Local
By Melissa McCullough
O
n a Sunday unlike any other we wake, drink coffee, eat breakfast, and find ourselves with no scheduled plans. No morning sport, no catch-ups with friends at a local winery, no birthday parties to ferry the kids to and from. Our minds are awash with ideas to fill the self-proclaimed well spent day that will lead us into a week of content. There are very varied views on how our time should be spent with cave-dwelling preteen and teen leaning toward thoughts of movie theatres, indoor arcades, or the ever-popular more screen time <grumble, grumble>. I swear they’re vampires. Alas, my husband and I are scheming for something different. The morning is bright, with yarns of multi-coloured clouds crocheting across the sky and the temperature is comfortable. In the parents' opinion it is the perfect day to be outdoors without worry of squinty eyes and sweaty brows. We are due for a road trip. We set our sights on The Elements Coastal Activity Park nestled in the Wyndham Harbour, Werribee South; a bit over an hour’s drive from the peninsula. The Elements Coastal Activity Park encompasses a walkable neighbourhood, a timber playground where little ones can blow off steam, an 18-hole mini golf course, the crowd and kid-pleasing eatery 3030 Boulevard, sandy beaches, foreshore tracks to wander and a sparkling marina. Putting all systems in place to leave home around 10am, (you think the ‘where’s your shoes’ thing ends as the kids get older? It doesn’t), we figure we’ll first play a round of golf then lunch at 3030 Boulevard. From there we can explore the foreshore and marina at our leisure.
24 Peninsula Kids – Autumn 2023
We arrive at the gorgeous Wyndham Harbour, proceed through the entrance to The Elements, visit the immaculate toilets (IYKYK), and into the pro shop constructed from an upcycled shipping container, a recurring theme throughout The Elements and, might I add, very cool. The surrounds are stunning with a careful design that makes The Elements camouflage into its backdrop. Their practice is an environmental construction having created a biodiversity hub by the sea flourishing with native and indigenous flora and grasses.