Somers, Victoria

Somers Victoria
Sunset at Somers
Somers Location in Victoria
Coordinates	38°23′35″S 145°09′47″E / 38.393°S 145.163°E / -38.393; 145.163Coordinates: 38°23′35″S 145°09′47″E / 38.393°S 145.163°E / -38.393; 145.163
Population	1,427 (2011 census)
• Density	238/km2 (620/sq mi)
Established	1925
Postcode(s)	3927
Area	6 km2 (2.3 sq mi)
Location	72 km (45 mi) from Melbourne 12 km (7 mi) from Hastings
LGA(s)	Shire of Mornington Peninsula
State electorate(s)	Nepean
Federal Division(s)	Flinders
Localities around Somers: Balnarring Bittern HMAS Cerberus Merricks Somers HMAS Cerberus Western Port Western Port Western Port

Somers is a small town approximately 72 km south-east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in the south-eastern corner of the Mornington Peninsula on Western Port. Its local government area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.

Originally known as Balnarring East, the area was renamed for a popular former Governor of Victoria who set up the local Lord Somers Camp. The subdivision of Somers began in 1925, whilst the Boulevard Cafe & Post Office commenced business in 1927, the address then still being Balnarring East. After much correspondence with the Education Dept. the Palm Beach School No. 4458 opened 1929. The renaming of the town occurred in 1930.[2] Despite a few very small land subdivisions for housing, Somers has not seen any major development since the 1920s and has retained much of its remnant bush land on the foreshore. Initially as the land had been used for grazing, the estates were bare until local residents led by local store-keeper Ron Stone planted many trees throughout the area.

Somers lies on an area of land on the south-eastern point of the Mornington Peninsula, where to the south, it borders Western Port. The town of Cowes on Phillip Island can be seen from any beach in Somers in most weather conditions. There are two large sandbars between Somers and Phillip Island, and between them is a deep shipping channel. At low tide both sandbars are often visible. To the north, inland, lies extensively cleared lands used for agriculture. Further north lie the suburbs of Bittern and Hastings which host many commercial services used by Somers residents. To the east is the suburb and military base, HMAS Cerberus. Its compound bordering Somers is entirely bushland and used for training exercises. Where the base meets Somers at its coastline, beaches are closed and the land consists mainly of bushy coastal forests. To the west, separated from the Lord Somers Camp and the Coolart Wetlands, lies the locality of Balnarring. Somers' geography slopes gently down towards the water's edge, interrupting line of sight to Mt. Dandenong and as a result, television reception can be difficult when using a small antenna. Local knowledge is advisable for good reception.