australia:vic:wilsonsprom
Whiskey Bay
View south at sunset from Mt Oberon summit
Introduction
Wilsons Promontory is a wonderful, rather remote, protected southern coastal region in south
Gippsland which abounds in native wildlife (especially kangaroos, wombats, coastal seabirds) with some of the most beautiful beaches you will walk on adjacent to forested mountains
day visitors must leave the park prior to sunset
all overnight visitors must pay a camping fee or book accommodation via the website
the Tidal River camp ground has excellent amenities and over 200 camp lots BUT:
these lots are likely to BOOKED OUT in peak periods such as school holidays and Easter - so you may need to book well in advance for these
there are many local wombats who will destroy your tent if the smell any food or perfumes inside - you have been warned!
there is another camp ground near the entrance at Stockyard camp ground but with minimal amenities (potentially no hot showers) but this is adjacent to the walk to The Big Drift sand dunes
there are overnight walk-in only camp grounds which again must be booked in advance
Climate
the park is one of the windiest areas in Victoria, and being one of the most southern parts of Victoria, it tends to get cooler temperatures (summer average high temperatures are around 20degC, with many days hitting 24-28degC) although record summer temperatures have been over 40degC
the sea moderates the lowest temperatures so average minimums in summer tend to be 14degC and 8degC in winter although record lows in winter do fall to just below 0degC
weather conditions can change quickly and showers and storms can impact your stay
the cool sea breezes on a sunny day make it very pleasant but remember in Spring and Summer the UV index is likely to be high so you need sun protection and plenty of water to drink
most of the rain falls over winter when it rains 19 days per month with a monthly average rainfall of 120mm
it still rains in Summer but only on 10 days per month with a monthly average rainfall of 50mm
Bushfires may impact the park
there is only one road in or out!
13% of the park was burnt in 2005
25,000 hectares burnt in 2009 after a lightning strike near Sealer's Cove and burned to within 1km of Tidal River camp ground
severe rain events leading to flooding may impact the park
Getting there
Best beaches
by car
by overnight hiking
short walks
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Mount Oberon
a must do for sunset views
drive to the car park (“Telegraph Saddle”)
a 1hr, 3.4km, 359m ascent, relatively steep walk to the top where it will be windy and cold - bring jacket, and gloves as well as your camera!
bring a torch for the walk back
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The Big Drift
Lilly Pilly Gully Circuit
Coastal walks connecting the west beaches
Darby Saddle Lookout walk
Prom Wildlife Walk near the airport - emus
Cotters Lake Track flat walk to the rather isolated Cotters Beach (not the nicest of beaches though)
Overnight hiking
these MUST be booked well in advance usually
BRING your own water, food, camp gear, etc
the most venomous snakes in the world can be found on these tracks, take care and take first aid and preferably a EPIRB
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Southern circuit
the most popular overnight hikes which start from Mount Oberon carpark (“Telegraph Saddle”)
the full circuit takes 4-6 nights
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A free shuttle bus operates between Tidal River and Telegraph Saddle during the summer and Easter school holidays and on weekends from November to April. Departure points include the Tidal River Visitor Centre carpark, the overnight hikers carpark (Tidal River) and Telegraph Saddle carpark.
Oberon Bay
Sealers Cove
Roaring Meg
Refuge Bay
Lighthouse
Northern circuit
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Barry Creek
Five Mile Beach
Tin Mine Cove
Johnny Souey Cove
more of my Prom pics
australia/vic/wilsonsprom.txt · Last modified: 2019/02/05 09:15 by gary1