Bushrangers Bay Walk: 6 km Return From Cape Schanck to a Hidden Beach

Bushrangers Bay is a sandy beach between tall basalt cliffs in Mornington Peninsula National Park, Victoria. You cannot drive to it. The walk in starts at Cape Schanck, at the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula where Bass Strait meets Western Port, and runs 2.6 km along the clifftops to the bay. The return trip is about 6 km and takes about 2 hours of walking. The beach is unpatrolled and swimming is not recommended, but the walk is one of the best coastal walks near Melbourne, about 90 minutes drive from the city.

There are two ways in. The Cape Schanck route is the scenic one: clifftop views, banksia woodland, coastal heath, and the lighthouse at the start. The Boneo Road route is the short one: park at the Bushrangers Bay picnic area on Boneo Road and walk 2.5 km to the beach. This guide covers the Cape Schanck route first, then the Boneo Road shortcut.

Figure 1: Cape Schanck lighthouse at sunset. The Bushrangers Bay walk starts at the lighthouse car park and follows the cliffs east to the bay. Photo: Ali Khiran, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The walk in numbers

The distances look inconsistent across sources because the walk has two start points and the track is measured different ways. Visit Mornington Peninsula lists 2.6 km from Cape Schanck car park to the bay and 6 km for the full return, with 4 hours listed for the combined route. AllTrails lists the Bushranger Bay Walk at 6.1 km out and back with an average time of 1 hour 30 minutes, and the Cape Schanck lighthouse site lists the same return as 5.4 km in about 2 hours. The honest range is 5.4 to 6.1 km return and 1.5 to 2 hours of walking. Allow 2 hours and you will not be rushed.

Worked timing plan: a 2 hour 20 minute morning

Use the lighthouse figure of 5.4 km return. Walk 5.4 km at 3 km per hour: 5.4 divided by 3 is 1.8 hours, which is 1 hour and 48 minutes of moving time. Add 30 minutes at the beach and the total is 2 hours and 18 minutes, about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Drive 1 hour 20 minutes from Melbourne, park at 9:00 am, walk 9:15 am to 11:35 am, and you are back at the car before lunch with time for the lighthouse boardwalk after. The stairs down to the beach are the slow part, so keep the beach stop to 30 minutes if you want to hold that plan.

What to expect on the track

The track leaves the eastern car park at Cape Schanck and runs through banksia woodland and coastal heath before it opens onto the clifftops. The views run the whole way: the lighthouse behind you, the basalt cliffs below, and open water to the horizon. The track is part of the Two Bays Walking Track, a 26 km trail that runs from Dromana on Port Phillip Bay to Bushrangers Bay, so you will see its markers along the way. The final descent to the beach is a long set of stairs. The beach itself is a curve of sand between dark basalt cliffs, with rock pools at low tide and strong surf. It feels remote even though the car park is 2.6 km away.

Do not swim here. The beach is unpatrolled and the water has strong rips and large waves. Visit Mornington Peninsula, Parks Victoria and every walking guide say the same thing. Paddle at the edge if the sea is calm, and keep children well back from the water. The same warning applies to the rock pools: check the tide before you walk down, and leave enough time to climb back out before the tide turns.

Figure 2: Cape Schanck lighthouse in daylight. Park entry is free and parking at the lighthouse is free. The paid part is the guided tower tour, not the walk. Photo: RCoxxie, CC BY-SA, via Flickr.

The Boneo Road shortcut

If you want the beach without the clifftop walk, park at the Bushrangers Bay picnic area at 1350 Boneo Road, Cape Schanck. The walk from there is 2.5 km to the beach, through the Two Bays track. Parking is limited and the area gets busy in summer, so arrive early. Do not park on Boneo Road itself: guides warn against it for safety. The picnic area has car parking, lookouts, a picnic area, public toilets and a sheltered area.

Facilities and rules

• Parking: free at Cape Schanck lighthouse and at the Boneo Road picnic area. Both fill up on summer weekends, so arrive before 10:00 am.
• Toilets: public toilets near Cape Schanck Lighthouse and at the Boneo Road picnic area. There are no toilets at the beach.
• Dogs: not allowed anywhere in Mornington Peninsula National Park, including in cars in the car park. Leave them at home.
• Lighthouse: entry to the reserve is free. The guided tower tour is paid, with adult, child and family prices that change, so check when you book.
• Camping: not allowed in the park. This is a day walk only.

Sources: Visit Mornington Peninsula, Bushrangers Bay Walking Track (2.6 km from Cape Schanck, 2.5 km from Boneo Road, 6 km and 4 hours for the full route, no swimming, park made a national park in 1988, coastal section bought from farms in 1977); AllTrails, Bushranger Bay Walk (6.1 km, 120 m elevation gain, 1.5 to 2 hours, moderate, 4.6 stars from 468 reviews) and Bushrangers Bay via Cape Schanck (6.9 km, 1.5 to 2 hours, 4.7 stars from 838 reviews); Cape Schanck Lighthouse (5.4 km return in about 2 hours, 1 hour 20 minutes from Melbourne, free parking, free park entry, dogs not allowed); Searoad Mornington Peninsula walks guide (6 km return, about 4 hours, steep stairs, no swimming). Figures checked 15 November 2026.

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