Wake Up & Go Travel
Located at the southernmost tip of mainland Australia, Wilsons Promontory is one of Victoria’s most loved parks – and for a good reason. This 50,000 hectare reserve offers pristine beaches, a labyrinth of walking tracks and an abundance of native wildlife. There are plenty of things to do here for all ages, so spend the day here or even a few. We decided to spend one night and two days camping here.
What to do:
1. Experience the picture perfect views from Mt Oberon
Arguably one of the parks most popular walks, the Mt Oberon Summit Walk provides postcard views of Tidal River, the coast and the offshore islands. The majority of the walk takes you through stunning forest as you make your way up a steady incline, along a wide and compacted gravel path. There are benches located throughout the walk up the mountain as well. The section leading up to the summit includes steep steps, but there is railing on the side in most sections for extra support.
GRADE 
: MODERATE. The walk is 6.8km return and will take around 2 hours.
TRAVEL NOTE 
: The walk starts from the Telegraph Saddle Carpark, which is closed between 9am and 5pm every weekend. If you plan to visit during these hours, you will need to take the free shuttle bus up there. The shuttle bus runs every half an hour and departs from the visitor centre carpark. The Telegraph Saddle Carpark is only open if you are visiting outside of these days/hours.
There are also toilets available next to the Telegraph Saddle Carpark.
2. Explore the sand dunes of The Big Drift
Only a short walk from Stockyard Camp, The Big Drift reveals a very different side to Wilsons Prom.
The walk begins by taking you through bushland, before emerging to an open field. The path then undulates over a few hills until the final hill. The final hill is sandy and steep, but thankfully it’s only short!
Once you reach the top, you’re greeted with endless views of the sand dunes as well as, views of the ocean and the mountains in the distance. But be careful to remember where you came from, as it’s easy to get lost!
GRADE : MODERATE. It’s a short 4km return walk. The track is initially well-formed but once it leads you to the open fields the path isn’t as obvious, but we just followed the fenceline. The track is also signposted, making it easy to follow.
TRAVEL NOTE : The walk starts from the back of the Stockyard Campsite, located on the right side, just after the wilsons Prom entrance. It’s good to either do this as your first or last stop of the day.
Although the parking spots are limited this walk isn’t overly crowded, so it’s easy to find a place to park.
3. Watch the sunset at Squeaky Beach
One of the most well-known beaches within Wilsons Prom, Squeaky Beach was given the name due to the ultra fine quartz sand particles that are the exact same size and shape – and make a squeaking sound as you walk.
The beach offers pristine white sand, and amazing views of the surrounding brilliant orange rocks and the distant islands. We spent a few hours here (we actually had our dinner here!) and waited for the sunset, which we would highly recommend.
TRAVEL NOTE : Parking can be found at the Squeaky Beach Carpark and the beach is around a 5 minute walk from here. Toilets are also available next to the carpark.
4. Enjoy lunch and a dip Norman Beach
Located just a few minutes walk from the Tidal River Campground, Norman Beach is a stunning spot where you can see Tidal River literally meet the sea.
Depending on the weather, the beach can be quite treacherous, so a calmer alternative is to take a dip at Tidal River located on the right hand side of the beach.
5. Spot some furry friends on the Wilsons Prom Wildlife Walk
There is an abundance of wildlife at Wilsons Prom and one of the best ways to spot one of our native friends is along the Wilsons Prom Wildlife Walk. We were lucky enough to see kangaroos, emus and even a wombat!
GRADE : EASY. The walk is 2.3km return and follows a flat and gravel/dirt path the entirety of the way. This walk is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Where to stay:
There are a number of accommodation options located throughout the park, including cabins, lodges, units, huts and various campgrounds. We stayed at the Tidal River Campground, which is one of the most well-known campgrounds within the park.
The campground offers a mix of powered and unpowered sites, and all sites need to be pre-booked no matter the time of year. For an unpowered site we paid $33.10. We didn’t need to check in, instead we just needed to print our permit (this is sent to your email a couple of days beforehand) and this must be displayed on the dash of your vehicle.
We were lucky enough to find a nice spot all to ourselves, near the West Block along 22nd Avenue. The toilet and shower facilities were close by and were both clean. This spot rewarded us with some pretty awesome views of the surrounding mountains and it was nice to fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the ocean.
TRAVEL NOTE : If you’re planning on visiting during Christmas time to late January there is a ballot system for Tidal River accommodation and camping. You need to apply in the ballot during the selected period and minimum stays apply. Ballots aren’t first in best dressed and are instead selected at random. For other selected holiday periods minimum stays also apply and your stay needs to be booked in advance.
Where to eat:
We took our own food to eat, and we recommend taking advantage of the barbecue facilities located in the park. However, there is a General Store at Tidal River which stocks basic supermarket items, as well as takeaway food and drinks.
How to get there:
Wilsons Prom is located around a 3 hours drive from Melbourne. To get there, follow the Monash Freeway (M1) to join the South Gippsland Freeway (M420/A440) to Meeniyan. Then take Meeniyan – Promontory Road (C444) to the entrance of Wilsons Prom.
TRAVEL NOTE : There is no fuel available at Tidal River. The last stop for fuel is at Yanakie, which is located about 35 minutes away.
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