Wilsons Promontory National Park is just a quick (albeit for Australian standards) drive away from Melbourne. This makes it the perfect national park to check out for a weekend trip, or during a longer road trip—such as the coastal route to Sydney!
As for national parks in Australia, Wilsons Promontory is amongst the top most beautiful and diverse parks. From rocky escarpments, to white squeaky sand beaches and more, it’s a park that has it all. It shouldn’t be missed whether you’re local or not.
Why exactly is this park so incredible? It’s home to an expansive ecosystem including its rainforest, mountains and beaches. It’s a bush walker and outdoor enthusiast paradise from the diverse terrain. There’s hikes and bush walks galore, for both day trips or an entire weekend.
Wilsons Promontory speaks its beauty to visitors even before entering the national park. This is because it’s located on a secluded peninsula. Bush and trees seem never-ending the moment the road curves close to the park. As the road continues into the national park, it swerves past wildlife, lookouts and deep green eucalyptus forests.
It’s at the end of the road where the campsite and tourist information centre is, but visitors will find some of the best places to stop come before this. The best part about Wilsons Promontory National Park, is despite its popularity, there’s no park fees to enter the park. This guide is everything you need to know for a trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park.
Table of Contents
What To Do
Wilsons Promontory is one of those places that people may recommend you to go, but it’s harder to know what to do there. This section is devoted to the top places and things to see and do in the park. There’s more than just this, but it’s the beginning to finding out the best parts of Wilsons Promontory National Park.
Hike the Park
You don’t have to be that outdoorsy to enjoy a hike or walk through the park. Next to the drive in and out of the park, bush walks and hikes are the best way to get stunning views over the park and further. A few good hikes with rewarding views are: Mount Bishop summit, Mount Oberon summit and Pillar Point. Check out the hiking section below for more options.
Stay the Night
Stay the night inside Wilsons Promontory for an in-depth view to the park. There’s extension types of accommodation for all budgets, but personally I’m a fan of camping in my van. Camping is available at both Stockyard and Tidal River. The latter has additional specialized accommodation including a wilderness retreat, cabins, huts, units and group lodges.
No matter where you stay though, it’s guarantee you’ll have a wilderness experience in Wilsons Promontory natural beauty. Further information on the accommodation in the park can be found below.
Relax on the Beach(es)
Wilsons Promontory is known for more than just its unique wilderness and hikes. Its beaches are part of this extensive ecosystem, and more literally part of Wilsons Promontory Marine Park. There’s many beaches to visit in the park that are just a short walk from the parking lot.
One of the most iconic is Squeaky Beach, where the sand makes a cute squeak under your feet. Other great beaches to visit are on the list below. Things to do aside from relaxing include walks, snorkelling, surfing and swimming when it’s safe.
Visit Big Drift
Big Drift is Wilson Promontory’s local sand dune. It’s massive, and incredible to walk through. It’s the first sand dune I had ever been to, so I was very impressed. It’s less of a bush walk and more of a sand walk though. The walk going from the bush into the sand is pretty magical. All of the trees just disappear and it’s just sand, hills and trees for kilometres around.
Parks Victoria recommends leaving marks while walking to find your way back. It’s possible to loose your path in the sand otherwise.
Hike the Park Overnight
There’s no better way than to fully escape reality than by spending days hiking in the wild. Wilsons Promontory has many overnight hikes to see a different and less travelled version of the park. There’s nothing quite like going to sleep and waking up in the wilderness of the park.
The three day Southern Circuit is one of the most popular, but there’s overnight hikes for all different skill and activity levels. Check out the list below for some of the overnight hikes in the park.
Cycle over Driving
There’s only one road in and out of Wilsons Promontory National Park. And that road is the perfect spot for cycling through the park. Not everyone has the equipment to do this, but if you do, it’s completely worth it.
The reason cycling anywhere is a better alternative to driving isn’t just about saving on fuel. It allows for a slower move through the park to see the views, by getting to know the curves of the road. And on a bike it’s easier to pull over for photos, than it is in a vehicle.
Norman Beach, VIC. 
Squeaky Beach, VIC. 
