Cape Conran Coastal Park is an area located in East Gippsland Victoria. The closest town is Marlo, which sits on the mighty Snowy River estuary, as the river flows into Bass Strait. There are many things to explore in the coastal park including Cape Conran itself, Snapper Rocks, Banksia Bluff and the Yeerung River and Yeerung River Estuary.
My stay here was somewhat limited by heavy rains which severely curtailed my efforts to get to all places and my attempts at photography. Also the character of this area is beginning to transform from the tragic bushfires that occurred in and scarred most of the area in early 2020. All around the area are the remains of burnt out vegetation, and damage to infrastructure but the greenery has already begun to return, promising much potential in the near to moderate future. As I return to photograph and document this area, I will concentrate on more specific features of the coastal park, but here I will give more of an overview.
To begin with, this is simply a stunning area in spite of its many battle scars.
This visit occurred in winter and besides the rain the great advantage was that there were not many people in the areas of the park that I visited. I only came across a handfull of people wherever I went. This added to the wild and solitary atmosphere of the place, which I imagine simply does not exist in the busier seasons. To me, that is a huge shame as the solitary atmosphere encouraged all sorts of native fauna to roam freely, particulary at Banksia Bluff. It was recharging for the soul to witness seemingly unaffected wallabies, kangaroos and wombats wandering about.
Nearby Yeerung River and Yeerung River Estuary was also a highlight.
Although some of the infrastructure was still damaged in that area; that is you cannot drive to Yeerung Gorge because the bridge is awaiting repairs, there are great walking trails beside the Yeerung River. The walking trail along the Yeerung River to the Yeerung Estuary is only a 45 minute each way trip and fairly easy as far as hikes go. The photographic opportunities around the river and estuary are plenty and I was fortunate enough to catch the river and estuary on a very still day.
Banksia Bluff itself was the area that most typified the recent bushfire damage and recovery. The Banksias themselves were not yet in abundance and their numbers were definitely in need of replenishing. Nevertheless, I did see some Banksias in spite of the damage and the season. I am sure there would be more outside of the winter season and the few that I saw were quite beautiful.
Finally, one cannot document a visit to Cape Conran Coastal Park without mentioning Snapper Rocks. In the sunset light of Golden Hour, the colors and ambience are absolutely stunning. It is impossible to capture it all photographically, but there are many sections of the rocks which make for stunning photography in the right light. It is a spot that you would need to return to a lot to get the most out of the rock formations and the wildlife that inhabit them.
Unfortunately my time here was brief and I left feeling somewhat dejected that I could not stay longer. This area is a hidden jewel and though not as well known as other coastal areas in Victoria, I have the definite feeling that as the area continues to recover it will not stay hidden.
My overwhelming feeling was the sense that I needed to return here soon before it becomes too popular and the photographic opportunites become limited, like some of the tourist heavy areas on Victoria’s west coast.
Cape Conran Coastal Park, I look forward to returning very soon!
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