Portsea

Portsea, on the tip of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne, is a Mornington Peninsula National Park coastal site — respect the environment. The etiquette is straightforward: take off cleanly from the ramp, land on the beach, and return via the main access track — NO scrambling up and down the cliffs or dunes. The path from the car park leads to a glider set-up area sheltered on the right and the synthetic-turf takeoff ramp on the left; aim to be airborne about 1 m before the end of the ramp.

Launch & conditions

Path from the car park leads to a glider set-up area (out of the wind on the right) and a synthetic-turf takeoff ramp on the left. Aim to be airborne about 1 m before the end of the ramp.

Getting there & local rules

Access via the main track only — NO scrambling up and down the cliffs or dunes. Landings: on the beach, then return via the main access track.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Portsea, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Portsea with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.