Robe Scenic drive has a variety of Beaches

1. Soldier’s Memorial: First World War memorial and German naval mine which was found planted offshore & towed to Long Beach for deactivation in 1941
2. Norfolk Pine Trees along Robe’s famous foreshore planted to honour Robe citizens who served in World War 1
3. Royal Circus &* Customs House: the Flagstaff was erected when Governor Frederick Holt Robe & Surveyor Thomas Burr took the first theodolite bearings for the town in 1846.  The Matthew Flinders Memorial Seat commemorates the first English survey of the southern Australian coast by Captain Matthew Flinders in 1802.  From here you can see Baudin Rocks named by Flinders after Bay.  The Cannon is reputed to be from the barque “Koenig Wilhelm 11 ” wrecked in 1857
4. The Chinese Memorial: Remembers the 17,000 Chinese who landed at Robe between 1857 and 1863 on the lure of the Victorian Goldfields.  See here the seawall and jetty site – 3 jetties were built between 1842 and 1866 and “PAI FANG” Welcoming Gate
5. Lake Butler Marina is the home of our cray fishing fleet & recreational boats.  Lake Butler is a natural lake that was once closed to the sea.  Fishermen used to moor their boats out in the bay during fishing season, and then drag them across the sand hills to moor in Lake Butler during the winter weather.  In 1964 a 2 m deep channel was dug to allow the fishing boats safe haven all year round
6. Fisherman’s Memorial: honours Robe fishermen lost at sea
7. The Breakwater built in 1964 from Kingston Granite.  Adjacent is Karatta Beach & Robe Yacht Club
8. Robe Jetty is Robe’s 4th jetty & 3rd Govt. jetty
9. The Old Gaol was built about 15 years after settlement in 1860 to house prisoners who had formerly been sent to Adelaide for trial.  There were a number of escapes where prisoners assaulted guards & on one occasion picked their way through the gaol walls.  The walls were later reinforced with boilerplates from the Admella ship wreck
10. The Obelisk stands proudly on the point of Cape Dombey.  A local builder erected the 40 foot Obelisk in 1855 for $460 to act as a landmark for shipping & to contain rocket fired lifesaving equipment for stricken ships.  The structure was originally white, but Captains found it difficult to differentiate it from Long Beach’s white sand hills.  In 1862 it was repainted in alternate red & white bands, and can be seen on a clear day from 20 km away.  Eventually tidal erosion will result in The obelisk collapsing in to the sea
11. Doorway Rock with its “doorway” created by the constant crashing of waves on the Limestone
12. Factory Bay was originally the site of a canning factory that used to can snipe and rabbits.  After the World Wars it was used as Robe’s rubbish dump  before people had an awareness of protecting the environment.  Hotel green & brown bottles were dumped here & washed back into the cove.  The area was also know as Glass Beach from the polished sea glass.
13. Robe Lighthouse was built in 1972 to replace the Cape Jaffa Lighthgouse and is fully automatic and unmanned
14. West Beach Lookout & West Beach – for a view of crashing waves & walk over the dunes to experience the back boggy beaches.  No swimming please!
15. The Old Cemetery was built in 1857 as the original cemetery area.  The site was first selected in 1849 and the headstones defined much of Robe’s social history but contain very few fishermen’s graves, as many were lost at sea
16. Robe Football Oval – local football, netball, squash & tennis
17. robe golf course
18. Beacon Hill Lookout Tower: The rebuilding of the Robe Lookout Tower at Beacon Hill took place as part of the Robe “150” Celebrations in 1996.  The old wooden structure was removed and replace by a circular paddock stone tower offering panoramic views of Robe.  It was also used as a navigational aid for fishermen and was formerly called “One Tree Hill”
19. Lake Fellmongery (Ski Lake) This large freshwater lake was given its industrial sounding name in 1853 when a fellmongery was established there to wash wool salvaged from a wrecked ship in Guichen Bay, the barque Duilius.
20. Lake Charra is a breeding spot for local black ducks
21. Drain Reserve: Drain L is one of the many man made drains that crisscross the South East and earlier this century converted the area from swamps to fertile farming land.  It links the small lakes which are popular bream fishing spots.
22. The Outlet is where the lakes drain to the sea, this area is popular for waterbirds including pelicans, ibis & egrets, & great for exploring
23. Long Beach is a safe family beach with gentle surf & is quite unique as it is one of the few beaches where you are able to drive your car onto the sand.  A unique part of Robe’s heritage.
24. Town Beach is also a safe family beach & is where swimming lessons take place.  Explore Girl and Boy Rock (or Butchers Rock) to the west