A photo essay of a summer by the sea in South Australia

Editor By Editor
hero media
Millie Brown captures the essence of a summer in South Australia in Robe on the Limestone Coast.

Given South Australia has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, summer for me is all about being by the sea, chilling and relaxing, winding down and warming up. Throwing the shoes off and the bathers on. Feeling the healing energy of the sea and breathing in the salty air.

 

These photos reflect time spent outdoors under the big Australian summer sky, appreciating the beauty of nature and interacting with it. Ditching the sensible car and jumping in the Land Rover.

 

My images were taken at beautiful Long Beach in Robe, located on the stunning Limestone Coast of South Australia.

 

This beach is one of the few drive-on beaches we have in South Australia and it is one of our most beautiful and loved. A dear friend of mine has a wonderful beach shack here and I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy many summer days on this glorious patch of sand.

 

Waking up to a sizzling hot breakfast on the deck, packing the Landy with an assortment of beach gear, food and drink, and heading down onto Long Beach to do nothing other than laze under the beach tent, sip a cool drink, play a little backgammon, and swim in the clear aquamarine water that this beach is renowned for, is magical.

 

As the sunshine fades, we pack up the Landy and cruise along the sand over to the famous Robe Obelisk to watch the sunset and the big beautiful waves of the wild Southern Ocean crash against the limestone cliffs. Sometimes the Landy needs a little help to get going, but mostly she is the perfect beach jalopy for the job.

Drive Long Beach in a Land Rover in Robe, South Australia

Millie Brown - collecting shells on Long Beach

Millie Brown - Views out over Long Beach in Robe

Millie Brown - Setting up on Long Beach for the day in Robe with the Land Rover

Millie Brown - Mother and daughter on Long Beach with

Millie Brown - view from inside the Land Rover on Long Beach in Robe

Millie Brown - The Obelisk in Robe

Millie Brown - checking under the bonnet in Robe

Millie Brown - inside details of the Land Rover

Millie Brown - Breakfast by the beach in Robe

Millie Brown - Swimming in the sea in Robe

Millie Brown - Driving on the sand in Robe

 

Visit our Reclaim Summer hub for more ways to experience the best of summer.

 

It’s time to #ReclaimSummer, time to be better travellers, and time to find our joy again; share your summer with us by using the hashtag and tagging @AustTraveller on Instagram  or Facebook .
Editor
See all articles
Close up image of a freshly flame grilled vegetarian halloumi cheeseburger on a wooden counter at an outdoor food market. This burger is loaded with a vegetarian burger meat substitute, fresh salad, melted halloumi cheese and spanish onion and tomato. The burger is sandwiched between glazed buns.
Mt Gambier

7 excellent Mount Gambier restaurants to try now

From a scene-stealing country steakhouse to a fine dining eatery, these are the Mount Gambier restaurants worth visiting. 

Read more
Mount Gambier Sinkholes
Mt Gambier

The fascinating sinkholes in Mount Gambier to visit

Fancy a swim in a dazzling cobalt waterway, or a stroll around a lush, emerald wonderland? The famous Mount Gambier sinkholes can set the mood for every kind of adventure.

Read more
swimming at Little Blue Lake, Mount Gambier
Mt Gambier

The perfect 3-day Mount Gambier itinerary

As this action-packed three-day itinerary around Mount Gambier shows, there are unlimited experiences to be had in this one location.

Read more
the Little Blue Lake sinkhole in Mt Gambier
Mt Gambier

A guide to the magical blue lakes of Mount Gambier

With its vibrant hue, Blue Lake Mount Gambier is celebrated for all the right reasons, but the good news? There’s plenty more where that came from. 

Read more
hero media

This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael TurtleBy Michael Turtle
    Continue
    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves . Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.