wilsons promontory national park

Wilsons Promontory National Park is situated two and a half hours drive to the south east of Melbourne in the South Gippsland region. Covering around 500 square kms in size and surrounded by marine sanctuary, the park’s features are dominated by a large granite mountain range running the entire length of the promontory which effectively splits the park into two halves.

The western side of the Prom is the most accessible with a road all the way in to Tidal River whilst the eastern side is accessible only by sea or on foot. At the southern end of the Prom the mountain range plunges into the sea at the southern most point of mainland Australia. Here also you can access by walking track a lighthouse and outbuildings which was built in 1859 using granite blocks quarried on site.

Aboriginal history dates back at least 6000 years in the area with the Boon Wurrung and Gunai Kurnai people claiming traditional links to The Prom, known to the indigenous people as Yiruk. In 1798 the marine expedition from Port Jackson to Westernport led by Mathew Flinders and George Bass sighted what is now known as Wilsons Promontory and came ashore.

The naming of the Prom is a matter for debate but it is believed that a crew member Lt Wilson was the first man ashore and therefore the rock he stood on was named for him. Mt Wilson is one of the more prominent peaks inside the national park but perhaps the most dominant is that of Mt Oberon. At 550 metres it is not the highest point on the prom but it’s exposed granite boulders and weather worn cliff faces which overlook Norman Bay are easily recognisable from a long way out to sea.

Throughout European occupation The Prom has seen many forms of commercial endeavor from seal harvesting to tin mining and cattle being grazed on the northern section. The national park was declared in 1905 and became popular with field naturalists and tourists. During the second world war years, as Australia faced the threat of invasion by Japanese forces, the park was closed to the public and a special forces training base established at Tidal River . The commandos who trained here were eventually deployed to the Pacific to operate behind enemy lines.

The flora and fauna of the Prom is quite prolific. Eastern Grey Kangaroos and black wallabies are in abundance with wombat encounters a regular feature of any visit. Though Koala numbers have been significantly reduced over the years they can still be seen particularly in the northern section of the park. More than 700 species of plants have been identified across abroad range of environments including wetlands and riverine environments to mountain ranges and sandy plains.

wilsons promontory marine national park

Wilsons Promontory Marine National park is an underwater paradise. Huge granite cliffs plunge into the sea down to deep reefs covered in sponges. The largest protected marine area in Victoria at around 40,000 hectares, the marine national park is home to an array of colourful fish, dolphins and seal and penguin colonies on the islands just off the mainland. During the months from May to June it is common to see whales moving up the coast as they journey to warmer waters to calve before heading back down again around September and October to Antarctic waters.

The waters of the The Prom were once the scene of a thriving and devastating sealing industry which all but destroyed the large colonies of seals living on and around the granite islands known as the Glennies, Canowndra and Anser group. These sealers were made up of a combination of escaped convicts and American seal boats with their activity being unregulated and unhindered.Thankfully the practiced was stopped and seal numbers have recovered sufficiently well.

Wilsons Promontory Cruises offer daily departures from Tidal River on special amphibious craft designed to launch straight off the beach. This exciting cruise takes you out to the granite islands inside the marine sanctuary including the spectacular skull rock

wilsons Promontory wildlife viewing

One of the best places in Australia to view wildlife, Wilsons Promontory is home to a wonderful array of native animals. A gentle walk along any of the well maintained and clearly marked walking tracks around the lower areas usually results in a special encounter with a wombat or perhaps a wallaby. Within minutes of entering the National Park you are likely to see a mob of emus and kangaroos grazing near the road and in certain areas within the park koalas can be seen dozing away happily in the trees. The great diversity in habitat at the Prom brings about an incredible variety of birdlife with 272 species recorded inside the park alone. Some of our favourites include the beautiful crimson rosella, lyrebirds, wedge-tailed eagles and of course the little penguin.