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Destinations > Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory
Issue: October 2001
Words and photos by Andrew Gregory
Known to Victorians as 'The Prom', Wilsons Promontory is one of Australia's most popular National Parks. Although it's close proximity to Melbourne makes it a regular weekend destination for Victorians, its attractions lure wilderness lovers from all over the world.
The Promontory's huge granite rocks, pristine beaches and mountain ranges provide awe-inspiring scenery. The park is actually a huge mass of granite that was once joined to Tasmania by the land bridge that has now become Bass Strait. Twelve thousand years ago, when the last ice age ended, the sea level rose about 140m and flooded the bridge. The geology of the land here is, understandably, very similar to that of Mount William National Park, in Tasmania's northeast.
The park is the most southerly point of the Australian mainland. It encompasses 130km of coastline, and has a diverse array of landscapes. Spectacular beaches are protected by huge headlands. Behind some of the beaches lurk dunes and marshes, which provide habitats for a myriad of bird species and other wildlife. The park has a number of impressive peaks, which create their own weather. Clouds can be seen forming into thunderheads over Mount Oberon (558m) in the west or Mount Wilson (705m) in the east. The high rainfall has given the area a dense cover of vegetation, and rainforest gullies line the slopes of the peaks.
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The appeal of Wilsons Promontory lies in its natural beauty and the fact that it is essentially a wilderness area. There are over 700 native plant types in the area, some even native to Tasmania, which have remained in the park. The wildlife is diverse, and visitors are sure to see wombats, echidnas, koalas, wallabies and possums. Look harder at dusk and you might see bats and sugar-gliders. The landscape is so wild and dense that in the past there have even been claims of thylacine sightings - the elusive Tasmanian Tiger.
The Promontory has been a National Park since 1898, due largely to the lobbying of environmentalists. Previously the park was used for logging and whaling, two of Australia's major early industries. George Bass named Sealers Cove after he had his men shoot seals in 1798 and Refuge Cove housed a whaling station in the 1840s. In the 1850s, a timber mill was established at Sealers Cove to supply wood to Melbourne; at low tide you can still see the ruins of the jetty.
The Promontory is roughly two hours drive from Melbourne, and there is only one sealed road within the park. From the boundary, it is about 30km to Tidal River settlement, which has a ranger station, visitor centre and gift shop. In the summer months, there are even movie screenings. Tidal River is situated on Norman Bay, which is one of the safest swimming beaches in the park, and is very popular in the summer months. Small boats are able to be launched in Tidal River.
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Words and photos by Andrew Gregory
Known to Victorians as 'The Prom', Wilsons Promontory is one of Australia's most popular National Parks. Although it's close proximity to Melbourne makes it a regular weekend destination for Victorians, its attractions lure wilderness lovers from all over the world.
The Promontory's huge granite rocks, pristine beaches and mountain ranges provide awe-inspiring scenery. The park is actually a huge mass of granite that was once joined to Tasmania by the land bridge that has now become Bass Strait. Twelve thousand years ago, when the last ice age ended, the sea level rose about 140m and flooded the bridge. The geology of the land here is, understandably, very similar to that of Mount William National Park, in Tasmania's northeast.
The park is the most southerly point of the Australian mainland. It encompasses 130km of coastline, and has a diverse array of landscapes. Spectacular beaches are protected by huge headlands. Behind some of the beaches lurk dunes and marshes, which provide habitats for a myriad of bird species and other wildlife. The park has a number of impressive peaks, which create their own weather. Clouds can be seen forming into thunderheads over Mount Oberon (558m) in the west or Mount Wilson (705m) in the east. The high rainfall has given the area a dense cover of vegetation, and rainforest gullies line the slopes of the peaks.
read on below advertisement
The appeal of Wilsons Promontory lies in its natural beauty and the fact that it is essentially a wilderness area. There are over 700 native plant types in the area, some even native to Tasmania, which have remained in the park. The wildlife is diverse, and visitors are sure to see wombats, echidnas, koalas, wallabies and possums. Look harder at dusk and you might see bats and sugar-gliders. The landscape is so wild and dense that in the past there have even been claims of thylacine sightings - the elusive Tasmanian Tiger.
The Promontory has been a National Park since 1898, due largely to the lobbying of environmentalists. Previously the park was used for logging and whaling, two of Australia's major early industries. George Bass named Sealers Cove after he had his men shoot seals in 1798 and Refuge Cove housed a whaling station in the 1840s. In the 1850s, a timber mill was established at Sealers Cove to supply wood to Melbourne; at low tide you can still see the ruins of the jetty.
The Promontory is roughly two hours drive from Melbourne, and there is only one sealed road within the park. From the boundary, it is about 30km to Tidal River settlement, which has a ranger station, visitor centre and gift shop. In the summer months, there are even movie screenings. Tidal River is situated on Norman Bay, which is one of the safest swimming beaches in the park, and is very popular in the summer months. Small boats are able to be launched in Tidal River.
next page »
