Known originally for the discovery of coal by William Hovell in 1826, it is now extremely popular for its beaches and rockpool and at the 2011 census, it had a population of 718.

[2] Australia’s first dinosaur bone, the Cape Paterson Claw, was discovered here in 1903 by William Ferguson nearby in what is now Eagles Nest, Bunurong Marine National Park, Inverloch.

Today, the Dinosaur Dreaming fossil excavation at the Flat Rocks coastal site by Anderson Inlet attracts both Australian and international visitors.

Bunurong Marine Park is considered special due to the unusual set of environmental conditions.

[11] Flat Rocks is a beach which has large rockpools for rockpooling/rambling and direct access from Cape Paterson-Inverloch Road.

[7] Eagles Nest is a large rock structure adjacent to the coastline that resembles the top half of a map of Australia.

[14] The Bunurong Aboriginal people used this stretch of coast for thousands of years prior to white occupation.

[2] Explorer William Hovell first discovered black coal in the cliffs at Cape Paterson in 1826.This and other sites were rediscovered 10 years later by Samuel Anderson who settled at Bass in 1835.

In 1858, 2,000 tons of coal were hauled to the coast at Cape Paterson and taken by whaleboat to ships for transportation to Melbourne.

Also in Wonthaggi Chisholm TAFE,[15] Bass Coast Specialist School,[16] Bass Coast Adult Education Centre,[17] University of the Third Age (U3A) retirees education centre,[18] and Connecting Skills Australia (CSA) specialist developmental school, support and employment services/training.