Birdrock Beach Dog Off Leash Area

585 Esplanade, Mount Martha VIC, 3934


Birdrock Beach is one of four natural beaches (Birdrock, Dava, Fossil and Fosters) lying below the busy Esplanade, but little used owing to the difficult access and limited parking.

The off leash area which encompasses Birdrock Beach and Dava Beach applies between Bay Vista Close and Morrisons Avenue.

Between Craigie Beach and Linley Point is a 3 km section of rocky coast dominated by 20 to 30 m high sandstone bluffs. In amongst the bluffs are four beaches with Birdrock beach being 550 m long.

Although the Esplanade runs along the top of the bluffs behind the beaches, and there is a continuous foreshore reserve west of the road, access is restricted to a steep climb down the bluffs.

At the centre and south end of the beach there access points from the cliff above. The centre section has a lovely wooden staircase which leads down from a car park opposite #585 Esplanade. On this staircase a tunnel is formed through the vegetation which opens out to lovely views of the bay.

The steps are easier to get up than the very steep path at the southern end. Your lungs will be gasping for air well before you reach the top of the path.

The north end of the beach has a shoreline littered with rocks, old metal objects and concrete blocks which look like the remnants of stone and concrete walls. Great for aficionados of stone and concrete walls and maybe a good area of exploration for the kids.

The south end is much nicer and sandy, although when we visited the sand had a degree of black colouring.

There is a car park and lookout point where the steep path reaches the cliff top (at Morrison's Avenue) and another car park opposite Birdrock Avenue. There is also limited parking in Birdrock Avenue and Shanns Avenue.

Access for Dogs:

1 December-end of February

• Dogs are prohibited from the beach between 10am and 6pm.
  
• Leash free from 6pm to 10am the next day.

All Other Times of the Year (March-November)

• Leash free at all times.

Map: