Great Salterns

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries this area was dominated by extensive salt workings and was a major supplier of sea salt to the Royal navy.
This site is part of a golf course, but the lake itself and its surroundings are particularly interesting. It is a pleasant 7-hectare area of open grassland and scrub.
The lake is fringed by substantial reed beds which are a nationally threatened and declining habitat. It is also home to a variety of birds and in the summer months butterflies too. Over 100 moths, including some rare species have been recorded here. Skylarks, warblers, Stonechats and Dartford Warblers can also be seen.
The site is an important link to several ‘green’ areas along Portsea Island’s eastern coast.