Blairgowrie Jumping Rock has to be the most incredible cliff jump Victoria has to offer. And the best part is it’s only an hour and a half drive from Melbourne.
An afternoon at the rock
It’s an overcast afternoon, and there’s a pleasant yet threatening chill in the air. We park at the end of St Johns Wood Road and take the narrow path that leads down to the beach.
It feels like a hidden oasis even though there are people are dotted everywhere.
The jump is composed of a jagged sandstone cliff and arranged by nature to arch gracefully over a turquoise rock pool. It’s a spectacular vision of raw beauty, and about a 15-minute walk over rough terrain to get there, I wish I had remembered my reef shoes!
To jump or not to jump?
There’s a lovely spot under the arch of the cliff face to shelter you from the sun and wind. People are standing knee-deep around the edge of the rock pool watching the jumping action. The rock pool is 3 meters deep and smaller than I thought it would be. You wouldn’t want to misjudge it.
I watch people jump, its a 7-meter free fall, and today, there’s the added bonus of a 29 km wind whipping around from the south. Not for the faint-hearted and certainly not for me! No siree!
The rock has different levels to jump from. You can start with the first level and make your way up. My merman friend, Steve, climbs up the rock with ease as I watch anxiously from below.
Rogue waves are crashing dramatically over the low rock face. Someone yells out “the tide is coming, it’s time to make a move.”
how to get there-
When heading towards the Mornington Peninsula on Melbourne Road, make a left into St John Woods Road and head all the way down. From the parking area make your along the path. From there, descend the steep staircase to the beach below and keep walking straight on past the beach. You can’t miss it.
Address: Bridgewater Bay -Blairgowrie, Mornington Peninsula
St John Woods Road.
beach notes
The tide comes in super fast, so if you have young kids you need to really leave with plenty of time up your sleeve.
Wear reef shoes, the terrain is slow going bare foot.
A pizza note
Once the sun goes down and it’s time to head back to Melbourne I love to stop at Express pizza in Dromana on the way home and pickup a pizza. You should be confident that you have arrived at a popular Pizza place when two guys walk out with twelve pizzas each. This place is one of those rare finds. It genuinely is the best pizza. 137 Point Nepean Rd, Dromana.
Once you’ve ordered your 12 pizzas, head across the road and pick a spot on the beach or the pier and watch the sunset.
BEACH ESSENTIALS FOR BLAIRGOWRIE JUMPING ROCK
Summer
Vibe
The sky was so blue, and the sun so bright, that an eternal summer seemed to reign.
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