Dromana, Victoria

Dromana Melbourne, Victoria
Population	4778 (2001 census)
• Density
Postcode(s)	3936
Area	6.2 km2 (2.4 sq mi)
Location	70 km (43 mi) from Melbourne 7 km (4 mi) from Rosebud
LGA(s)	Shire of Mornington Peninsula
State electorate(s)	Nepean
Federal division(s)	Flinders
Suburbs around Dromana: Port Phillip Safety Beach Dromana McCrae Arthurs Seat Red Hill

Dromana is a suburb south of Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria, Australia, and is located on the Mornington Peninsula. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.

Dromana is known for its number of vineyards. More than 22 separate vintners operate within Dromana, as well as several vineyards. A famous export of Dromana are Christie's Barbecues, which can be found in many parks and reserves across Australia. They are also exported over to New Zealand, Singapore and UAE.

One prominent feature of the Dromana region, Arthurs Seat, is a small mountain ridge on the Mornington Peninsula and is home to the Arthur's Seat Chairlift which boasts views of Port Phillip Bay, Dromana, Safety Beach and Mount Martha.

Dromana has two educational facilities - Dromana Secondary College and Dromana Primary School.

Dromana Beach

Dromana's main point of interest is its excellent beach. However the foreshore, as with many others in Coastal Australia, is under severe pressure from population growth. [1]

The Dromana Beach is 3 km long. It is backed by a variable, 10-30 m wide strip of land between the beach itself and the Nepean Highway. It can disappear with winter high tides but has a good twenty metres of clean sand in the summer.

Being located where what might be thought of as the gateway to the splendid Mornington Peninsula, it is very popular in summer. In winter it is all but deserted other than the early morning and evening walkers. [shot]

The beach is close to the Port Phillip Heads and the Southern Ocean. The water is clear and clean and immediately swimmable. It is safe and does not exceed two metres deep in the first hundred or so metres out to relatively permanent sand bank. Six foot rays cruise within inches of the shore looking for handouts, and evening shore fishing is productive for salmon, sharks and flathead.

However the limited-area strip of land, backing the beach, is under long term attack. Its splendid Coastal Banksias are dying, probably due to longicorn beetle infestations (as the beetles are no longer predated on by the vanished black cockatoos), and many of the original ground level plants have been trampled out of existence. Only 5% of the Peninsula's pre white settlement vegetation now remains.

Although community groups, under the direction of the local ranger, have established a regular replanting regime, there are few adequately sized areas remaining which are large enough for self-sustaining habitats.

Despite its limited area, this potentially beautiful beach environment carries the visual blight of in excess of 100 intrusive signs from various authorities, 12 concrete drains spilling street water into unsightly pools on the beach itself,54 caravans during the 5 month summer period, 242 boat sheds, 40 or 50 seats, toilets, barbecues, car parks, gazebos, play grounds and more and a sadly truncated pier from its early grand days.

To further reduce its natural viability (as distinct from social amenity) it is increasingly dissected by various paths, which reduce barely sustainable habitat portions to even smaller parcels.

Dromana Beach epitomises the urbanisation of our coastal fringe in Australia which comes at great cost to both ours and future generations.

External links

• Dromana and District Historical Society Inc.