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11 November 2026
Expressions of interest are now open for temporary summer food vendor permits across Barwon Coast Caravan Parks from 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
9 November 2026
Three chicks thriving and a new nest
5 November 2026
Three chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South
3 November 2026
Two nests have failed and two remain along our coastline.
3 November 2026
Barwon Coast has launched its new Foreshore Master Plan, setting a shared direction for the management of 22 kilometres of coastline over the next 15 years.
Published on 13 March 2025
Join us at the new Barwon River bird observation point in Ocean Grove to celebrate and appreciate the incredible migratory birds before they depart in March/April at our free, family-friendly launch event.
Date: Saturday, 22 March
Time: 10.30am-12.30pm
Location: Peers Crescent, near Dare Street, Ocean Grove (get directions here)
Cost: Free!
Be there at 10:30am for a Welcome to Country by Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, followed by the official launch with speeches from Barwon Coast Committee of Management Chair Sandra Gatehouse and invited guest Alison Marchant MP. Then, explore at your own pace with a range of activities.
Join us to look for and learn about the migratory birds that will be leaving our shores soon. Find out the qualities that make the Barwon River estuary a Ramsar wetland of international importance!
The event includes:
Learn why the Barwon River estuary is a Ramsar wetland of international importance, and enjoy guided birdwatching and interactive activities.
This event is a partnership between Barwon Coast, Bellarine Catchment Network, Birdlife Australia, Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine.
The project was funded by the Victorian Government’s Victorian Landcare Grant program.
Expressions of interest are now open for temporary summer food vendor permits across Barwon Coast Caravan Parks from 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
Three chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South
A little chick, with a watchful parent close by! 🐣
Filmed on Monday at Barwon Bluff, this Hooded Plover chick is one of three that hatched last week. All three chicks were last sighted yesterday and are still going strong!
A big thank you to Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine for their incredible work monitoring these vulnerable birds and for sharing this precious footage with us.
Please continue to respect beach closures and follow signed detours to give these little ones the best chance of survival.
🚧 Temporary beach access closure – Thirteenth Beach
The car park and beach access path at Thirteenth Beach sand ramp beach access (Emergency Marker THI182, formerly 40W) will be temporarily closed on Friday 13 November 2026 for essential track surface repairs.
Works are expected to take one day.
Thanks for your patience while we complete these important maintenance works to keep our coastal access tracks safe.
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
– Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen
Today, we honour those who have served and sacrificed in times of war, conflict and peacekeeping.
We also acknowledge the service and sacrifice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have served in defence of our country and the freedoms we enjoy today.
At 11 am, we join Australians across the country in observing one minute`s silence to remember all who have served and sacrificed.
Lest we forget. 🌺
💙 Hooded Plover update – Three chicks and a new nest!
Some positive news from our coast today (9 November)!
🐣 Barwon Bluff South: All three chicks are now five days old and were spotted foraging on the intertidal reef this morning.
🥚 Thirteenth Beach at Boings: A new nest has been discovered with three eggs!
How you can help:
💙 Do not enter the closed section of beach between The Bluff Dune South and The Hole beach accesses.
💙 Follow the signed pedestrian detours.
💙 At Thirteenth Beach at Boings, keep dogs on lead and walk close to the waterline.
💙 Follow local signage and give nesting birds and chicks plenty of space.
Thank you for helping give these vulnerable shorebirds the best chance of survival! And a big thank you to Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine for their ongoing monitoring efforts and for sharing this wonderful video with us!
Find out more, including the beach closure map, on our website news section (link in bio).
The magic of the sun rising over this beautiful stretch of coastline will never be taken for granted - at Barwon Coast, we count ourselves lucky to be tasked with caring for the coast. Do you love to catch a sunrise, or a sunset, at the beach? Where are the best vantage points? What about a sunrise swim, like the @sunrise.hunter_ group that meets every morning at Ocean Grove Main Beach all year round?
📣 Did you know you can report an issue via our website?
Whether it`s vandalism to one of the facilities we manage, a maintenance issue or something else that needs fixing, you can let us know using our online reporting form.
Our team will review your report as soon as possible and follow up where required.
💻 Report an issue via our website (link in bio)
Thanks for helping us care for our coast!
P.S. This is an old pic
💙 Three Hooded Plover chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South! 🐣
Three Hooded Plover chicks hatched today (5 November), marking a positive milestone in this year`s breeding season.
To protect the chicks, a temporary beach closure is being established between The Bluff Dune South and The Hole beach accesses for approximately five weeks, until the chicks can fly and are considered self-sufficient.
💙 Please respect the closure and follow local signage and barriers.
💙 Follow the signed pedestrian detour or explore one of our other beautiful local beaches while the chicks grow.
💙 Keep dogs away from the protected area and give the chicks plenty of space.
A big thank you to the Friends of the Hooded Plover – Bellarine volunteers for their ongoing efforts!
Read the full update, including the beach closure map on our news story on our website - link in bio
💙 Want to stay up to date with our Hooded Plovers?
We`ve launched a new Hooded Plover email update list to help you stay informed throughout the breeding season!
Sign up to receive updates on:
💙 Where Hooded Plovers are nesting along our coast
💙 When eggs hatch and chicks arrive
💙 Temporary beach closures and protection measures being put in place/removed
💙 Nesting successes and challenges throughout the season
Whether you`re a regular beach walker, dog owner or wildlife enthusiast, these updates will help you plan your beach visits and give our Hooded Plovers the space they need.
Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/barwoncoast/hoodie-updates
💙 Hooded Plover nesting update
We currently have one active Hooded Plover nest along our coast, following the unsuccessful outcome of the nest between the Wedge St and Tuckfield St beach accesses.
The remaining nest is at Barwon Bluff South, where the eggs are expected to hatch around 4 November. This means the birds are now in the final stages of nesting.
There is currently one active nest remaining, following the unsuccessful outcome of a nest between the Wedge Street and Tuckfield Street beach entrances in Ocean Grove.
The remaining nest, located at Barwon Bluff South, is in the final stages of nesting; the eggs could hatch any day now. If the eggs hatch successfully, a beach closure (temporary exclusion zone)will be introduced to give the chicks the best chance of survival.
💙 Please follow local signage, keep your distance from nesting areas and keep dogs away from protected sites.
Have you checked out our final Foreshore Master Plan yet? 🌊
Take a closer look at the Knowledge Map – a beautiful illustration connecting cultural knowledge, Country, community values, and nature.
A huge thank you to Wadawurrung artists Billy-Jay O’Toole (@papul_art) and Alisha Fagan (@warribagurrk), who collaborated with @hatchdesign__ and Barwon Coast to bring this piece to life. 💙
Explore the Plan 👉 https://barwoncoast.com.au/foreshoremasterplan/

This is Wadawurrung Country. We acknowledge the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land, waters, seas and skies of Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, 13th Beach, Black Rock and Breamlea. We honour and say Nyatne to Elders past, present and future whose ancestors, for thousands of years, have cared for this part of Dja (Country). We are committed as an organisation to meaningfully work together with Traditional Owners to make Wadawurrung Culture and Country strong.

© 2026 Barwon Coast. Website by Residency Studios.