When many Americans (including myself) imagine Australia, we tend to conjure up images of kangaroos, the Outback, and most prominently, beach culture. The movies and television we encounter in the U.S. heavily feature Bondi Beach and Byron Bay, places where sun-soaked days are the norm. When I started researching universities in Australia’s vast 2.97 million square miles, this stereotyped image quickly disintegrated. I learned the biggest drawback to studying in Melbourne (my top choice for its culture of coffee, sport, and the arts) was its weather.
Vacillating between hot and cold temperatures with frequent pop-up showers, this weather and the city’s supposed lack of quality beaches seemed to be online Aussies’ biggest complaints. Enchanted with the University of Melbourne and everything else the city had to offer, I planned trips to more tropical destinations and resigned myself to a beachless city. Perhaps I have a lower standard for what a beach should be after spending most of my time in the Gulf, but I personally have been blown away by the amazing beaches nearby. Between these beaches, an unusually long summer, and a timetable that allows me to travel on Thursdays and Fridays, I have definitely lived out my dreams of sunny days Down Under.
St. Kilda
St. Kilda is one of the most accessible beaches from the CBD, where I live. Only a forty-minute tram ride away, its beach tends to be packed. While ice cream on the boardwalk is a major plus, St. Kilda’s star is its newly reopened pier. With the bay at your back, settling into the tiered platforms to watch people windsurf and swim in the water below is a serene way to spend an afternoon. One of my happiest memories so far on the trip was watching the sun sink below the waves while a street artist performed “Wild World” by Cat Stevens. Plus, after the sun sets, you can spot penguins making their way home to the breakwater near the pier.
Brighton
If you ride the tram for fifteen minutes past St. Kilda, you arrive at Brighton Beach. Famed for its bathing boxes, remnants of Victorian-era modesty standards, this beach is a bit quieter and boasts an incredible view of Melbourne’s skylines.
Half Moon Bay
One Friday, my roommate and I made the hour and twenty-minute journey to Half Moon Bay. Victoria’s transit system is inexpensive and wide-reaching, so tapping our Myki cards, sitting on a train, and reading for our classes is usually a (productive) breeze. After grabbing an acai bowl near the train station, we walked about fifteen minutes to Half Moon Bay and Black Rock. At about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, we had a perfect weather to lay out in the sand and explore the clear water. We discovered tidal pools and collected some amazing shells. We finished our afternoon with sushi and poke bowls from Woolworth’s, a local grocery store.
Sorrento
The Mornington Peninsula, an area with small towns and breathtaking beaches, surrounds Melbourne. Someone in my run club told me that Sorrento, a city in this peninsula, is the perfect weekend getaway from the city. So, on Labour Day weekend, five other students studying abroad with TEAN (an UA affiliate program) and I took public transit to the beach. While our travel did take about 3 hours, we paid less than $15 AUD to do so! When in Sorrento, we visited the tidal pools on the back beach, shopped, and did Millionaire’s Walk. That cliff top walk took us to Shelley Beach. We also ate fish and chips and tried Sorrento’s most acclaimed dessert, a vanilla slice. This refuel was necessary before our journey back to the city!
Beaches and coastal beauty have been only a small part of my experience in Melbourne. I can’t wait to share more about my experiences in this beautiful place over the next few months!
Roll Tide!