersed in such natural beauty, it’s easy enough to accept some rules you find a little inconvenient.
Now, Point Leo Foreshore Reserve isn’t a ‘free’ camp. Instead, it’s a self-funded public reserve with a committee of management. It receives no government funding; every dollar the site receives in camping and parking fees goes back into the maintenance and running of the campground.
FACILITIES AND BEACH
The campground provides a well-kept amenities block and camp kitchen, and you’ll find a playground on site too. The grounds adjoin a wetland that includes a tidal estuary and a boardwalk.
The beach adjoining the campground, however, isn’t particularly friendly for swimming. There are rock platforms and pools to explore, and crabs and other marine-life to find.
Point Leo, however, does offer surf and swimming beaches. Think of the beach at the campground as a place to explore and go for a walk, while saving your swimming and surfing for one of the other nearby beaches. Further, you’re on the Mornington Peninsula – drive for five minutes and you’ll find other incredible beaches to enjoy.
So if you’re touring southern Victoria, be sure to consider Point Leo Foreshore Reserve, whether for a night or two, or a week-long stay. The Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria’s many gems, and this little place makes a perfect base camp.
More information: https://pointleo.com
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Source: https://www.gorv.com.au/travel-guide-point-leo-foreshore-camping-reserve/
