Barwon Heads

Barwon Heads brings together different ideas for a stay: golf on several courses, activities on the river and nature exploration at Barwon Bluff. When planning your trip, you can decide whether a round of golf, time on the water or a walk through the protected area is the main draw for you and your fellow travellers. The specific offerings differ considerably in character.

Golf courses and tournament history

13th Beach Golf Links has two championship golf courses. It also offers a short course, a nine-hole course. So, alongside the championship courses, golf enthusiasts will also find a clearly defined shorter course format. Since 2013, 13th Beach has hosted the Men’s and Women’s Vic Open. This tournament history is part of what makes the golf destination distinctive.

The Barwon Heads Golf Club is a separate course: it is Australia’s first true links course. Tee times for rounds played on a green fee basis are available on selected days. If you’d like to fit a round of golf into your stay, the specific club and the days available are both important points to consider when planning. Be careful not to confuse the names of the two courses: the two championship golf courses and the short course belong to 13th Beach Golf Links; the description of the first true links course refers to the Barwon Heads Golf Club.

Enjoy the river and estuary

There are also different ways to spend time on the water. Visitors can kayak on the river at Barwon Heads. You can swim in the river estuary, and stand-up paddleboarding is possible when the current is suitable. These activities offer different ways to spend time on the water: kayaking on the river, swimming in the estuary or paddleboarding, subject to the condition stated. If water activities are important to your trip, you can take these differences into account when considering Barwon Heads.

Barwon Bluff: walking loop and Marine Sanctuary

The Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary is accessible from the town of Barwon Heads. Close to the destination, the protected area safeguards reefs and marine life across 17 hectares. Visitors can explore its rock platforms and beaches on an organised or self-guided tour. There are two options for tours; which one you prefer depends on whether you’d rather explore with a guide or independently.

The walking loop around Barwon Bluff runs over steps, gravel and sand. These changing surfaces are a specific feature of the route and distinguish it from a tour focused solely on the rock platforms and beaches of the protected area. If you’re planning a walk, you can take the trail conditions into account when deciding. At the same time, exploring the Bluff takes in a range of landscape features, while the Sanctuary offers a distinct nature focus, with its protected reefs and marine life.

Choose the right focus for your trip

When choosing a holiday rental in Barwon Heads, you can use the different travel interests as a guide.

More destinations

Redesdale, Ballarat East, Rye, Werribee, Staghorn Flat, Elmore, Main Ridge, Lakes Entrance

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.