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Latest News
Close X16 November 2026
Hooded Plover breeding season update – chicks and new nests
There’s more Hooded Plover nesting activity along our coastline, with two new nests recorded at Thirteenth Beach and Ocean Grove Main Beach.
11 November 2026
Upcoming temporary closure – 13th Beach sand ramp beach access and car park
Expressions of interest are now open for temporary summer food vendor permits across Barwon Coast Caravan Parks from 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
9 November 2026
Hooded Plover update: three chicks thriving and a new nest
Three chicks thriving and a new nest
5 November 2026
Three Hooded Plover chicks hatch at Barwon Bluff South
Three chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South
3 November 2026
Hooded Plover update – two active nests
Two nests have failed and two remain along our coastline.
‘At The Heads’ refurbishment works set for June – September 2025
Published on 4 June 2025
Barwon Coast is pleased to announce upcoming refurbishment works at the much-loved ‘At The Heads’ restaurant, located on the Barwon Heads jetty.
Originally transformed from a historic Fisherman’s Co-op building in the early 2000s, the venue now requires upgrades to ensure it meets modern hospitality standards and continues to offer passive coastal experiences for both locals and visitors.
About the Refurbishment
The planned works will include –
- Redesigning the kitchen, cool room, freezer, dry store spaces, and bathrooms
- Realigning the building footprint and roofline to consolidate the back-of-house area
- Relocating the historic ‘Boot Room’, preserving its significance in the maritime history of Barwon Heads
- Maintaining the existing kiosk with a new public seating area
The venue and nearby car park on the bridge side will be closed from 10 June to late September 2025. Alternative parking is available near the Barwon Coast Discovery Centre, in Lahey Square, at Frank Ellis Reserve, and at the Barwon Bluff lookout.
Community engagement
In August 2024, Barwon Coast ran a three-week community consultation period seeking input on the proposed refurbishment’s external and public-facing elements. Feedback was gathered through online surveys and a drop-in session. The outcomes informed planning and were considered in the Marine and Coastal Act consent process.
Commitment to Heritage and Coastal Values
Barwon Coast remains committed to –
- Protecting the site’s heritage values, including Wadawurrung Cultural Heritage
- Preserving the character of the venue
- Minimising disruption to visitors during works
- Ensuring lease revenue continues to support coastal care and public benefit projects
For more information and to read the Community Consultation Report, visit our dedicated project page – At The Heads Restaurant Refurbishment Project.
Related Articles
Hooded Plover breeding season update – chicks and new nests
There’s more Hooded Plover nesting activity along our coastline, with two new nests recorded at Thirteenth Beach and Ocean Grove Main Beach.
Upcoming temporary closure – 13th Beach sand ramp beach access and car park
Expressions of interest are now open for temporary summer food vendor permits across Barwon Coast Caravan Parks from 19 December 2026 to 31 January 2027.
Three Hooded Plover chicks hatch at Barwon Bluff South
Three chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South
ℹ️ Service disruption – Microsoft outage
Barwon Coast is currently experiencing some system disruptions due to the global Microsoft issue, which may affect our ability to respond to enquiries as quickly as usual.
If your enquiry is urgent, please give us a call on (03) 5254 1118.
Thanks for your patience and understanding. We`ll keep you updated and let you know when we are back to normal.Open post by barwoncoast with ID 17929250781430885
A little kindness goes a long way.
This World Kindness Day, we`re encouraging everyone in our coastal communities to show kindness to one another, to our environment and to the people who care for it.
Our Barwon Coast team works hard, and with heart, every day to care for the coast we all love. Whether they`re maintaining our beaches and facilities, protecting our natural environment or helping visitors enjoy their time on the coast, they do so with pride and dedication.
We ask our community to extend the same care and respect to our staff that they show to our coastline.
A friendly smile, a kind word or a simple thank you can make someone`s day. Be kind to each other. Be kind to our staff. Be kind to our coast. 💙Open post by barwoncoast with ID 18117989651177046
The coastal skies can be so much more interesting than just clear blue (although we do love a sunny day on the coast!). This pic by one of our clever staff members gives yet another new perspective on the Bluff, sea and skies 🤩 What a magical place to live, work or visit - we are so lucky.
