Patterson River Traditional Cache
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As one of the few designated safe harbours on the city side of the bay, the Patterson River is the most popular boating gateway to Port Phillip Bay. The thriving canal system of the Patterson Lakes residential area and the wet and dry storage at the Whalers Cove Marina combine with four public boat ramps to make an extremely busy waterway.
Things to Do
A well known feature of the Patterson River is the National Water Sports Centre (NWSC), Riverend Road, Bangholme.
The centre was developed as an international standard rowing course in preparation for Melbourne's bid for the 1988 Olympics. Unfortunately, this and later bids did not succeed.
The NWSC is now used for a more diverse range of water based activities including rowing, water skiing, canoeing, kayaking, triathlons, coarse angling, jet skis and radio controlled yachts.
For information on the National Water Sports Centre call 03 9782 7777.
Facilities
Undercover picnic areas and electric barbecues.
Bike trails to Mordialloc, Dandenong, Frankston and the City.
Plentiful estuary fishing (bream, mullet) and well equipped tackle and bait.
Board walks and an indoor/outdoor cafe.
Coast Guard on duty weekends.
Charter vessels.
Public launching ramps at Launching Way, off McLeod Road, Carrum.
Heritage
The Patterson River is a man made waterway, created in 1876 to provide direct drainage from the entire Dandenong Valley catchment area. This runoff flowed into the Carrum Swamp which spread behind the sand dunes between Mordialloc and Frankston with the only outlets to the bay being the Mordialloc Creek and the Kananook Creek at Frankston.
In 1934, 960 houses and farms were inundated by floodwaters. It was then decided to raise the levels of the artificial banks between the bay and Pillars Bridge, south of Dandenong. The river mouth is regularly inspected by Parks Victoria and contractors are employed to dredge the outlet to a safe depth when needed.
BYO pen.
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