The Pillars — Attraction in Victoria

Firstly, there's no car park here. The closest car parking we found was about 650 meters up the road towards Mount Martha beach, where there were a few spots available beside the road.

Secondly, there are signs saying no entry and unstable cliffs and the main two paths in are blocked off with a low wooden fence, but that didn't stop anyone entering. The life guards from Mount Martha beach came over a few times on their jet skis to check on people but didn't ask anyone to leave.

So, it seems that the authorities are not encouraging access but neither do they seem to be actively stopping people from accessing the cliffs.

The walk (rather, climb) down is fairly steep and I wouldn't recommend the path for anyone except reasonable climbers. Definitely not suitable for anyone needing mobility aids.

There is also no shade here, so if staying a while, sun protection is highly recommended. We visited in Summer and got a bit sun burned on exposed areas even though it was a cloudy, cool day.

When we were there it was quite windy and the water was very choppy. Even though it's a bay without big ocean waves, the waves were still about a metre or so high and very choppy. There is one somewhat difficult path to climb down to the water that we found, where we surveyed the waves, water depth and rock positions to assess the risks involved. The swimming was not too difficult, as long as you stay clear of the sharp rocks.

I decided on doing the lower jump only, about two meters, as a test, and nearly injured my eardrum, so I was glad I didn't take on the higher jump, although many did without apparent issues.

My feet did touch the sandy bottom briefly after jumping, and most of the jumpers from the higher position said their feet touched the bottom also. Not sure how the water depth would vary with the tide, but it didn't seem the safest. Serious injuries have been reported and I can imagine how these could happen given the close proximity of the rocks, the choppy water and the limited access back out once you have dived in.

You need to identify a safe exit path back out before you jump in and make sure your swimming is competent enough to handle the water conditions.

I saw a few people climbing some of the steeper lower cliffs out again after swimming, which seemed even more risky due to the chance of falling back onto underwater rocks.

It is quite easy to get cut on the sharp rocks while climbing or swimming.

There was also some garbage left behind by inconsiderate people. It's astonishing how little some people care for their environment, especially given what's known now about the effect of plastic pollution on the ocean environment and micro plastics. They probably don't realize that the plastic garbage they discarded without thinking may one day find it's way back into their own bodies.

Overall, a beautiful place for catching the view, ocean swimming or cliff diving from limited points, but the conditions need to be assessed very carefully before swimming and especially...

Visited this place a few days ago with friends.

There wasn't much parking anywhere and we had to drive for a little while to find a spot, be prepared to walk a fair bit to to enter the trail and explore through rough terrain to actually reach the cliff jump destination. I recommend coming on a day where it isn't too hot, because I imagine the cliffs would get heated after baking in the sun which wouldn't be fun trying to climb onto.

If you're intending to actually partake in cliff jumps, beware of the treacherous hike downhill on rocks to reach the cliffs, I would advise bringing climbing shoes of some sort to guarantee your and your family/friends' safety. Be careful and don't overestimate your abilities when attempting to reach the cliffs. I wouldn't advise bringing any elderly or children or obese people through this track.

After finally travelling through all those troublesome rocks, you find yourself situated in front of a beautiful location to swim and/or jump from the cliffs and land into the water. Scout the area to find a safe place to jump from as to avoid landing on rocks and dying really horribly. The water is great, really clear and deep enough to swim in and land in from a jump depending on how high you are. Not to mention the breath-taking views that you will be met with once you arrive at a suitable vantage point. Be prepared for a genuinely nerve-wracking climb back up to the cliffs if you are a beginner, you will have to analyse footrests and gaps in the cliffs to climb onto.

I saw shattered glass and all sorts of hazards on the rocks so I must once again advise adequate footwear as to avoid harm. The spot is quite dangerous and people have been seriously injured being here, so be careful, aware of your abilities and your limitations.

Overall - 8.1/10 for Pillars...

Just a heads up for people who want to visit here. The map location may be the exact location on ground, but it is not exactly a location where you can pin point the location by naked eye immediately. We could spot this location luckily as there was only one car parked at this location and we saw them walking through a path. Which was the path to walk to view the pillars. So if you are lucky you can spot this location very easily or else you have to park the car else where and walk to this place by foot. Or you can Google search the place "car park The Pillars". It maybe a better spot to park maybe. One thing we observed in Mornington, the places are not exactly where the map takes you or they are not made tourist friendly, as there are no name boards, especially for not very popular locations. So you should have a lot of patience, time Or have a local to help you guide you...