Altona Wetlands - June 2019

Altona doesn't normally feature in top walking destinations in Melbourne....

...but it's surprisingly good in spots.

I’ve been wanting to do this walk again for a fair while, however every time I find myself with a little time off I seem to be pulled toward more distant locations. Altona isn’t really front of mind when it comes to walking destinations in Victoria, the area is more famous for it’s heavy industry, however having walked here before I knew that the area offered a little more. So anyway with a fairly average day, weather wise, forecast for this Saturday I thought that I might be able to squeeze in a walk at Altona before the rain arrived.

I got an early start today...a ridiculously early start!

Arriving at the starting point for my stroll on the Esplanade it appeared that despite my super early start the rain had beaten me, I’d driven the last twenty minutes through the almost deserted pre dawn western suburbs with the windscreen wipers on. After procrastinating for as long as possible in the ute as I pulled my boots on the rain had more or less stopped by the time I set off though. While the rain had more or less stopped it was still virtually pitch black, so dark that photos were almost a waste of time at the moment, not that I was too concerned about that though as I’d be retracing 1.4 kilometres of the walk again a bit later in the morning. By the time I’d meandered my way along the trail to the Laverton Creek foot bridge the light was good enough to take a photo downstream looking out along the still water towards Port Phillip Bay.

Looking back across the Port Phillip Bay salt flats towards the Melbourne CBD.

I've successfully summited my first hill.

Looking out along Laverton Creek towards Port Phillip Bay.

While it was now light enough to see where I was going the overhead conditions were hardly filling me with joy, grey and overcast was looking like it was going to be the order of the day. I was now heading through an old dump that has successfully been rehabilitated as I made my way along the wet track towards a low hill. Now my GPS says that I climbed 217 metres over the distance of this mornings stroll, however seeing that the two ‘hills’ that I’d climb were probably only 20 metres above the surrounding billiard table flat plains I find that figure very hard to believe. Despite the lack of height this little hill allowed me to get some nice views both back towards the Melbourne CBD and also south-west along the wetland lined Port Phillip Bay.

I was now passing through an old tip that is being rehabilitated. These volcanic rocks are a feature of the south western districts of Victoria.

Heading up to check out the Time Beacon SculptureI climbed my second hill for the day. There are some good views east to the city skyline from up here.

The views to the south-west along Port Phillip Bay weren't too bad either.

After checking out the ‘Time Beacon’ sculpture I dropped down the ‘100 Steps of Federation’ and headed west for a couple of minutes until I reached another sealed path that headed north along the back fences of the Altona Meadows houses. Trudging along here in my gortex jacket in the grey and drizzly early morning I must of made a strange sight to any early risers peering out there back windows. After making my way up to Queen Street I did a slight dog leg as I crossed the busy road and picked up another sealed path, this one beside Laverton Creek again and running north. The walking along here is typical of the walking I remember from my other visits Altona, in that I was walking along a flat track towards a wetland with heavy industry and houses pretty much surrounding me. Surprisingly enough it’s actually pretty enjoyable though, especially if you like birds.

The Time Beacon.

I now dropped down the 100 Steps of Federation.

There is a bit of public art scattered along the route.

The former Altona Tip.

Reaching the houses of Altona Meadows I shuffled my way up to Queen Street.

Making my way along Laverton Creek I was looking for the spot that I’d cross the creek and head out into the Truganina Swamp. Where as up until now I’d been walking major tracks, most of them sealed, from now on for a little while things got a little rougher. Pushing through the reeds as I crossed Laverton Creek on some stepping stones I was suddenly on a real bushwalk, well for a little while anyway. Although the 7:30am Metro to Laverton, crossing the paddock in the distance, soon brought me back to reality. I was now actually aiming for the railway line which I followed for five minutes or so, it certainly isn’t your typical walk.

This scene along Laverton Creek is typical of the walk, wetlands in the foreground - heavy industry in the distance. 

The trail beside Laverton Creek is a wide shared path - there was no one about this morning though.

