There are two public walking tracks into Bushrangers Bay that are about the same length. One track starts north-east of the bay at Boneo Road and the other track begins at the Cape Schanck lighthouse carpark, west of the bay.
We chose to walk the track from the Cape Schanck lighthouse carpark because it’s arguably more scenic and there’s a lot more carpark spaces available.
Along the sandy track there’s a couple of opportunities to look back along the coastline towards Pulpit Rock.
Further along the track the native trees enclose the path and form a welcoming tunnel.
After a bit of walking the bush track crosses the Burrabong Creek via a small wooden footbridge. Eventually the bush track opens onto the sandy beach of Bushrangers Bay. Here you’ll encounter Main Creek which cuts through the sandy beach and enters the ocean.
You need to cross the creek. You might get wet feet here depending on how much water is flowing in the creek at the time, and how far you can jump. 🙂
In the photo below, Main Creek cuts through the sandy beach on it’s way to the ocean.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
After crossing the creek it’s a short walk to the beautiful rock formations and platforms where at low tide there are lots of small crystal clear rock pools exposed.
At the water’s edge the rock platforms rumble as waves slam into the steep rocky walls.
Looking back from the arch towards Bushrangers Bay, lots of people exploring the platforms and rockpools.
It was a public holiday and very busy.
When we arrived at the arch we found that much of it was in the shade with very bright background elements.
This is problematic from a photography perspective, but anyway you work with what you’re given. 🙂
Photo below – Using a nice wide lens, some ND filtering, and blending 3 exposures I ended up with a keeper that I like.
This image is available to purchase as a print here.
A long exposure image from Pearses Beach in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula. You can get to Pearses Beach by parking in the carpark at the southern end of Pearse Road in Blairgowrie, and walk a short distance along the sandy walking path to the beach.
Following are a couple of long exposure images from Montforts Beach taken at first light on a cloudy grey dawn. You can access Montforts Beach by parking at the Spray Point Road carpark and following the sandy walking track south. Montforts Beach is signposted along the track. It’s also well worthwhile visiting Spray Point while you’re here.
Tech stuff for the image below- 5 sec, f/11, ISO50.
The image below is available to purchase as a print here.
Technical stuff for the image below – 2.5 secs, f/18, ISO50.
The image below is available to purchase as a print here.
A long exposure image of Sierra Nevada Rock, Portsea.  The rock formation is on Portsea back beach, just a short walk north-west of the London Bridge rock formation. IMPORTANT – It’s only accessible at low tide.
Tech stuff -15 sec, f/14, ISO 100, using an ND400 filter.
The image is available to purchase as a print here.
A couple of long exposure images from Bridgewater Bay, Blairgowrie, on the Mornington Peninsula.
Picture below – a 20 second exposure at f/16 using a Hoya ND400 filter. Â This photo is available to purchase as a print in various forms and sizes here.
Picture below – A random visitor on the beach stands relatively still under the “bridge”offering some size perspective during a 13 second exposure .
A long exposure sunrise image from Sullivan Bay, Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula. Â The iconic jetty has recently started to fall to bits. Â I suspect she wont be around much longer. Â
Tech stuff – 25 seconds f/18 ND400 filter.
This photo is available to purchase as a print in various forms and sizes here.
Last weekend we had our ND group excursion for beginners.  It was a great turnout with lots of enthusiastic people attending.  We started shooting at Bridgewater Bay in Sorrento in very difficult conditions with the wind blowing a continuous mist of fine rain onto our lenses.  I was both surprised and delighted that so many people stayed and had the patience to put up with these conditions, …..such a dedicated bunch.  🙂  Many thanks to Jason Cincotta and Michael Stringer for assisting with so many ND newcomers.
Later we moved onto the front beaches at Point King, Sorrento, followed by Shelley beach, Portsea , both providing us with much more friendly shooting conditions.
Pictured below – Point King jetty. Â Tech stuff –Â 132 secs f/18. Â This photo is available to buy as a print in many forms here.
Pictured below – Shelley beach, Portsea. Â Tech stuff –Â 60 secs f/18. Â This photo is available to buy as a print in many forms here.
Pictured below – Shelley beach, Portsea. Â Tech stuff –Â 136 sec f/18. 10 stop ND + 4 stop soft grad. Â This photo is available to purchase as a print here.
Pictured below – Most of the crew from the group excursion, Bridgewater Bay.
For those unfamiliar with groynes, a groyne is a low wall or timber barrier built out into the sea from a beach to prevent erosion.
On a previous visit to photograph this groyne the tide was unexpectedly low and yielded images that weren’t quite what we were looking for. Â This time I made sure to arrive at peak high tide and waited for the tide to recede and reveal just enough of the groyne to catch these images.
A local resident told me that the zig-zagging planks aren’t always visible and that they’re sometimes completely covered by sand with only the posts exposed.
For those who might be interested in photographing the groyne, Â it’s easily accessible. Park at the end of Seawind Rd, Balnarring Beach. Â It’s a short walk down to the beach then turn right.
Tech stuff – 25 secs @ f/9 using a 10 stop solid + 4 stop soft ND grad + polarizer.
The image above is available to purchase as a print in many forms and sizes at my Redbubble site here.
Tech stuff for the image below –Â 13 secs f/9, NiSi 10 stop solid + 4 stop soft grad + polarizer.
The image above is available to purchase as a print in many forms and sizes at my Redbubble site here.
Following are some images from an excursion to the wild coastline at Bushrangers Bay on the Mornington Peninsula.
I highly recommend the 3km hike from the carpark at Cape Schanck lighthouse to Bushrangers Bay. The scenic track follows the coastline along clifftops and through bush.
The best time to visit Bushrangers Bay is at low tide which allows access to the rugged rock formations.
2.5 secs f/8 using an ND400 filter. The image above is available to purchase as a print at Redbubble.
4 secs f/8 using an ND400 filter. The image above is available to buy as a print at Redbubble.
Pictured above, my friend Alan lining up his next shot at Bushrangers Bay.
Pulpit Rock at Cape Schanck can be see on the horizon.
This was certainly one of the more memorable excursions that my photo group has undertaken, …and in a bad way.
The rock selves at the end of Cape Schanck are hazardous at the best of times. On this particular visit two of our group members were caught off guard and knocked into water by an unexpectedly large wave.
Thankfully both guys are OK and came away from the experience with minor injuries. It could have been a lot worse.
Pictured below, the view from the rock platform at Pulpit Rock, Cape Schanck, looking across to Bushrangers Bay as the sun rises.
The image below is available to purchase as a print here.
Pictured below, Pulpit Rock at the end of Cape Schanck.
The image above is available to purchase as a print at Redbubble.
The image above is available to buy as a print at Redbubble.
The image above is available to purchase as a print at Redbubble.
Above – Behind the scenes.
Above – Behind the scenes.
2.5 secs f/8 using an ND400 filter. The image above is available to purchase as a print at Redbubble.
4 secs f/8 using an ND400 filter. The image above is available to buy as a print at Redbubble.
10 seconds, f/13, iso100. The image above is available to purchase as a print at RedBubble.
30 secs, f/18, iso 100. The image above is available to purchase as a print at RedBubble.
15 seconds, f/14, iso100. The image above is available as a print at RedBubble.
48 seconds, f/8, iso200. The image above is available as a print at RedBubble.
Photography by Jim Worrall 