Wilsons Promontory National Park
Melbourne, Victoria, 3960
The coastal outcropping of Wilsons Promontory is Australia’s southernmost point. Towering granite peaks and white-sand beaches dominate the scenery in the area known as The Prom by locals. Look out for kangaroos, koalas, and penguins in this remote-seeming area that's not far from Gippsland.
The Basics
The majority of Wilsons Promontory tours depart from Melbourne and come with convenient round-trip hotel transfers, which leave you free to enjoy the scenery of rural Victoria. Depending on your fitness level, you can explore on a hiking tour, which typically covers Mt. Oberon, Tidal River, and Little Oberon Bay, or on a catamaran cruise, which usually departs from Phillip Island and passes by whales and dolphins on the Bass Strait.
Explore the park at your own pace by following any of the several self-guided nature trails. The most popular trails are Tongue Point Walk and the route to Squeaky Beach, so-called because of the unique noise its sand makes when you walk on it. For the best views of the area, opt for a scenic flight over the rugged headlands.
Things to Know Before You Go
Wilsons Promontory is a must-visit for lovers of wildlife as the park is home to kangaroos, koalas, emus, and wallabies.
Day trips from Melbourne often take upwards of 12 hours, so prepare for a long day.
Wilsons Promontory has a range of accessible beaches accommodation options; travelers in wheelchairs can also hire an all-terrain wheelchair free-of-charge.
How to Get There
The closest city to Wilsons Promontory is Melbourne, from which the national park is a 3-hour drive via the M1 and C444 roads for a 135-mile (217-kilometer) trip. To arrive by public transport from Melbourne, take a bus from Melbourne Central Station to Fish Creek, from which a taxi is required for the final 34-mile (55-kilometer) stretch.
When to Get There
From May through September, Wilsons Promontory is open Sunday-Friday, from morning to midafternoon, and on Saturday from morning until early evening. From January through April, the park's peak months, evening hours are extended.
Wilsons Promontory Marine Park
In addition to its diverse flora and fauna, Wilsons Promontory boasts a marine park that can be explored by boat or on snorkeling and scuba diving excursions. The protected reserve is home to sponge gardens that harbor octopuses, sharks, and rays, as well as untouched islands that host penguins, seals, and seabirds.
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