White sand, crystal blue waters and 5 kms of indigenous coastal bushland to walk along next to beach, makes Seaford Foreshore Reserve one of our favourite family friendly beaches in Melbourne to visit with kids! The beach is generally safe and shallow in calm conditions and provides a great spot for families to enjoy in summer when swimming and all year around for outdoor nature play activities.
Located south-east of Melbourne with easy access to the beach through ramps which are pram and disability friendly, car parking and toilet facilities, as well as BBQ’s and picnic tables are available at the pier car park and Keast Park.
Seaford Foreshore Reserve is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Bunurong (Boon Wurrung) People of the Kulin Nation.
TOP 5 ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH KIDS
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- Swimming! the water is shallow for 50m and kids can water play safely when weather and tide conditions are calm.
- Go for a bush walk through the coastal dune vegetation from Keast Park to Mile Bridge.
- Fishing from Seaford Pier
- Take your binoculars for some wonderful bird watching
- Grab some fish n chips for sinner and watch the spectacular sunsets
FLORA & FAUNA
Seaford Foreshore is one of the oldest reserves in the Frankston area. It has a five kilometre stretch of parallel dunes with remnant indigenous coastal vegetation – creating an important habitat for many birds and reptiles. It shelters one of the best beaches on Port Phillip Bay and has the finest example of Coast Banksia Woodland in Melbourne.
Only very resilient grasses such as Hairy Spinifex and Blue Tussock-grass survive on the coastal fore dunes, which are exposed to the wind and salt spray. Their roots help bind the fragile dunes together, enabling other plants like Coast Tea-tree, White Correa and Coast Daisy-bush to survive. On the secondary dunes closer to the road there are Banksia Woodland, dominated by Coast Banksia and Coast Beard Heath.
Seaford Foreshore Reserve is rich in birdlife, with over 100 species either living in or using the reserve on their way to Kananook Creek or Seaford Wetlands. Fourteen species, including the Eastern Yellow Robin and Yellow Thornbill, have been observed to breed in the coastal vegetation, while Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos having been absent for decades have returned to regularly feed on seeds and hunt for grubs. More lizards can be found here than in many other regions in Victoria. Of particular interest is White’s Skink which is no longer found in the inner urban areas of Melbourne, having once been common
Reference- Frankston City council (https://images.impartmedia.com/discoverfrankston.com/AA_Operator_images/Seaford_Foreshore_Reserve_2018_1.pdf)
Don’t forget to download your FREE Eco Explorers Nature Scavenger Hunt here to take with you!
Eco Explorers runs Bush Playgroup at Seaford Foreshore and you can find out more about our nature playgroup programs here.
