Anderson Inlet ( Boonwurrung: ''Toluncan''), sometimes incorrectly referred to as Andersons Inlet, is a shallow and dynamic

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia where the Tarwin River enters

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The strait provides the most direct wat ...

. It forms a almost enclosed

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...

next to the town of Inverloch, for which it provides a popular and protected beach. At low tide its intertidal

mudflat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal f ...

s provide important feeding habitat for migratory

wader 245px, A flock of Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, ...

s. It is also an important area for

recreational fishing Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is professional fishing for profit; or subsistence fishing, which is fishing ...

. It is named after Samuel Anderson pioneer explorer the first European to settle in the area.

Tourism

Inverloch is an important tourist town, with visitor numbers swelling in the summer months due to the coastal lifestyle and proximity to Melbourne. Anderson Inlet's popularity is hinged on the almost-enclosed bay, making it a protected beach with safe swimming. At low tide the surf beach can be accessed on foot around the western headland. Anderson Inlet is also a popular recreational boating area with a boat ramp jetty. Because of its tidal nature, the areas where vessels can operate is restricted for the safety of the tourists as the depth of the water varies. Knowledge of the inlet is a must to cross the bar and the operators of vessels are required to carry tide tables while going out in the water. Anderson Inlet is also a base for many walking and cycling trails including the Screw Creek Nature Trail and the Bass Coast Rail Trail which is Victoria's only coastal rail trail. The inlet is close to national parks including the Anderson Inlet Coastal Reserve and the Bunurong Marine and Coastal Park.

Birds

Anderson Inlet is classified by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

as an

Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...

. It supports internationally significant numbers (up to over 6,000 individuals) of

red-necked stint The red-necked stint (''Calidris ruficollis'') is a small migratory wader. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''ruficollis'' is from La ...

. It has also been known to support the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot, with six birds seen there in 1998 and two in 1999.

Gallery

Inverloch Jetty 2007.JPG, The jetty on the inlet at Inverloch during high tide Calidris ruficollis P4233842.jpg, Anderson Inlet's intertidal mudflats are of world importance for

References

External links

Screw Creek Nature Walk

Bass Coast Rail Trail

Bunurong Marine Park

Anderson Inlet Coastal Reserve
Bays of Victoria (Australia) Important Bird Areas of Victoria (Australia) Gippsland Inlets of Australia {{Gippsland-geo-stub