Venus Bay, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Venus BayVictoria |
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Beach 4
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 Venus Bay
Location in South Gippsland Shire
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| Population | 944 (2016 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 3956 |
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| LGA(s) | South Gippsland Shire |
| State electorate(s) | Gippsland South |
| Federal Division(s) | Monash |
Venus Bay is a beautiful bay and a small town located on the eastern coast of Victoria, Australia. In 2016 census, about 944 people lived there. It's a popular spot for holidays, especially for people visiting from Melbourne.
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Discovering Venus Bay
Venus Bay is found on a narrow piece of land, about 180 kilometers (112 miles) south-east of Melbourne. The town gets its name from the bay on its western side. On the eastern side of this land is Anderson's Inlet, which was named after an early settler, Samuel Anderson.
How Venus Bay Got Its Name
The name "Venus Bay" was given to the bay by a French group of explorers led by Nicholas Baudin. They named it after a trading ship called the Venus, which belonged to George Bass. The French explorers traded with Bass in Sydney around the year 1801.
A Popular Holiday Spot
Venus Bay is a favorite holiday place for many people from Melbourne. It's also close to other fun tourist areas in South Gippsland, like Phillip Island and Wilsons Promontory. While the number of people living there permanently is less than 1,000, this number can grow to thousands during school holidays and summer.
Exploring the Three Estates
The town of Venus Bay is divided into three main areas, called 'estates'. Each estate has its own special features.
First Estate: The Heart of Town
The First Estate is where you'll find the main shopping area in Venus Bay. Here, you can visit a general store, a pharmacy, and places to grab a quick meal. There's also a surf shop, real estate agents, and a caravan park.
This estate is home to three of Venus Bay's five surf beaches (Beaches 1, 2, and 3). The Venus Bay Surf Lifesaving Club is located at Beach No. 1. This is the only beach with lifeguards on duty. However, during busy summer times, lifeguards often patrol all the way up to Beach No. 5.
The Venus Bay Community Centre is also in the First Estate. It offers many programs and activities for the community. It also has a recycling op shop. During the summer holidays, the Community Centre runs special programs for kids and organizes a shuttle bus to the beach.
Second Estate: Beaches and Kangaroos
The Second Estate is where you'll find Beaches No. 4 and 5. It also has a popular fishing jetty on Anderson's Inlet. At the edge of the Second Estate, there's a high viewing platform. From here, visitors can look out over Anderson's Inlet and see many kangaroos. These kangaroos live on the quiet eastern shores.
Third Estate: Nature and Secluded Spots
The Third Estate is a quieter area with fewer buildings. It leads to the very tip of the peninsula, called Point Smythe. This estate has the Doyle's Road foreshore reserve and the Point Smythe reservation. These areas have many walking paths that lead to hidden beaches on both sides of the peninsula. You can also walk to the tip of the peninsula, where Anderson's Inlet meets the ocean.
Fun Events and Nature Protection
The Tour de Tarwin is a cycling event held every Easter. It's a joint effort between Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower. Even though it's mainly for cyclists, walkers are also encouraged to join in the fun.
In recent years, the people living in Venus Bay and nearby Tarwin Lower have worked hard to protect their natural wetlands. They have successfully stopped plans to drain these important areas for new developments like marinas and resorts. This shows how much the local residents care about their environment.
The community has also worked to protect the local wildlife, like the pipi shellfish. They want to make sure that the natural balance of the area is kept safe for everyone to enjoy.
