Blanket Bay facts for kids
Blanket Bay is a small bay located on the coast of Victoria, Australia. The beautiful area along the bay's shore is part of the Cape Otway National Park, a protected natural space.
What is Blanket Bay Like?
Blanket Bay has a sandy beach that is about 200 metres long. This beach is kept safe and calm by natural rock platforms and reefs that are just offshore. The bay is surrounded by tall Manna Gum forests and a rugged coastline with more rocks and reefs. A small creek also flows into the beach, adding to its natural beauty.
Right next to the bay, there's a popular camping ground where people can stay and enjoy nature. This area is also connected to the Great Ocean Walk, which is a famous hiking trail. Hikers can explore the stunning coastline and forests from Blanket Bay.
If you visit at low tide, you might even see the old remains of a jetty built in the 1880s. This jetty was used a long time ago to bring supplies ashore.
A Look Back in Time: Blanket Bay's History
Blanket Bay has an interesting history. In 1846, a sad event took place involving the local Gadubanud Aboriginal people and early European settlers. This was a difficult time of conflict during the early days of settlement in the area.
Later, in 1877, a group of road builders arrived at the bay by ship. Their job was to build a track to the Cape Otway Lighthouse, which was about six kilometers away. Before this, supplies for the lighthouse were brought in through the Parker River, but that route was too dangerous.
For about 30 years, Blanket Bay became an important spot for unloading supplies that arrived by ship for the lighthouse keepers. It was a vital link for the people living and working at the remote lighthouse.
However, the waters around Blanket Bay could be very rough. In 1896, a tragic accident happened when three sailors – Mr. Griffiths, Mathieson, and Thomas Monk – lost their lives. Their boat overturned in the strong surf as they tried to come ashore. They were delivering six months' worth of supplies for the lighthouse from a government ship called the Lady Loch.
