While there are palm-fringed promenades, a parkland strand and a long stretch of sand, St Kilda’s seaside appeal is more Brighton, England, than Baywatch, despite 20-odd years of glitzy development. The kiosk at the end of St Kilda Pier (an exact replica of the original, which burnt down in 2003, a year short of its centenary) is as much about the journey as the destination.
The breakwater near the pier was built in the '50s as a safe harbour for boats competing in the Olympic Games. It’s now home to a colony of little penguins that have, incredibly, chosen the city’s most crowded suburb in which to reside. You can also visit and learn about the penguins on an eco-themed stand-up paddleboarding tour .
During summer, the Port Phillip Eco Centre also runs a range of tours, including guided urban wildlife walks and coastal discovery walks, and offers information on the penguin colony . Contact Earthcare St Kilda to get involved in penguin research.
On the foreshore south of the pier, the Moorish-style St Kilda Sea Baths has a heated indoor saltwater pool, but at $13 a dip, it’s really only attractive on frosty days.
