Destinations > Wilsons Promontory

From Windy Saddle the track becomes narrower and descends through tall forests of Messmate. This is a beautiful part of the walk. You slowly descend through the forest, at times coming upon permanent rainforest gullies filled with ferns and waterfalls. There are some massive fallen logs across the park, which suggest the size of the Eucalypts here in the past. After several steep sections and almost two hours walking, you have your first view of Sealers Cove and the cliffs of the Mount Wilson Range.

The track continues until you reach Sealers Swamp. This part of the track is boardwalked and passes through paperbarks and ferns. It is such a boggy section that without the boardwalk it would be almost impenetrable. There are two footbridges and then the track reaches the beach. Sealers Cove is a huge bay surrounded by peaks. The beach is very tidal and at low tide is a mass of yellow sand. To reach the camping area you have to walk to the southern section of the beach and cross Sealers Creek. You need to time your walk, as at high tide the water in the creek is very deep.

The camping area is in a beautiful setting amongst the forest behind the beach. You literally step from the sand into the forest. In late afternoon the colours of the creek, the sound of the surf and the peacefulness of the area all combine to leave a lasting impression. There is a small freshwater creek near the campsite and lots of friendly Rosellas. At night I could hear the possums rustling around in the trees near my tent.

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The walk back up to Mount Oberon is not too difficult, and some people just stay overnight at Sealers Cove and return the next day. Another interesting option for walkers is an overnight trip to the lighthouse. It's a 37km hike which can be done as an overnight trip. Tour groups are available, which stay at the lighthouse itself, which is close to the most southern tip of the Australian mainland - a wild and beautiful spot.

In the northern sections of the park, the tracks are far more remote. They are only maintained by the use they receive, and there is often very little water in this section of the park. Anyone hiking through here should be well prepared, and preferably quite experienced.

There are also a couple of interesting places to visit just a short drive from Tidal River. Picnic Point is a headland between Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay, which is rumoured to be names after the cases of Whisky washed ashore from a ship. There is a lookout on the headland that offers views across the bay, and provides an excellent vantage point for the sunset. Both of these beaches are wide open and backed by sand dunes.

Further north is Darby Beach, which has a creek flowing out into the ocean that drains from Darby Swamp. There is a lot of birdlife around the creek. From here, a long walk leads out to Tongue Point, which provides great views up and down the coast. There are some magnificent sand dunes north of Darby Beach, which becomes Cotters Beach and extends for nearly 20km into a remote coastal wilderness.

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