On St Kilda's West Beach, a quiet revolution has taken place. Revegetation and construction of boardwalks has resulted in the large flat dunes behind the 1924 Art Deco
Bathers Pavilion increasingly resembling the place the Bunurong peoples used before white settlement.
St Kilda Ecocentre
Join Neil Blake from the
St Kilda Ecocentre on one of his fortnightly walks and see indigenous vegetation like Coast Saltbush, Slender Velvet Bush and even Hairy Spinifex - both male and female plants! Blake's entertaining presentation touches on the area's geology, history, plants, birds and fauna. He's a fount of knowledge and local lore, and a joy to listen to.
Visitors walk beside rejuvenated plantings, learning local Aborigines' uses of them for food, shelter, tools and craft materials.
Crested terns on the beach
A stormwater drain becomes the site of a quiet lesson in prevention of littering, while the success of dune stabilising plants like Pigface and Salt Couch give rise to more existential observations about the 'tug of war between plants and the sea'. The walk continues down
St Kilda Pier, ending just past the famous, rebuilt Kiosk.
Blake tailors his walk to any age group. It's particularly suitable for those with primary-aged children, as he is patient, gentle and goes out of his way to involve them.
If you're after an illuminating look at a place you thought you knew (or want to see for the first time), join this sunset tour.
Free but bookings essential.
Phone 9534 0670.
