Dinosaur Digs at The Caves

It's not every day you get to dig for dinosaur bones at the beach with a Paleontologist, but a school holiday program activity let us do just that.

The South Gippsland Conservation Centre offers these guided tours and we jumped at the chance to join.  

We started off with an information session at Inverloch's Bunurong Environment Centre, before driving ourselves to the local dig site at The Caves, which I had briefly visited on my Bunurong Coastal Drive a few months ago. 

The  area is a  renowned dig site, since the first fossils were found here in the 1920's and the Dinosaur Dreaming group has spent many years doing annual digs here. 

We started by clearing a section around the edge of a large rockpool, then tipping water over the coal-filled rock. Hammers were used to chip away at pieces of rock, in the hope of finding something of interest.

One of the group cracked a rock in half and the clean break within showed a beautiful fossilised leaf inside, just like this specimen on display at the Discovery Centre.

Petrified trees could be seen embedded in the rocky seabed...

 ...and these footprints showed us that there really was some Dinosaur evidence around.

We headed off to the end of the beach and explored The Caves before the tide came in.

I think I saw a dinosaur in there....can you see his face?

The Dinosaur Dreaming crew have relocated and now have an annual dig near Cape Otway and at an inland site near Koonwarra. This site at Flat Rocks/The Caves is open to the public, but is part of Bunurong Marine park, so check with DD or the Environment Centre before you head there with your hammer and bucket. 

What: South Gippsland Conservation Society
Where: The Esplanade, Inverloch
When:  Fri-Mon 10am-4pm
Why: Dinosaurs
How Much: FREE to visit the beach on your own
Related post: Bunurong Coastal Drive

Wonthaggi Street Art

I heard about the Wonthaggi Street Art after stumbling upon their FB page a few weeks ago, so we made a beeline for the colourful laneways whilst visiting over the Christmas break. 

Durham Lane is a sight to behold, smaller and less grungy than Hosier, more bright and cheery, like a sunny day on the Great Barrier Reef. 

Though most of this lane is taken up with marine creatures in their blue, blue sea, other pieces appear nearby in Abrahams Lane.

I think these eyes were watching me walk along the laneway...

A child throws a paper plane, and a small dog reappears along the length of the wall, possibly trying to fetch the plane. 

I really liked this piece depicting the nearby State Coal Mine, which we visited on a previous trip.

The street art project was put in place to curb local graffiti artists in a no-tag kind of plan. I'm sure it will also bring in tourists like myself, to Instagram it to bits and showcase its wonderful artists.

What: Wonthaggi Street Art
Where: Abraham's Lane
When:  Daily 
Why: street art
How Much: FREE
Related post: State Coal Mine

Bunurong Coastal Drive

From Wonthaggi, it was a short drive to the start of the stunning Bunurong Coastal Drive at Cape Paterson.  Then we headed East to Inverloch to chill out on the beach for a couple of hours. We returned the same way, stopping at all the lookouts on our left, starting at Flat Rocks.

It's almost a mini Great Ocean Road, with clifftop lookouts, sweeping views of Bass Strait, wild surf beaches and wonderful rockpools along its 13km length. 

Oh, and a few dinosaurs to boot.

From 1994 to 2013, a group of dinosaur researchers, Dinosaur Dreaming, uncovered thousands of bones in the area. I've seen some on display in my travels at Cape OtwayLightstation (near the new dig site) and the Gondwana Exhibition at the National Wool Museum, Geelong.

 

Between Flat Rocks and The Caves, there have been many significant finds, including SEVEN types of dinosaurs!

It all began at Eagles Nest, a rocky outcrop just off shore, where Australia's very first dinosaur bone was discovered a century ago. Nowadays, there's a carpark and lookout on the clifftop, and a huge staircase leading down to the beach.

Shack Bay was our next stop. We clambered down another wooden staircase to the shoreline below...

...and was greeted by a gorgeous bay, with huge sandstone cliffs either side of a secluded stretch of sand.

Twin Reefs looked to be the most uninviting of the beaches, due to the rocky platforms under the waves - so we kept on trucking along.

   

The roadside flora as we approached Undertow Bay was lush and green, with bright Pigface flowers dotted throughout... 

...and just along the road, the late afternoon sun and seaspray mist gave the place a dark contrast.

Cape Paterson is a good place to start or finish the drive. We chose to have a quick snack at a perfectly located picnic table overlooking the ocean, before exploring the rocky shore. 

Surfers, swimmers, cyclists, adults, kids, dogs - they were all here to enjoy the sun, surf and sand. 

The area is comprised of Bunurong Marine National Park, Bunurong Marine Park and Bunurong Coastal Reserve, so check Parks Vic site and local signs for activity regulations before you go fishing with your dog :)

What: Bunurong Coastal Drive

Where: Cape Paterson Rd
When:  Daily
Why: beaches, scenery
How Much: FREE
Related post:  State Coal Mine, Wonthaggi