Jutting into Bass Strait to the southeast of Melbourne, Wilsons Promontory National Park is Victoria’s largest coastal wilderness area. It’s a land of rugged granite mountains and white sandy beaches and renowned for its abundant wildlife that can be spotted along the extensive walking trails. The national park was designated back in 1898 and today covers more than 50,000 hectares that includes a cluster of offshore islands.
The entrance to Wilsons Promontory National Park is at Yanakie, with the road winding south to the settlement at Tidal River. It’s from here that many of the walking trails depart, including to the white quartz sand of aptly-named Squeaky Beach. Soak up the views across Bass Strait towards the offshore islands from the summit of Mount Oberon and discover the local history at the Wilsons Promontory Lightstation that dates to 1859.
Wilsons Promontory National Park protects a diverse array of wildlife, including kangaroos, emus, wombats and echidnas. The Wilsons Promontory Islands (a cluster of 19 small granite islands) have been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area, with short-tailed shearwaters, Pacific gulls and black-faced cormorants all found here. If you visit during the spring months, you may experience the incredible wildflower displays for which Wilsons Promontory is renowned, with orchids and wattles igniting the landscape.
There are numerous camping grounds scattered throughout Wilsons Promontory National Park, including almost 500 tent sites at Tidal River and 20 powered sites. Bed and breakfasts, self-contained cottages and motel-style accommodation can also be found throughout Prom Country.