Open post by barwoncoast with ID 18030846653916129
A little chick, with a watchful parent close by! 🐣
Filmed on Monday at Barwon Bluff, this Hooded Plover chick is one of three that hatched last week. All three chicks were last sighted yesterday and are still going strong!
A big thank you to Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine for their incredible work monitoring these vulnerable birds and for sharing this precious footage with us.
Please continue to respect beach closures and follow signed detours to give these little ones the best chance of survival.Open post by barwoncoast with ID 17870379807676431
🚧 Temporary beach access closure – Thirteenth Beach
The car park and beach access path at Thirteenth Beach sand ramp beach access (Emergency Marker THI182, formerly 40W) will be temporarily closed on Friday 13 November 2026 for essential track surface repairs.
Works are expected to take one day.
Thanks for your patience while we complete these important maintenance works to keep our coastal access tracks safe.Open post by barwoncoast with ID 17913952881474350
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
– Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen
Today, we honour those who have served and sacrificed in times of war, conflict and peacekeeping.
We also acknowledge the service and sacrifice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have served in defence of our country and the freedoms we enjoy today.
At 11 am, we join Australians across the country in observing one minute`s silence to remember all who have served and sacrificed.
Lest we forget. 🌺Open post by barwoncoast with ID 17894808372457653
💙 Hooded Plover update – Three chicks and a new nest!
Some positive news from our coast today (9 November)!
🐣 Barwon Bluff South: All three chicks are now five days old and were spotted foraging on the intertidal reef this morning.
🥚 Thirteenth Beach at Boings: A new nest has been discovered with three eggs!
How you can help:
💙 Do not enter the closed section of beach between The Bluff Dune South and The Hole beach accesses.
💙 Follow the signed pedestrian detours.
💙 At Thirteenth Beach at Boings, keep dogs on lead and walk close to the waterline.
💙 Follow local signage and give nesting birds and chicks plenty of space.
Thank you for helping give these vulnerable shorebirds the best chance of survival! And a big thank you to Friends of the Hooded Plover Bellarine for their ongoing monitoring efforts and for sharing this wonderful video with us!
Find out more, including the beach closure map, on our website news section (link in bio).Open post by barwoncoast with ID 18118997903333198
The magic of the sun rising over this beautiful stretch of coastline will never be taken for granted - at Barwon Coast, we count ourselves lucky to be tasked with caring for the coast. Do you love to catch a sunrise, or a sunset, at the beach? Where are the best vantage points? What about a sunrise swim, like the @sunrise.hunter_ group that meets every morning at Ocean Grove Main Beach all year round?
Open post by barwoncoast with ID 18116099363118368
📣 Did you know you can report an issue via our website?
Whether it`s vandalism to one of the facilities we manage, a maintenance issue or something else that needs fixing, you can let us know using our online reporting form.
Our team will review your report as soon as possible and follow up where required.
💻 Report an issue via our website (link in bio)
Thanks for helping us care for our coast!
P.S. This is an old picOpen post by barwoncoast with ID 17912764764576019
💙 Three Hooded Plover chicks have hatched at Barwon Bluff South! 🐣
Three Hooded Plover chicks hatched today (5 November), marking a positive milestone in this year`s breeding season.
To protect the chicks, a temporary beach closure is being established between The Bluff Dune South and The Hole beach accesses for approximately five weeks, until the chicks can fly and are considered self-sufficient.
💙 Please respect the closure and follow local signage and barriers.
💙 Follow the signed pedestrian detour or explore one of our other beautiful local beaches while the chicks grow.
💙 Keep dogs away from the protected area and give the chicks plenty of space.
A big thank you to the Friends of the Hooded Plover – Bellarine volunteers for their ongoing efforts!
Read the full update, including the beach closure map on our news story on our website - link in bioOpen post by barwoncoast with ID 18167792071514931
This is Wadawurrung Country. We acknowledge the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the land, waters, seas and skies of Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, 13th Beach, Black Rock and Breamlea. We honour and say Nyatne to Elders past, present and future whose ancestors, for thousands of years, have cared for this part of Dja (Country). We are committed as an organisation to meaningfully work together with Traditional Owners to make Wadawurrung Culture and Country strong.
© 2026 Barwon Coast. Website by Residency Studios.
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