Norman Beach, VIC.
Beaches
One thing Wilsons Promontory isn’t known for is very swimmable beaches. That doesn’t mean they’re not stunning or good for a quick walk. These are all of the beaches accessible at Wilsons Promontory National Park, and what they’re best for.
It’s worth it to mention that many of Wilsons Promontory’s beaches have serious swells, rips and undercurrents, among other hazards. Take precaution before going in for a swim, with or without a board.
Picnic Bay
This beach is a short walk (400 meters) from the carpark and features cliff side views on the walk. A highlight I found at Picnic Bay was exploring the rock pools during low tide, although it was too windy at the time for an actual picnic. Swimming here is best at the southern end of the beach.
Norman Beach
Accessed by Tidal River campground, Norman Beach is the unofficial private beach to campers. There’s multiple walking paths to the beach, many with cold showers, from the campground and parking lot area. It’s also where Tidal River pours into, after supplying the campground. This is a perfect spot for an afternoon picnic or evening wine and dine on the beach—depending on the wind.
Squeaky Beach
Squeaky Beach can’t be missed, specifically for hearing the squeak of your feet in the sand. The squeaky sound is created by a high concentration of silica quartz sand. But don’t fret if you miss out. There’s many more beaches on Australia’s east coast to hear the squeaky sand. Aside from the enchanting sand, there’s incredibly large rocks to check out and even walk on next to the beach.
Pro tip: get the best squeak by walking on the dry sand, not the wet sand close to the water.
Whisky Bay
Whisky bay is nearly beside Picnic Bay, it’s just separated by Leonard Point. It’s not recommended to swim at Whisky Bay specifically, due to its shorter beach and higher waves—averaging at 1.4 m. Same as Picnic Bay, the walk to the beach is also 400 m from the car park.
Darby Beach
Located furthest from Tidal River Campground, Darby beach is the first beach found when entering Wilsons Promontory National Park. It’s a one kilometre walk from the parking lot to the beach. There’s sand dunes next to the beach, and it’s generally less crowded than other beaches in the park.
Mt Bishop Summit Track. 
Mt Bishop Summit Track. 
Big Drift. 
Lilly Pilly Boardwalk.
Hikes
Hiking through Wilsons Promontory National Park is the best way to get up close and personal with the park’s natural beauty. Hikes also lead to some of the best views. The park has hikes for every time range, from just a few hours or longer. Although there’s many hikes, I’m sharing a few favourites to see the best of the park.
Pillar Point – 1.5 hour return
Pillar Point offers a short hike for incredible views of Norman and Squeaky beaches. Starting at Tidal River footbridge, it’s an easy hike to do while staying at the campground or using the campground parking lot. Because the hike is quick, it can be done along with other hikes on this list.
Mount Oberon Summit Walk – 2 hours return
This is the hike for 360-degree views of Wilsons Promontory National Park. The hike usually begins from Telegraph Saddle carpark, unless it’s during peak periods, then grab the free shuttle. These peak periods are during summer school holidays, Easter and weekends from November to April, according to Parks Victoria.
Lilly Pilly Boardwalk. 
Western viewpoint from Mount Bishop Summit.
Mount Bishop Summit Track – 2.5 hours return
Sweeping up from the road to the air, Mount Bishop gives hikers a view over the entire west and south view of the park. Approaching the top, hikers are led to huge boulders with a view, to sit for a snack and relax, before heading back down.
Follow the same trail back to the car park or turn left for Lilly Pilly Nature Walk circuit (1.5 hour), which also ends at the car park.
Big Drift (1.5 hours return)
This hike starts at the Stockyards and ends up in Wilsons Promontory’s major sand dune, Big Drift. The track starts out on a clearly marked path, then goes through a few fields before meeting up to another path. Eventually the path rises and the trees disappear ending up with just the sand dune. Further up on the sand dune, views point 360-degree around the park.
This hike can be done anytime of day, but it’s best not to get stuck there while the sun sets and it’s hard to see a way back. The sand can move fast and some hikers can lose their path easily, anytime of day. Mark your path, especially if your intention is to go far.
