The Mornington Peninsula in Victoria offers some fine coastal soaring, with most wind directions covered except North through Northeast. The following site descriptions are offered as a guide only. Locations are given as Melways Greater Melbourne street directory co-ordinates as well as latitude/longitude

. You can view Current Bay Wind Conditions here. Of particular interest is the South Channel Island station 

Other Site Guides: 
You can also take a look at some nearby inland sites managed by the Melbourne Hang Gliding Club here. , and there is a a site guide for most Victorian sites on the VHPA website

View from Sandringham Yatch Club looking down 
Port Phillip Bay to the South.
(Taken from a trike at 1500 ft AMSL)

Share the Air! Please click here for some special information on Paraglider/Hang Glider co-existence!

SPECIAL NOTE: This site information is provided on an as-is basis. The pilot is responsible for determining the applicability, legality and safety of the site to be flown. 

SITE DESCRIPTIONS

Needless to say, this is probably a bit difficult for a paraglider takeoff without helpers and someone with a hook knife in case of major troubles. 

The best wind is when you can see wind lines coming toward you from Mud Islands in Port Philip Bay. (Usually, the Craigie Rd site will be just flyable in this wind too, but a little off to the right.) 

It's not really launchable in very light winds, because there's not enough room for a decent run. Conversely, if you can't easily carry your glider to takeoff, the wind is probably too strong. 

The site is not super lifty, but in a nice 10-12 mph stable breeze you should get between 700-1000 ft over the top. Of course, in summer you can expect some thermals as well as patchier lift. 

The beach landing is about a 6:1 glide away, with bugger-all bombout in between. 

You will need to organise a retrieve, or alternately, you can walk from the beach to the Chairlift. (CURRENTLY CLOSED AFTER IT COLLAPSED!) This offered a $5 one-way ride up the last 700 ft of the trip. It's a slow chair though, taking over 1/4 of an hour to make the trip! Of course, you could also catch a taxi to the top if you want to do it in style!. 

The following contributed by Jeremy Torr: 
Soaring at Cairns Bay is a doddle, but can be very potentially dangerous if the wind is slightly cross to the West or East. If inexperienced pilots fly out and in front of the large cliff to left or right of takeoff, the rotor can be horrendous. Several severe accidents have taken place on this stretch of coast due to point-induced rotor - and there is nowhere to go but into the sea. Don't go out of the bay area on your own, or without talking to an experienced pilot first. 

There is no decent landing area below takeoff for use as a bombout, so be conservative when evaluating takeoff conditions. 

There is a point immediately to the right of takeoff. If the wind is too far north, it generates turbulence. 

The wind is usually off to the left a bit. Watch your wings - we've had a few low hour pilots drop the left hand wingtip on takeoff and end up in the bushes. 

The site is sensitive, so be polite and careful at all times. 

Keep an eye on the wind lines. In general, the winds on the bay tend more southerly with time. You should be able to see a southerly swing coming and make it to the appropriate landing area before it gets to you. 

Site highlights include resident magpies who nest in the trees near the Dava pub in springtime, who will wait in the tree till you get close, then fly up to attack the trailing edge of your sail. They do no damage. It is possible in some winds to take a one way trip down to Mornington beach.

This is one of the Peninsula's most popular sites, much favoured by paragliders and the local paraglider school, so it's sure to be full of PG students under radio control, so beware! 

In a good wind, you can fly easily down the coast to the Pinnacles and to the Blowhole, and often beyond to the very high cliffs some km away to the West. In a strong Southerly, you can also fly to the left over the car park and beyond to the naval station. The flag flying at this station is also a good wind direction cue. 

In any wind with a bit of South-east in it, there is usually significant lift in the bowl to the right of takeoff, and it is often useful to fly over the pine trees, as surprising lift occurs over them. 

You are well advised to take a vario. It is common in summer for quite bouyant bubbles of air to lift from exposed rock areas on the beach. The author has spent many happy times floating about 700ft above takeoff riding these bubbles whilst less fortunate souls without varios whiz about only one or two hundred feet above launch. 

