St Kilda, this ultimate seaside suburb, is an exemplary destination for visitors in Melbourne. It is located 6km Southeast of Melbourne’s CBD. From historic amusement places like Luna Park, Esplanade Hotel, Catani Gardens, Acland Street and Fitzroy Street, the city is the perfect urban realm to indulge and be a part of various entertaining pursuits. The town is popular for live music, outdoor activities, arts, culture, and annual festivals like the St Kilda Festival, St Kilda film festival, and Pride March, making it an urban playground.
1. St Kilda Beach- An Overview
Soak in the shoreline beauty of Melbourne and take a walk through the most beautiful and renowned white sandy beach in Melbourne, Australia – St Kilda Beach. Amongst the beautiful beaches in Australia, St Kilda is located amidst breakwater form, St Kilda pier on the northern boundary, and Brooks jetty crossing the southern end of the main beach.
The most famous beach in Melbourne is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, beach volleyball, or enjoying the picnic spots on the lawns adjacent to the beach. Stretching from St Kilda pier to St.Kilda Marina, the beach has fun things to explore and experience. After the modification by the foreshore development, the main beach is now 650m long, with Jacka Boulevard and St Kilda Esplanade alongside.
The sparkling blue waters of the beach offer enthralling activities that happen here at the beach, like sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, snorkelling, jet skiing, swimming, paddle boarding, kiteboarding, and waterskiing. Along the beach, they have a boardwalk developed for walking, cycling, jogging and rollerblading.
2. Some Must-Visit Places In & Around the Beach
2.1. St Kilda Sea Baths Complex
Come take a dip in Australia’s only indoor heated seawater pool here in the St Kilda Sea Baths complex. This complex at the oceanfront feels like a luxurious escape located along the St Kilda foreshore.
The multi-use establishment includes a pool, spa, gymnasium, bars, food, shops, and entertainment alongside the St Kilda beach. The place hosts a good ambiance for visitors and is a perfect place to socialize and watch sunsets with the silhouette of palm trees and cool sea breezes.
Built to match the earlier demolished sea bath structure, the place resembles the architecture of the reconstructed 1931 baths in the Spanish-Moorish style. What stands today is a twin domed Moorish style section, including various restaurants at two levels, function rooms, a courtyard, a health club, and a 25m heated pool with soothing temperatures to calm, heal and relax.
You can enjoy the waters of St Kilda beach with their outdoor seating facility on a grassy area under the palm trees.
2.2. St Kilda Pier
Take a stroll along the beautiful St Kilda Pier. This landmark offers picturesque panoramic views of Melbourne’s city skyline and the sparkling water of Port Phillip Bay and St Kilda Beach.
Apart from being a beautiful destination, the place is home to a colony of little penguins breeding amongst the rocks and increasing in number. The pavilion is of cultural importance to Melburnians.
Set your spirit free here and relax as you enjoy the sublime sunset views from the pier and catch a glimpse of penguins swimming back to their home in the breakwater.
2.3. St Kilda Marina
Pioneering to be one of its kind and setting an example for others to follow, the St Kilda Marina is Melbourne’s leading facility to provide access to water instantly.
We can credit it to the foresightedness of the Spooner family to think ahead of its times and develop this vision for Australia. The St Kilda marina stands prestigiously built on reclaimed land as the first large-scale marina in Melbourne, Australia.
The beach abuts the side of St Kilda Marina in the south. It provides one with services like a wet berth where you can avail your boating experience 24×7 with your family and friends without stressing over what time of day it is. One can board their vessel and relish the experience of cruising, fishing, boating, or just enjoying the calm ocean waters of Philip Bay and relax away from the land with the therapeutic experience and ambience.
2.3.1 Dry Berth
The dry berth stores your vessels, and with their new 14-S omega forklift, the boat can be easily stored in a rack storage facility. Give a call here and make your vessel ready and launched by their staff without delaying your excitement.
2.3.2 Boat and Trailer Storage
The facility has 150 numbered spaces allotted for boats with wash-down provisions at the centre ramp.
2.3.3 Jet Ski Storage
The place keeps your jet skis in ready condition for accessing the waters readily. The provision to store the jet ski is done in their floating pontoons.
2.4. St Kilda Harbour
Fall in love with the overall picture with the Melbourne city skyline in the background and yachts and boats anchored in the harbor. The St Kilda Harbour is a local port for Port Philip. The harbour is renowned for its vibrancy and recreational attractions it has to offer for its visitors, locals and enthusiasts of recreational activities.
2.5 St Kilda Esplanade Market
What else can release more dopamine than shopping your heart out?
The St Kilda Esplanade is an iconic shopping location by the bay. Get hold of the authentic Australian items here in the market, serving since 1970.
You can delight yourself in shopping the diverse range of art, jewellery, craft, fashion and accessories, health and well-being products, food and beverages of good quality, and original creations to take home as a memory of visiting St Kilda.
3. Some Latest Facts to Know Before Visiting
- The Luna Park, one of the must-visit places around St Kilda is more than 100 years old! Its construction started in the year 1912.
- The little blue (fairy) penguins are present year-round around the St. Kilda pier.
- Each year in February month, St. Kilda hosts one of the biggest music festivals in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Which is the must-visit places around St Kilda beach?
A few of the must-visit places are Luna Park, St Kilda pier, St Kilda botanical gardens, St Kilda Sea bath complex and the Catani gardens.
2. How to reach St Kilda beach?
Shuttle bus service is provided directly to the beach which is booked in advance. Alternatively, there are a number of trams for St Kilda beach like No.12 and No. 96 from Collins Street and Bourke Street respectively. You may also choose the option of a car or a taxi. If you are feeling rather adventurous you may cycle your way through on the designated cycle tracks which run through the beach.
3. What kind of cuisine is the specialty of St Kilda?
The place has a range of cuisines to offer from Italian to the Mediterranean. You may find dining options with lavish ambiance a stone’s throw away from cheap street food options more famous among backpackers.
4. Which are the best restaurants in St Kilda?
A few of the best restaurants near St. Kilda are Supernormal Canteen, Stoke house, Pontoon, Café Di Stasio, St Kilda Burger Bar, Uncle St Kilda, and the famous Esplanade Hotel called “The Espy”.
5. Are pets allowed at St Kilda beach?
Dogs are allowed on St Kilda beach from 1 April to 31 October on the sand area, and South of Brooks jetty they are always permitted.
Conclusion
Take a calming walk, admire the beautiful canvas at the horizon, feel cute about the blooming colony of penguins outside the cosmopolitan, swim or surf in the sea, soak in the sun, photograph the splendid city skyline of Melbourne, relish over beverages in open-air cafes, eat at a nearby kiosk, click loads of photos to save in your gallery, and feel the energy around you escaping here at St Kilda Beach.
Undoubtedly St Kilda beach is the most famous beach in Melbourne with an unmatched experience.
Last Updated on November 9, 2023 by Laveleena Sharma
