Cape Paterson patrolled beach, also known as Cape Paterson Surf Beach, is a sheltered, north-facing bay on Victoria's Bass Coast, about 120 km southeast of Melbourne. The beach is protected by headlands, offering calmer conditions than nearby open-ocean beaches, and is patrolled by lifesavers during summer. The rocky reef platforms at either end of the bay create shallow snorkeling habitat with good water clarity on calm days, making it a popular family-friendly spot in the Bunurong Marine Park.
Cape Paterson Patrolled Beach
BeginnerMAYBE
MAYBE
Fair. Experienced snorkellers only.
Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 0.8 mSwell Period 12 sWind Speed 10.0 knPrecipitation 30 mmTidal Phase flood
Last evaluated
© TangerineduelThe spot
Community-maintained
Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
Know before you go
Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
Low risk: Rip currents
Occasional rips can form near the rocky headlands; swim between the red and yellow flags during patrol hours.
Low risk: Rocky reef platforms
Sharp sandstone and rock platforms at both ends of the beach can cause cuts and scrapes when entering or exiting the water.
Wildlife Guide
No wildlife notes for this spot yet.
Gallery
3 photos from the community
Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
From Melbourne, take the M1 to the South Gippsland Highway, turn onto the Bass Highway towards Wonthaggi, then follow Cape Paterson Road about 10 km south to the surf beach carpark.
Parking & facilities
Large free carpark adjacent to the beach, with overflow parking on busy summer weekends.
toiletsparkingshowerspicnic_tables
Free entry; no parking fees.
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Gallery ┬╖ 3 photos
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About this data
- Conditions last evaluated
- Spot data last updated
- Data sources
- Open-Meteo (marine & weather conditions), tide predictions via UTide, community contributors (descriptions, hazards, marine life).
- License
- Spot content licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. How's the Spot is open source.
Weather & swell ┬╖ Open-Meteo marine & weather APIs Tides ┬╖ UTide harmonic analysis Sea & safety ┬╖ community reports