Wilson’s Promonotory National Park, or Wilson’s Prom, is mainland Australia’s most southern point. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Melbourne, so fairly achievable if you have access to a car. It’s the state of Victoria’s largest coastal wilderness area – so definitely worth checking out if you’re into outdoor adventure, like me! I spent a brief two nights and three days here in mid-February which was surprisingly enough time to visit two campgrounds, three beaches, and go on four hikes. It was a jam-packed schedule but well worth it! It’s not quite as popular as Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, which means you get to experience Australia’s phenomenal coastline with less crowds and more immersive natural scenery.
Here are the following activities I did, and highly recommend, while exploring Wilson’s Prom. If you love the outdoors, then this is the place for you!
CAMPGROUNDS
Yanakie Caravan Park
This campground is a half hour’s drive from Tidal River – the main hub of Wilson’s Prom. I believe it’s recently changed its name to BIG4 Wilsons Prom Holiday Park. It’s a great alternative if you’re looking for something a little quieter and away from the main hive of Wilson’s Prom. This campground has really nice sheltered camping spots bordered by trees and shrubs. It has all the typical campground amenities such as restrooms with showers, potable water spouts, and much more!
This campground is right beside Yanakie Beach, so you can easily jump into your swimsuit and go for a dip. The water here is also calmer and relatively warmer than on the beaches within Wilson’s Prom since it’s within Corner Inlet which is a pocket off of the Bass Strait (and by contrast, the beaches in Wilson’s Prom are right off the open ocean).
You can enjoy the delights of nature even from within the campground. We saw a bunch of galahs (rose breasted cockatoos) hanging out in the eucalyptus trees within the campground, and at night we enjoyed hanging out on the beach under the starry night sky.
Tidal River Campground
This campground is quite large and is jam-packed with campsites – it feels like a mini-city. If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing place to enjoy your evenings, this is not it. It’s in a very convenient location though! Tidal River is a central hub for accessing all the splendor’s of Wilson’s Prom. The campground is also right on the edge of the picturesque Norman Beach and the Tidal River. This place also has tons of trails that link-up to the main natural attractions of the park, so you can cut down on driving time if you stay here.
I spotted a grazing wombat just outside of the campground. It was so cool to see one of Australia’s unique animals up close and in the wild! I kept a keen eye out for koalas as well but unfortunately didn’t see any during my time here.
DAY HIKES
Tidal Overlook
Distance: 3.8 km | Duration: 40 mins | Elevation: n/a
To describe this hike in one word: BREATHTAKING. The views are incredible! You can either start the Tidal Overlook Circuit trail from the Lilly Pilly Gully Carpark (refer to the Map), or from the Tidal River Campground. I completed it starting from the former. Follow the Lilly Pilly Gully Link Track and that’ll take you onto the Tidal Overlook Circuit (turn right at the fork). The trail veers around some interesting big rounded rocks, and then becomes sandy and winds through shrubs and grasses. You’ll get intermittent views of beautiful beaches as you follow the trail. You’ll eventually reach another fork – turning right will take you down to Squeaky Beach or the Pillar Point Walk. If you go left, continuing along the circuit, the trail will take you to some immaculate viewpoints overlooking the Tidal River and Norman Beach. The water is a crystal clear turquoise that mesmerises harder than a siren luring you into its delectable watery depths. The uniquely angled trees and various shrubs also make for some great pictures and simply add to the exploratory vibe of this region.
If you want to cut down on the walking, from the Lilly Pilly Gully Carpark, you can continue left along the Lilly Pilly Link Track when you reach the fork. That will take you straight to some of the scenic overlooks in less than half the time. Alternatively, from the Tidal River Campground, you can take the Loo-Erm Boardwalk over the Tidal River and then continue along the Tidal Overlook Circuit Trail from there.
Lilly Pilly Gully
Distance: 5.8 km | Duration: 1.5 h | Elevation: n/a
If you’re a sucker for ferns – like me – then this trail is a MUST. The Lilly Pilly Gully Circuit starts by winding among towering eucalyptus trees and then continues into a temperate rainforest with majestic tree ferns and various other low-lying ferns. you’ll eventually reach a quaint 600m boardwalk which branches off from the main trail and takes you over a stream and into the lush, swampy fern-filled areas . You’ll feel like you’re in Jurassic Park. If you’re lucky, you’ll also spot the trees for which this trail is aptly named – Lilly Pillies! (Syzygium and Acmena spp.) – which are types of Australian evergreen rainforest trees.
