Balcombe Estuary Reserve

Balcombe Estuary Reserve, established in 1987, spans 76 hectares of bushland between the Nepean Highway and Mount Martha's coastline. It protects the largest unspoiled estuary on Port Phillip Bay's eastern side. The reserve features a 3.5 km network of walking trails, including a boardwalk along Balcombe Creek, allowing exploration of diverse bushland types and observation of indigenous flora and birds. Dogs are permitted on-leash in most areas, with designated leash-free zones at Citation Oval, Ferrero Oval, and the 'Soccer field' near Nepean Highway. Fishing is available along the creek with a recreational fishing license. Canoeing or kayaking is possible up to the Augusta Street bridge, though fallen trees may limit access beyond this point. The estuary is home to wetland birds like egrets, spoonbills, cormorants, pelicans, ducks, waterfowl, and herons, as well as native fish species such as the nationally threatened Dwarf Galaxia. Lizards, skinks, frogs, and mammals including echidnas, sugar gliders, swamp rats, bats, possums, and occasional koalas also inhabit the area.