Altona Beach is one of only two swimmable beaches in Melbourne’s western suburbs, the other being Williamstown Beach. It was marketed as the Miami Beach of Melbourne in the 1920s in order to attract land buyers to this area. There were only a few houses and an acre of land costed only a penny!
Altona Coast
A very long coastline hugs Altona. There is a very long drive from the western end at Maidstone St to the Altona Coastal Park at the eastern end. This is a very scenic drive and you can see the curve of the shoreline, the Pier, Melbourne CBD and mountain ranges in the distance, changing marine landscapes varying from sandy beach to rocky outcrops as well as many aquatic birds such as swans, ducks, gulls, pigeons ebbing up and down in the seas.
Esplanade
The Esplanade is the only road in Metropolitan Melbourne that runs so close to the beach and sea. There are many multi-million dollars houses and villas along the Esplanade, directly fronting the sea.
Norfolk Island Pines
The coast is lined with the majestic-looking Norfolk Island Pines which are historically significant for their associations with the former Shires of Werribee and Altona and aesthetically significant as an important element of the cultural landscape character of the Altona foreshore precinct.
Beach Activities
Recreational activities on Altona Beach include walking, cycling, fishing, swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, jet skiing and snorkeling. The Western Suburbs Triahlon Club hold triathlon Races that comprise a swim around the Altona Pier followed by a multi-loop bike ride and finishing with a run along the Esplanade.
The Altona Bay is a favourite haunt for kitesurfers with their bright and colourful kites dotting the sky on a windy day.
Photo by Elizabeth Donoghue
There are plenty of picnic benches and chairs along the foreshore, allowing families to spend some great time together, lovers to share some intimate moments, joggers to take a rest or simply for people to watch the waves lapping against the shores, to enjoy the sunrise or sunset or to idle time away.
Altona Beach Nourishment
Altona Beach is recently undergoing beach improvement works in which a 40 metre wide beach will be constructed from Romawi Street to Bayview Street, placing approximately 75,000 m³ of sand on Altona Beach. The project will restore the width of the beach, minimise sand drift, improve the stormwater drains and water quality, enhance the recreational experience for visitors and make beach maintenance easier.
The Hobsons Bay City Council has recognized the importance and development potential of Altona Beach, Pier Street and the surrounding areas and has put together a detailed developmental blueprint titled the Altona Beach Activity Centre Urban Design Framework.
Wow. I'm almost as sold as you are, Anthony! I think it will become the next Williamstown. You should never sell!
It really is a great place to live.
The bird life that comes through here can be anything from pelicans to parrots attracted by the lakes and grasslands.
I was born and bred in Carlton and North Fitzroy 1966 -1990. I have lived in East Keilor, Heidelberg Heights & East Doncaster and they were all quite leafy green suburbs, but when I moved here in 2000, I have loved it ever since and I believe home is where your heart is. To this day I haven’t looked back since, and as they say the rest is history.