#24 of 100 trips for 100 years - Victory Beach and Pyramids 15 January 2023 (by Jade Pettinger)

17 of us assembled at the Clubrooms on Sunday morning, all of us keen to make the most of another beautiful summer day and explore Victory Beach. We quickly sorted ourselves into cars and headed down the harbour towards Portobello, admiring the stunning views our city has to offer. Before long we had arrived at our destination! Piling out of the cars we applied sunblock, donned sunhats and tied shoelaces ready to go.

It was just over a kilometre from the carpark to the pyramids, traversing some paddocks on a 4wd track. The track was flat and in a straight line and would have made for a dull walk if it were not for the delightful company. Arriving at the pyramids, it was time for a team photo before heading off to explore the cave at the bottom of the small pyramid. The cave was interesting as we could see clear examples of columnar basalt, the same type of rock as the Organ Pipes.

After consulting with our leader Alan, it was decided that we would take the scenic way to the beach. The loop around the reserve is a bit of a self-guided tour, with numbered markers along the way which tell you some information about the area. We enjoyed learning some facts and observing the work that has been done by the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust to create a safe habitat for these endangered wildlife. A highlight was seeing some trees that Jade had helped plant at school in 2004, nearly 20 years ago!

After close to an hour of exploring the reserve underneath the beating hot sun, we arrived at the edge of the sand dunes. Making our way down to Victory Beach, we were delighted to see we had the beach to ourselves (minus a few sea lions). The beach was absolutely stunning - crystal clear water that sparkled in the sun and a wide expanse of white sand as far as the eye could see. Some of us took the opportunity to shed our shoes and feel the cool water swirling over our toes, providing some much needed refreshment.

We began our trek to the south end of the beach, keeping our distance from the sea lions dotted around the shoreline sunbathing. One sea lion was a bit curious and came over to see what we were up to, forcing us to make a hasty retreat before he settled down again and we could continue on our mission.

Near the south end of the beach we spotted the remains of the SS Victory, which ran aground in 1861, en route from Port Chalmers to Melbourne. Fortunately no lives were lost due to the proximity of the beach, however as the ship was embedded in 6-7 feet of sand it was unable to be salvaged and thus became the namesake of Victory Beach.

Rounding the end of the beach we reached Papanui Inlet and were pleased to find a sheltered spot out of the wind for lunch. Just as we were settling in, an inquisitive sea lion was spotted playing in the calm waters of the inlet before popping up to have a look at us. Upon deciding we weren’t a threat, the sea lion plopped back in the water and continued his play time - not a bad idea on such a hot day!

Lunch was quickly consumed before we packed up and made our way alongside the inlet, keeping a careful eye on the playful sea lion in case he decided to make another appearance. All was well and we plugged our way through ankle deep sand, admiring the expansive views of Papanui Inlet, Mt. Charles, Harbour Cone and even all the way across the city to Mt. Cargill.

We soon arrived at a farm track, relieved to be trading in the soft sand and the relentless sun for firm ground and some shade provided by the trees. The track was dotted with sheep huddling under any shade they could find. Arriving at the road, we geared ourselves up for the final kilometre or so along the dusty gravel road back to the cars. 

by Jade Pettinger