Mccrae between beach and history

Beach, trail and history give Mccrae its different facets: on Port Phillip is the several-kilometre-long McCrae Beach; there are also the Bay Trail, the lighthouse and McCrae Homestead. This gives you different interests to consider when planning your trip—time by the water, getting around on foot or by bike, and historical insights.

Beach and water activities

McCrae Beach stretches for several kilometres from Anthony’s Nose to Rosebud and is one of the better beaches along this stretch of the Port Phillip coast. Here you can swim and go stand-up paddleboarding. Check local conditions before swimming. These two activities give a beach day different focuses: time in the water or stand-up paddleboarding on the water. This makes it easy to include the coast in your day’s plans in a practical way.

The Bay Trail and seasonal camping

The Bay Trail runs through McCrae and is a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. It offers a different way to spend your time than the water activities at the beach. If you enjoy walking or cycling, you can make this trail a focus of your plans.

Camping in the foreshore reserve is available each year from the last weekend in October to the last weekend in April. The camping area lies between the main road and the beach and extends from Anthony’s Nose in McCrae to Chinaman’s Creek in Capel Sound (Rosebud West). It therefore reaches beyond McCrae into Capel Sound. If camping is an option for you, plan your dates around this recurring period and check the council’s latest information before travelling.

Lighthouse and homestead: two historical perspectives

The McCrae Lighthouse, also known as the Eastern Shore Light, guided ships through the South Channel of Port Phillip for more than a century. It was decommissioned in 1994. Its history is one of its former role in guiding ships through the channel; today, the lighthouse is a historic landmark whose maritime role is distinct from the beach activities.

McCrae Homestead offers another perspective on the area’s history. The lawyer Andrew McCrae and his wife Georgiana, an artist, built it in 1844. The visitor centre on the property displays photographs, artefacts and belongings of the Burrell-Twycross family, who lived at the homestead from 1851 to 1926. Alongside the seafaring history, the focus is therefore also on earlier domestic life and family history.

Plan your stay around your interests

The activities can be distinguished by the kind of day they offer: the beach is for swimming and stand-up paddleboarding, the Bay Trail is a shared path for walking or cycling, and the lighthouse and homestead offer historical insights. Consider which of these options matters most to you and which you’d like to add. This priority can help guide your choice of accommodation in Mccrae, without requiring the beach, trail and history to play the same role in your trip.

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