It's back! The Kilcunda Lobster Festival is returning in 2023, after COVID forced it into a two-year hiatus. They hold this popular summer festival on the Kilcunda foreshore where you are treated to spectacular ocean views. In 2020, over 5,000 people attended. This is a family fun day with lobsters, prizes, food and drink, live music, rides and a variety of market stalls.
Lucious Lobster - Photo from the San Remo Fisherman's Co-op Facebook Page
The festival looks locally to the
San Remo Fisherman's Co-op to supply their lobsters. The Co-op which has six shark boats, one trawler and five cray boats was founded in 1948, and is open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm. It has both takeaway and dine in facilities.
Get a ticket to the spinning wheel for your chance to win. The wheel runs throughout the day with a spin every five minutes or so. Lucky ticket holders will win a large freshly cooked lobster.
Try your luck on the lobster spinning wheel - Photo from the Kilcunda Lobster Festival Facebook Page
Lobsters are the lunch menu heroes, large, luscious, bright red lobsters, but food and drink options don't stop there. Past festivals have offered other seafoods, fish and chips, burgers, Dutch Poffertjes, donuts, coffee, soft drinks and more.
This is a popular summer festival - Photo from the Kilcunda Lobster Festival Facebook Page
Take a seat and listen to the live music. What could be more relaxing than music and feed of lobster by the beach? The music will play all day. Market stalls are a favourite at any festival. At previous festivals, stalls have included hand-made crafts, trinkets, garden ornaments, produce, clothes, confectionary, plants, soaps hats and more.
Market stalls are many and varied - Photo from the Kilcunda Lobster Festival Facebook Page
Past festivals have also included fun-fair rides and face painting. Come along and see what there is to delight the kids this year. It's bound to be fund. The Kilcunda Lobster Festival practices sustainability. It is a single-use plastic-free event and has a serious focus on Waste Management.
Who doesn't love a lobster - Photo from the Kilcunda Lobster Festival Facebook Page
The festival is on Sunday 29th January 2023, from 10am to 3pm on the Kilcunda Foreshore, Bass Highway, Kilcunda, next door to the Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat and across the road from the Kilcunda Hotel and General Store. Don't worry, you won't miss the signage, the colourful stalls or the surrounding hubbub. There is no entry fee and the live music is free. Spend what you choose on food and drink as you enjoy the day. The festival is dog friendly as long as your four-legged family members are friendly, on leads and their poop is picked up. For more details,
click here to visit the Kilcunda Community Association website or
click here to visit the Lobster Festival Facebook Page.
The dunes and beaches at Kilcunda seem to go on forever - Photo copyright Gayle Beveridge
Kilcunda is on the Bass Highway 120kms and one and a half hours from the Melbourne CBD or about fifty minutes from Cranbourne. Visit anytime but if you are planning to stay, it pays to book ahead as accommodation is at a premium in school holidays and when special events are on around the Bass Coast and on Phillip Island. For more information, check out the
Visit Bass Coast website or telephone 1300 366 422.
For more to do and see while you are in the area, check out
Top 11 Things to do in Kilcunda,
27 Things to do on a Phillip Island and Bass Coast Holiday, and
Top 13 Reasons for a Wonthaggi Getaway.
Enjoy spectacular scenery from these ocean view villas - Photo from Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat Facebook Page
If you're looking for a weekend stay, there are several accommodation options.
The Ocean View Holiday Retreat is on the beach side of the Bass Highway and offers luxury ocean view cottages and villas, cabins, caravan and camp sites. On top of the cliff overlooking the town beach and Bass Strait, the retreat is ideally situated. A stay in one of the oceanfront villas is on my bucket list; I'm told the views are to die for.
The Kilcunda Ocean View Motel is on the Bass Highway next to the Hotel and across the road from the town beach. The motel has thirteen rooms available.
Airbnb lists some holiday homes available in Kilcunda and the surrounding areas.