Mt. Bishop
Distance: 7.4 km | Duration: 2 h | Elevation: 319 m
The Mt. Bishop Summit Track is a return trail (aka not a circuit), with one way being 3.7 km. The trail is basically one large switchback. The summit is 319m above sea level, so from the top you’ll have great panoramic views of Squeaky Beach to your left and Whiskey Bay to your right. You’ll also see a variety of big granite boulders adorning the summit. The trail itself wanders through towering eucalyptus trees (stringybark and gum varieties) and various types of lush green foliage. The air here smells heavenly.
Mt. Oberon
Distance: 3.9 km | Duration: 1h 15m | Elevation: 558 m
This is the mountain of all mountains in Wilson’s Prom. If you make it to the top, you’ll not be disappointed in what you see – the summit views are immaculate. From the top, you’ll see various coastal beaches with turquoise waters, dapples of offshore islands, and a crescendo of undulating mountain slopes and rocks. The trail starts as gently sloped hard gravel, so relatively easy to traverse, and as you get higher, the trail becomes narrower and steeper (but nothing too crazy!). Some of the upper sections of the trail have ladders built into the side of the mountain, which I thought was kind of cool.
BEACHES
Yanakie Beach
This beach is technically not in Wilson’s Promonotory National Park, but it’s definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re staying at the Yanakie Caravan Park. It has an idealist natural coastline with windswept grasses and rugged sentinel-like shrubs. The sand is soft and the beach is clean. There are also a lot of coastal banksia trees here which have large seedpods that comically look like they have open mouths.
This beach is ideal for swimming because its waters are calmer and relatively warmer than those within Wilson’s Prom because this beach is within the Corner Inlet which is a pocket off of the Bass Strait (aka not directly out onto the open ocean). What I also like about this beach is that it’s a little off the beaten tourist path, so you can enjoy a large part of the place to yourself, or at least that’s how it felt when I visited in mid-February. I brought some snorkelling gear with me, so when I jumped into the refreshing water, I was excited to see groups of little fish near shore and some flatfish that camouflaged right into the sand.
Squeaky Beach
Squeaky Beach is quite truly *squeaky*! The beach is composed of very fine-grained quartz crystals which make a squeaking sound when you walk on them. This beach also has the whitest sand I’ve ever seen. The beautiful sand paired with the heavenly light blue waters make this place absolutely picturesque. I enjoyed spending time relaxing on the beach listening to the unbridled thunder of crashing waves. I was also excited to find a bunch of cuttlefish bones while wandering along the shoreline.
If you don’t feel like much walking, you can get here by parking at the Squeaky Beach Carpark, and then walking down a short side trail for a few minutes. But if you’re up for an adventure, then you can instead park at the Lilly Pilly Gully Carpark and then walk down the Lilly Pilly Link Track and part of the Tidal Overlook Circuit which branches off towards Squeaky Beach. Alternatively, from the Tidal River Campground, you can take the Loo-Erm Boardwalk over the Tidal River and then continue along the Tidal Overlook Circuit Trail which eventually reaches the Squeaky Beach Walk.
Norman Beach
This beach borders the Tidal River Campground making it easily accessible and very inviting. It’s situated in a picturesque cove bordered by a forested cape on either side. The beach itself is 1.5 kms long, making it a quaint, but extensive, sheltered nook. The water here is super blue and crystal clear – I couldn’t stop gawking! The best feature of this beach is the tidal river that flows off to the right side of the beach. I had a lot of fun walking up along the shoreline and then jumping into the river with my goggles on, floating face-down with current. I was able to spy on a few jellyfish using this tried-and-true method.
If you’re looking for a great photo op location, the best place to go is on the Tidal Overlook Circuit Trail which meanders along the other side of the river. It provides stunning views of the river and the beach. You’ll think you landed in a post card.