This sign (if you can read it) marks the spot to head through the reeds into Truganina Swamp.

It all looks a little dodgy....

....but it's not too bad.

Truganina Swamp

I followed the railway line for a few hundred metres.

Nearing the houses that mark the outskirts of Altona I turned south and started to to slowly make my way back down towards Laverton Creek again. I was now back on a wide shared path, although this one was crushed granite and not concrete like a lot of the other paths today had been. I actually passed another person along this section of track, this lady out for a morning jog was the first person that I’d seen on the track since leaving the ute a hour or so ago. The track along here skirts one of Truganina Swamps small lakes and this one has it’s own bird hide, the small lake having a good population of waterbirds calling it home this morning.

Truganina Swamp.

Overhead conditions were still a little un-settled.

There's a nice bird hide on this lake.

Things were looking up!

Soon after leaving the bird hide I met a track which crossed a bridge that spanned that swamp outlet and struck out through Truganina Swamp to Laverton Creek. I was a little dubious of the benefit of this little side trip as I’d end up in more or less the same spot by staying on the main track. Still, seeing that I’ll probably not be back over here walking for a fair while I decided to take the short side trip and you know what?…yep, I was right to be sceptical! After retracing my way back onto the main track I was soon back beside Laverton Creek and heading south again, the main interest now for me was the brooding black clouds around me and whether I’d make it back without finding myself under one of them.

I crossed the bridge over into the Truganina Swamp again.

I was a little dubious about this little side trip but at least the light was good.

My side trip finished on the banks of Laverton Creek.

Truganina Swamp

After crossing Queen Street again I continued on beside the wide Laverton Creek, the creek looking more like a lake along here. The Foreshore Trail skirts around the old Explosives Reserve along here, peering through the fence it looks like the old reserve is being rehabilitated. There are a few information signs scattered along the trail along here mostly describing the history of the Explosive Reserve which add a bit of interest to the stroll. After passing the long wood bridge that I’d crossed at dawn this morning I completed the circuit part of my walk, all that was left now was a nice easy 1.5 kilometre retrace back to the ute.

Laverton Creek

Laverton Creek

Approaching the bridge over Laverton Creek the circuit part of my walk was over.

The walk along here borders the old Explosives Reserve, there are a few information signs scattered about.

This last section of the walk turned out to be the best bit of today’s stroll I think. Reaching the shoreline of Port Phillip Bay I was now able to see the flocks of waterbirds enjoying the shallows. With a few shallow sand bars, plenty of birds, along with some very changeable overhead conditions I really enjoyed walking this short section. For the best views along here it’s best to leave the concrete shared path and walk an informal pad just above the high water line I think. Arriving back at the ute the morning was still young, I suppose that there is an advantage to having dodgy back that forces me out of bed early on a cold and wet Melbourne winters morning.

The entrance to Laverton Creek.

I love this light.

There are extensive salt flats bordering Port Phillip Bay along here.

The Dirt.
I walked 11.4 kilometres and climbed 217 metres on this easy-medium grade walk. Like I mentioned earlier I think that the kilometre figure is pretty spot on but the metres climbed figure seems wildly optimistic. This is a very good walk if you appreciate birds, the wetlands are home to a variety of migratory birds although I’m not the right person to try an identify them unfortunately. This walk is for all intents and purposes flat, there are only two very small man made hills that the route climbs. The other notable thing on this stroll is the general lack of cover or shelter, on a hot day or on a cold and wet day you’ll be exposed to the elements for long distances. On this walk I used the House of Chapman’s notes out of their book Day Walks Melbourne, the map and notes in the book are all you really need for this walk I think.

Relevant Posts.
St Kilda to Station Pier, 2018.
Big Rock Walk, You Yangs Regional Park, 2019.
You Yangs, You Yangs Regional Park, 2016.

Unfortunately I'm hopeless at identifying birds.

Port Phillip Bay from Altona.

Time to head home.