For 23 years there was a ramp for takeoff. It has been demolished as time of writing (mid '98). The takeoff area is somewhat wider than it used to be 23 years ago (thanks to clearing works by paragliders sick of pulling their lines out of the bushes after failed inflations!), so it's a fine takeoff even so.  (but somehow, folks still seem to find a way to tangle lines in the bushes... :-)

There is plenty of landing area on the beach below takeoff. It can get busy in summer. If you land at the carpark, there is an excellent grassed area for glider breakdown so you can avoid the sand. 

In good conditions, however, excellent height can be achieved, and you can fly all the way down to Shoreham, though it is very difficult to get all the way back. (You need a touch of North in the wind for this). 

The boats anchored by the pier in front of the site offer a good indicator of wind direction. 

The cliff edge is very sharp, meaning that wire men are required for hang gliders in stronger winds, but even so it can be tricky getting the wings level and even pressure.  Be very careful!

There is an excellent, and usually wide beach available to the right for landings, and plenty of lawn beside the car park there to pack up on. 

In any decent wind, you can fly with ease down to Sorrento Life saving club. It is also possible to fly west to Point Nepean, best done with a slight westerly component to the breeze to make return easier.  (You can be trappeded in Cheviot Bay if the wind is too far south and light ... the Author knows from experience.) Landing on the beach toward Pt Nepean is not a great idea, as apparently there may be unexploded ordinance buried in some spots.

Flights to the East of several kilometers past Sorrento have been acheived  in the past.

Beware crossing behind the London Bridge or other off-shore rock formations too low. This has caused one death.  When the tide is in, take care landing as the surf can be vicious and more than one glider has been wrecked by the waves.

On an average day, heights of 300ft or so above launch are normal. The site record is probably held by Ken Hess in an Icarus V, with about 1000ft above, back in the late 70's. 

There are two takeoffs, on at the "corner" of the main ridge overlooking the beach, which faces a bit more north than the rest of the site, but is usable by paragliders in most winds, and a clearing another 100m along the cliff edge which is more useful for hang gliders.  The number of bushes obstructing takeoff varies withe the frequency of site use.

If you are at all concerned by the landing area available (and it is very tight for a modern hang glider) you can always land at Mornington beach, hike back along the foreshore, (it's only a kilometre or two) and get your car.

*Why is it cometimes called "Morning Star"?   When it was first flown, there was a convent on Sunnyside Rd called "Our Lady of Morning Star", and the white column on you will see off the Nepean Highway at the Sunnyside Rd entrance had a statue of an angel on it.

The author has found that the best and safest time to fly it is early in the morning on weekends before there is too much traffic or too many beach users. Try and land by about 10am. Flying in summer during the day is not recommended, as the beach becomes very crowded and you could justifiably be cited for endangering people. 

The takeoff is about 8 ft of grass in front of the fence. The only real problem is getting there from the setup area which is to the left of takeoff, as the distance between the cliff and the fence is quite small in places. A wire person or someone to hold your keel up from behind the fence is probably a good idea. 

Special Note For Paragliders. While it may be practical for an experienced pilot with very good canopy handling skills to launch here, you should be aware that should the wind increase,there is nowhere behind the takeoff to land, as it borders suburbia. If you wish to take off from the normal point, you will need to drape your risers over the fence behind you. Otherwise you may need to inflate in the rough setup area to the left and walk your wing to takeoff. 

This site offers great views of the city of Melbourne to the North and behind across the suburbs. Half Moon Bay to the south of takeoff marks the 8km boundary from Moorabin Airport. 

It is often on in mid Spring.

Hang gliders should try one of a number of takeoffs further to the southeast. In a moderate wind, the best place is the car park south of the Mentone Hotel, but it's quite low. There are some cleared areas just in front of the Hotel, but the setup area is limited and there in very little room for a run. Nevertheless, it is possible to take off there, and you will have more privacy during setup. 

The site is pretty close to Moorabin airport (4km) and inside the Moorabbin control zone (3nm=6km radius). Whether it is actually legal to fly there is open to your interpretation of the CAO 95.8