This island is an overgrown sand bar, which forms part of the Gippsland Lakes Coastal park. It moves slightly as the years goes by due to winds and currents. It is located in between the channels to Ocean Grange and Steamers Landing.

The island beaches drop off sharply into the deep water of the nearby channels. The Northern beach has a large area of sand that is very shallow (10-20cm) which drops sharply to about 2m.

This is a favorite location for campers and leaders alike who enjoy beach games and swimming. It is also an excellent place to take photos of people running and diving/jumping into the deep water.

It is not possible to camp on Barton Island but it makes for an excellent place to stop and have lunch.