Thick fields of gumtrees gradually dissipate with every kilometre as you drive south-east along Seaspray Road; bright shades of white from sand dunes in the distance slowly but surely morph with the convoluted blur of green and brown outside the car window, creating an abstract artwork of bush meeting sea.
The month is December, Christmas has been and gone, and the otherwise sleepy town of Seaspray was buzzing with visitors from all walks of life on a partly cloudy Thursday at about noon.
Seaspray Caravan Park, a rather sparse, emptied lot in colder months, was notably filled; colourful beach towels hanging from makeshift clotheslines flapping in the wind.
Old couples sitting silently on wooden boarded decks, golden sunrays kissing stretched-out legs as newspaper pages are turned one by one.
Children and teens roamed the streets, on foot, by bike, stretching far beyond the Seaspray Caravan Park boundary.
One group of holidaying teens congregated on the kerbside grass in front of the Seaspray General Store, slouchily lounging on top of lime-yellow bean bags, fingers picking at hot, fresh chips, mouths gulping down cold, sweet-flavoured milkshakes.
“We’re from Sale,” the group proudly declared.
“Here for the whole summer.”
When the sky darkens and the temperature drops, after a day of adventuring, swimming and hanging with friends, the group of Sale teens retires to their summer home, some to the caravan park, others to holiday homes.
Holidayers strolled along the foreshore walk; big families, small families, old families, young families.
Mothers carried bags and drinks and hats and sunscreen as determined young ones mounted bikes, legs pushing peddles as wobbly arms held handlebars steady.
Many stopped every 10 or so metres, sliding sunglasses down noses, before gazing at signboards arising from the ground, stories sharing the rich history of the coastal Gippsland town.
Officially unveiled on Saturday, November 12, 2022, Seaspray’s historical signboard walk, stretching from Seaspray Surf Life Saving Club to the caravan park, provides insight into the coastal town’s kaleidoscopic history.
The two-year project was co-organised by local historian and author Susan Kennedy and Seaspray Ratepayers Association president Kaylene Wheeler, and sponsored by Esso.
Between Foreshore Road, Seaspray and the gravelly foreshore walk path, grows beautifully-kept, thick, emerald green grass.
Families balanced plastic cricket stumps on top blades of even-lengthened grass, thrown shoes lay wherever they land, and voices rise consistently louder with every over in the heightening stakes of a “backyard cricket” game.
Among the backyard cricketers, stretching across the sponge-like grass, is a group of three young Traralgon and Morwell families – the O’Neils, the Camerons and the Duncans.
“We came down on Boxing Day, spent Christmas at home,” Mr O’Neil said.
Summer in Seaspray has been a way of life for the three Latrobe Valley families since 2017.
“We have been coming down every year and staying at the caravan park since 2017,” Mr O’Neil explained.
“It’s a great spot down here – we love it.”
On the popular busy park, children squealed joyfully, hands gripping tightly to iron-swing chains, as little toes extended as far as they could go, determined young minds convinced that with every next push, they would finally reach the sky.
Clusters of mothers and fathers sat chatting around the park’s border, giving their respective offspring an overzealous “Wow” after every “Hey, look at this” or “Watch what I can do”.
Beyond the park and Seaspray General Store, you can’t help but notice the unmistakable sound of the ocean’s call.
First, you can hear it, the thunderous crashing of waves as the cold salty water smacks violently against the dampened sand.
Then you smell it, the fresh coastal breeze, and after a quick walk up and over the dunes, the ocean you shall see.
Beachgoers walked dogs on leashes; others stood with feet slowly sinking into wet sand, throwing soggy tennis balls into white-lipped waves, watching as their canine companion charged into dark waters and navigated the ocean maze.
Some lay on top the warm white sand, lapping up the warmth of the sporadic golden sun, paperback book in hand.
Young Charlie and her step-dad Cuan, from the outer Melbourne suburb of Lakeside, boarded kayaks in the quieter waters, waiting patiently for the rest of their party before setting out on a family fishing adventure.
“This is my first time in Seaspray,” Charlie exclaimed.
“Actually, I have been here once before, but I was too little to remember.”
The watchful eyes of lifeguards Clancy Chester and Tyson Brindley from Surf Life Saving Victoria, Lakes Entrance, gazed across the vast spanning ocean.
Holidayers, unbothered by the less summery weather, dove and jumped into the salty crashing waves.
“There are a few people about today; it’s never as busy if the weather isn’t great, and it’s not great today,” Clancy said.
“Seaspray doesn’t have enough lifeguards to have patrols on all the time, and neither does Woodside, so we come up from Lakes Entrance to help out.
“We stay in Sale and either come here to Seaspray for the day or go to Woodside. On weekends and public holidays, the beach is patrolled by Seaspray volunteer lifeguards.”
Back at the Seaspray General Store, 40-year veteran Cheryl, tucked snuggly behind the dark wooden counter, was busy serving customers.
Numbers at Seaspray depended on the weather, Cheryl explained. “If it’s nice weather, you get more people, all the Gippsland locals coming here for day trips,” she said.
“It also depends on what day it is; a weekend or public holiday will always be busier.”
The long-term Seaspray resident, who has witnessed four decades of Seaspray history from behind the general store counter, claims this year’s Seaspray summer numbers are on par with those pre-COVID.
“It’s nice that it has kind of gone back to normal after COVID,” Cheryl said. “COVID was hard on Seaspray.”
The sizzle of potatoes and battered fish frying in bubbly golden oil and the intense aroma of seasoned, cooked ground beef leaked through the open serving window at the Seaspray General Store.
Across the road, escaping sounds were muffled, barely a whisper in the wind, but the distinguishable flavours of salted, crunchy, golden potatoes travelled so far down Foreshore Road caravan park residents licked their lips as the now subtle aroma tantalised their senses.
New Years Eve saw many take to Seaspray Beach, a still night making it idyllic conditions to ring in the new year, and toast the one just gone.
Sun, sand, family, fish and chips and friends, ball games, beach games, and going home only once it’s night again; this is what makes summers at Seaspray loved by everyone.
