Pickering Point sits within Victoria's Merri Marine Sanctuary, a protected no-take zone on the Shipwreck Coast just east of Thunder Point in Warrnambool. Here the rocky reef slopes gently from 5 m inshore to 20 m about 200 m offshore, carved with ledges, swim-throughs, gutters, a cavern, and overhangs that harbour colourful reef fish, crayfish, and rays. Little Penguins roost and feed in the sanctuary. Access is by shore entry from Stingray Bay steps, best at low tide with calm, low-swell conditions. The Southern Ocean exposure demands respect — conditions can turn dangerously rough and must be monitored constantly.
Pickering Point
IntermediateSKIP
SKIP
Poor conditions. Stay out today.
Showing last known conditions
Wave Height 2.0 mSwell Period 10 sWind Speed 5.7 knPrecipitation 29 mmTidal Phase slack
Last evaluated
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Community contribution: submitted by Daniel
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Logged by the community, confirmed by mods
Moderate risk: Large Swell / Surge
Exposed south-west to the Southern Ocean. Prone to large seas and surge; unsuitable when white water is visible. Requires low swell (<1 m) and light offshore northerly winds.
Moderate risk: Rapidly Changing Conditions
Weather and sea conditions can change quickly into dangerously rough seas with strong currents. Constant monitoring is essential.
Low risk: Strong Currents
Strong currents can develop, especially with changing tides and increasing swell.
Low risk: Uneven Shore Entry Terrain
Entry via steps onto the beach at Stingray Bay then walking along the shore; some areas of the coastal trail have uneven terrain.
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Getting in
Shore entry
Entry
From Warrnambool, head south on Viaduct Road towards Thunder Point Coastal Reserve. Park along the western side of Viaduct Road near the first set of steps closest to the concrete wall (southern end of parking). Take the steps down onto Stingray Bay beach and walk towards Pickering Point to enter the water.
Parking & facilities
Park along the western side of Viaduct Road, near the southern end closest to the concrete wall. Also, a car park is available near the Thunder Point lookout.
No fees. Merri Marine Sanctuary is a public, no-take protected zone.
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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