Overnight Hikes
If camping in a campground is too tame and your body can handle a longer hike, these overnight hikes might be exactly what you need. All hikers doing an overnight hike must purchase a hiking permit to do so.
There’s different routes that can be done for overnight hikes, it just depends where camping is available and what interests you most. Make sure you’re over prepared and physically fit to do these hikes, before attempting.
3 Day Southern Prom Circuit
There’s multiple ways to hike through Wilsons Promontory’s southern end. This is the Southern Prom Circuit curated by Parks Victoria, and one many hikers prepare for over a long weekend.
Day 1 – Telegraph Saddle to Sealers Cover (3 hours)
Day 2 – Sealers Cover to Little Waterloo Bay (4.5 hours)
Day 3 – Little Waterloo Bay to Telegraph Saddle (4.5 hours)
3 Day South Point Hike
For those heading to Wilsons Prom directly for the most southern point of Australia’s mainland, then you may as well go all the way to South Point.
Day 1 – Telegraph Saddle to Halfway Hut (2.5 hours)
Day 2 – Halfway Hut to South Point to Roaring Meg (2.5 hours)
Day 3 – Roaring Meg to Telegraph Saddle (4 hours)
2 Day Oberon Bay Hike
This two day hike is perfect for overnight hiking beginners, or someone up for a more relaxed hike. Camp by the water in Oberon Bay with other hikers, away from the bustle at Tidal River.
Day 1 – Tidal River to Oberon Bay (2.5 hours)
Day 2 – Oberon Bay to Tidal River (2.5 hours)
6 day Northern Prom Circuit
Not that any overnight hike is easy, but this northern circuit is on another level. Hikers attempting the section from Johnny Souey Cove north to Lower Barry Creek are required to fill out a Hiker Self Assessment.
This circuit can be done in shorter than six days, but it’s important to retain your energy for the biggest lags of the journey.
Day 1 – Five Mile Road to Barry Creek Camp (2.25 hours)
Day 2 – Barry Creek Camp to Five Mile Beach (3.5 hours)
Day 3 – Five Mile Beach to Johnny Souey Cove (2 hours)
Day 4 – Johnny Souey Cove to Tin Mine Cove (6-7 hours)
Day 5 – Tin Mine Cove to Lower Barry Creek (4-6 hours)
Day 6 – Lower Barry Creek to Five Mile Road (3.5 hours)
Accommodation
Staying the night in the park is the ultimate way to enjoy its beauty during every hour. Thankfully for those that enjoy camping, there’s two options for camping. This is aside from the hike-in only campsites available to those doing overnight hikes, which require permits. If you’re looking for something more exclusive, there’s also non-camping option.
Tidal River Campground
Totalling to nearly 500 campsites at 484, Tidal River Campground is the largest campsite at Wilsons Promontory National Park. This campsite has wildlife walking freely, including wombats that come out at night to eat the fresh grass at your campground. Norman Beach is also bordering the campsite, which makes for a good morning or evening walk.
The entrance to Tidal River Campground where the tourist information centre in the park is located. Rangers are available to help with all sorts of questions along with check-in. There’s hot showers, barbecue facilities, shelters, picnic tables and the sites themselves are spacious for a camper van. Sites are chosen based on availability and campers must leave their reservation details on their vehicle’s front window for inspection.
Tidal River Accommodation
Before entering the campsites of Tidal River Campground, is the standalone accommodation. This comes in the form of cabins, huts, units, group lodges and the wilderness retreat.
These accommodation options are for those that prefer more comfort than bush camping, or maybe don’t have the right equipment. These options are also often good for groups and might be a better multi-night solution.
Stockyard Campground
It’s hard to believe people wouldn’t want to camp right next to the beach and river at Tidal River Campground, but Stockyard offers a more intimate and less busy option to camping at Wilsons Promontory National Park. Stockyard Campground is close to Big Drift, for a bush walk in the area.
Stockyard has similar amenities to Tidal River Campground, including showers, bathrooms, picnic tables and a sheltered area.
Wilsons Promontory is the perfect weekend trip from Melbourne, or an even better stop in between the coastal road trip up to Sydney!
