The Melbourne Sandbelt is a rough triangle extending from Brighton south along the coast of Port Phillip Bay to Frankston and to the east as far as Clayton and Springvale.
Around 20 million years ago, lower lying areas were flooded, which deposited sandstone material, now known as the Brighton Group.
The surface soils across the Sandbelt today are the result of the geology, topography, marine currents, climate and vegetation.
The present-day coastal dune systems were formed in the last 6000 years by wave action depositing sand and silts from the bay onto its beaches.
Revegetation efforts by local councils are ongoing, and seek to return the land back to the remnant vegetation (prior to European settlement).