Safety Beach

Safety Beach, which is 2.7km long, is a very accessible beach, with a foreshore reserve with numerous facilities and a slightly more energetic surf.

Dromana and Safety Beaches occupy the eastern 6 km of the 18 km long Rye to Point Martha Beach. Both beaches are backed by a continuous foreshore reserve, the Nepean Highway and Marine Drive. The reserve contains numerous facilities including a launching ramp and sailing club at Safety Beach.

Dromana and Safety Beaches are more exposed to westerly winds and wind waves than the beaches to the west. Consequently, the high storm waves have steepened the nearshore. As a result, the sand flats that reach 1 km wide off Rosebud progressively narrow to 300 m at Dromana Pier, and 100 m at Safety Beach. Furthermore, the higher waves produce a double bar system at Safety Beach, characterised by alternating bars and rips every 200 m.

Swimming - Relatively safe during calms and low wind waves, however Safety Beach will have higher waves and rips during strong winds.

Safety beach has a General Beach Hazard Rating of 3/10 (Least hazardous). The beach is not patrolled.

Review:

There is a carpark at the north end of the beach beside the Safety Beach Sailing Club building where there is a kiosk and meals served (at #178 Marine Drive). At this point Marine Drive goes under the water (Tassells Creek) and it can be an interesting area to explore. There are stairs and a lift so that you can walk under the water but there is no access to the rock walls on each side of the canal which leads to the Martha Cove Waterway. This is an area for looking rather than doing since there are signs forbidding diving, fishing or littering in this area. I would add no swimming also since it is better to held south to find a good swimming area.

As you head south, culture vultures can find a granite sculpture on the foreshore titled "Meeting Place" by Noel Essex. You'll also come across five colourful beach huts. A walking track passes next to the beach and unshaded seats are very regularly spaced along the route. There are also carparks with free parking all along the beach foreshore.

When you get to Victoria Street there is a playground with a boat shaped structure, shelter with two tables, BBQ, toilets and two more unshaded tables. There are also twelve beach huts in this area as well as a lovely carving of a pelican sitting on top of a pole titled "Rock Hopper" by Anton McMurray.

Slightly to the south before you reach parking for cars and trailers (ticketed) is an area called Buckleys Rest with walls around an area with two tables and a seat. Buckleys Rest is built upon the original 12 x 8 metre concrete slab that formed the foundations of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard building which was located there for approximately 30 years. The area is named after William Buckley who escaped from Victoria's earliest penal settlement near Sorrento in December 1803. Buckley survived in the bush for over 30 years by befriending local aboriginal groups and learning their ways and language. In 1836 he re-joined white society in Melbourne and received a full pardon. In 1856 he was killed in a wagon incident at 76 years of age.

South of the trailer parking area is a shortish pier and boat ramps.

Overall for swimming, Safety Beach is a reasonable choice with a reasonably narrow sandy beach and sand flats in the water. However it is not so good when there are strong winds due to rips and big waves.

Access for Dogs:

To the north of Tassells Creek at the extreme north end of the beach is Tassells Cove which is a dog friendly beach.

Map:

Safety Beach

Review:

Access for Dogs:

Map:

Photos:

Location

Web Links