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Who knew that there was a “mini Greece” just one hour’s drive from Melbournes CBD! The Pillars at Mount Martha are a slice of European paradise. Beautiful sandstone cliffs, with crystal clear water. But of course there’s a catch, The Pillars are also know as Melbourne hidden beach, no signage, no parking and no view from the road! That’s why I wanted to put together this guide so you can also enjoy this hidden gem.
I lived in Melbourne for the first 23 years of my life and unfortunately never knew of the Mount Martha Pillars. So I’m very thankful for coming across an Instagram post that inspired this Melbourne day trip.
The Pillars in Mount Martha are on the Mornington Peninsula are it’s a particularly popular location over summer. The pillars are in a residential area and going by the warning signs and difficult access to the pillars, it’s clear the locals don’t love how popular this spot has become.
I do think though if visitors remain respectful, be careful and leave no trace, it’s a beach spot everyone should enjoy.
Find The Best Beach House Rentals in Mount Martha
HOW TO GET TO THE PILLARS OF MOUNT MARTHA
The pillars are located along the Esplanade in Mount Martha between Marguerita Avenue and Deakin Drive.
The address is 434-450 The Esplanade, Mount Martha but if you type in “The Pillars” into maps it’ll also come up!
The parking around here is very limited, even up Marguerita Avenue & Deakin Drive, both of these streets are filled with “no parking” or “permits only” signs. But thankfully there are two sections of parking along the Esplanade. You’ll see a couple of wider dirt sections where you can safely park your car on the side of the road.
From both of these parking areas, you’ll need to walk along the narrow road [be careful because there is no footpath] and from your car, it’ll take about 10 minutes to walk to the pillars.
So as I mentioned there are no signs for the pillars but when walking along The Esplanade you’ll see a well-developed path leading down the cliff.
A few signs are near the entrance advising “danger”, “no entry”, “unstable cliffs”. I can definitely see why the council has gone to these efforts to stop people from swimming here, as the cliff is very steep in some areas and unfortunately accidents definitely could happen.
I took it very slow walking down to the water, especially while carrying my beach bag, but I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. Just be careful and I wouldn’t recommend taking young children.
SWIMMING AND CLIFF JUMPING AT THE PILLARS MOUNT MARTHA
The swimming conditions at the pillars depend on the tide, especially if you’re keen to jump from the cliffs. I visited 2 hours before low tide and I don’t think it would have been deep enough to jump off any of the high cliffs. So judge the depth before you dive in, but at any time you could jump in from the lower rocks.
The water was absolutely stunning, really not that cold (considering it’s Melbourne) and so clean and clear. I also felt really safe and would have been happy to float around there all day.
As this isn’t a designated swimming area for visitors, there are no rubbish bins so it’s important to take everything with you.
Unfortunately, tourists have been getting a really bad rap (particularly during summer) for leaving their shit behind! So please don’t do this.
Other Things to do at The Pillars Mt Martha
Snorkeling
Sun bake
Picnic lunch
Read a book
Explore
Best Time to Visit The Pillars
Between December and March for the best weather. And, mid-week to avoid crowds.
The Pillars are by far one of the most beautiful beaches in Melbourne, and I think the area that offers the most “European vibes”.
Check out more ideas for things to do in Victoria
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
Wow, I would like to go for a swim there! The water looks amazing… thank you for putting this together!
You’re welcome, hope you’re able to visit
Wow! Looks amazing, I’m embarrassed to say I’d never even heard of The Pillars! Definitely saving for my upcoming Australia trip! 🙂
Haha don’t be embarrassed! It was so long before I heard of them… That’s awesome, hope you enjoy your visit
I love hidden gems and The Pillars looks like a must see! I never knew there was a Mini Greece. I’ll definitely be saving this for my next trip!
This looks like a stunning area to take a walk or to go swimming. The water here looks so inviting, and I love the coastal views too. Thanks for sharing!
Niiice! I love it that instagram brought you to such a fabulous spot – and I see what you mean, it totally looks like Greece! How chilly was the water!?
I feel that is one of the good things that happened during the pandemic over the last couple of years, we’ve all gotten a bit better at exploring close to home and finding hidden gems like this to explore.
Oh I totally agree with you Josy, if the pandemic didn’t happen I definitely wouldn’t have explored Australia this much! And, the water was actually lovely… I was expecting it to be freezing haha
Omg that’s is breath takingly beautiful, i just want jump in this crystal clear water.
I had no idea there was a mini Greece! The Pillars at Mount Martha look spectacular! I would love to visit this location. Great article!