Summerland Bay is the home of the Phillip Island penguins. It is also thought to have been the birthplace of surfing on Phillip Island in the 1920s. Thankfully, due to a number of rational decisions over the years, the bay continues to have a wild feeling.
Yes, the Penguin Parade takes up the majority of the west end of the bay, but the beach is over a kilometer long with the preserved adjacent inland area for the sanctuary birds. The morning I placed this cache I had the beach to myself with the waves rolling in. Despite being winter, the sun was shining I was spared the wind as it was from the north - the beach was sheltered. That is not always the case as strong southerlies do punish this beach.
Despite the Penguin parade dominating the area - and the new Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is now open. This is a grand space/ building that has won international architectural acclaim.
The Centre is not open until 5 pm so you can still access this Public beach for free via the suggested Parking WP to the west of the centre .
The Penguins' arrival differs in seasons according to the sunset. This timing may dictates when you can walk the beach to find this cache, I do not recommend you find it on the same night as your penguin experience - (if you are coming for the show) - unless you have plenty of time to walk the whole beach and back again - its over a 2 km walk there and back again - It took me 20 minutes for the return trip - quick walk . I have purposely placed the cache at the other end of the beach for this reason and the fact it is away from the sensitive ecological areas. Check the information at this website - https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/penguin-parade/opening-times/
Please check the tides too as at HIGH TIDE THERE MAY BE NO BEACH - DO NOT ATTEMPT around this time. Check the up to date weather and tidal information here -
http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Summerland-Bay
You can approach this cache from Kitty Miller Bay - around the headland without having to go near the Penguin area - but again THIS IS ALSO TIDAL DEPENDENT! - and the path is a little treacherous - terrain at least 3 stars. This way is via the EARTH CACHE GC5PHTX What a Dike! by CO Gonefishen07 - with parking at Kitty Miller beach park.
THIS CACHE - I have placed it just off the beach in the dune bushes. As you approach GZ you will see there is a way off the beach that is already partially established. Go up here, rather than create more dune erosion, and you should find the cache easily accessible hidden under some natural foliage. I recommend you lift it out - it is not heavy, and put aside any covering to put the top when you leave. With the cover of the bushes - if there is wind, have a little picnic on the ground - sorry no food in the cache or drink - you will have to search the contents of the cache for the log. Use some common sense and perhaps the lid of the cache to sort things out - PLEASE RETAIN ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE CACHE AND RETURN THEM TO THE CACHE WHEN FINISHED - Don't forget to secure the lid with the handle as you found it.
(**31/10/2022 - I checked cache today - despite developing some rust over 3 years it is still in play )
The log has a pencil with it. There was a trackable in the cache for the FTF to move on - GurTheWanderer from Queensland picked that up as FTF. Because of its locality, the cache remained unfound for a few days) - There is space to add your own trackables.