Altona Coastal Park, Nature reserve in Seaholme, Victoria, Australia
Altona Coastal Park is a nature reserve on the northern shore of Port Phillip Bay featuring intertidal flats, salt marshes, and coastal wetlands. This 70-hectare area contains several interconnected coastal habitats.
From 1864 to 1940, this land functioned as Williamstown Racecourse before becoming an army camp during World War II. After the war, the site was gradually restored to natural conditions.
A sculpture titled Requiem for a Champion depicts a shorebird perched on a racing horse, reflecting the land's former use as a racecourse. This artwork marks the transition from the sporting past to today's focus on nature.
The park can be accessed via Altona Road or Racecourse Road, with parking near the creek ford or at the Pines Scout Camp area. Visitors should wear suitable footwear as sections can be muddy and wet.
The reserve is home to about 149 bird species and provides critical habitat for the rare orange-bellied parrot. This threatened bird feeds on glasswort, a salt-tolerant plant found throughout the wetlands.
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