One of the last major places to visit on my list was at the very southern tip of the state of Victoria: Wilsons Promontory National Park. It has been highly recommended by many people I know. When I tried to make camping reservations there over the phone, they asked whether I was a resident of the state. It seems all Victorian residents need to reserve spots in advance, and all others must arrive in person to see whether any sites are available. It is a little nerve-wracking to have to drive a long distance just to see if there is space. Fortunately for me, there was, but I can’t say I was too impressed with the campground.
The camping fee was $30, which is a bit steep for a national park. They do have hot showers and clean facilities, but I’m happier to pay less and get less. Perhaps they are catering to the wrong crowd – one that seems more interested in recreation than conservation. They seemed to have two separate campsites available, one for Victorians and the other for interstate and international tourists. They had some 375-odd campsites available for multiple people per spot, resulting in probably over 1000 people there, and they all seemed to be full by the end of the day.
The place was a real zoo, with children whizzing around on bikes everywhere and most families spending the day at the local beach. I can’t say I was too impressed. The place looked like a tent slum, and the mostly European people staying there didn’t seem to respect each other’s limited personal space – instead, they wouldn’t think twice about just cutting through your site between your car and tent to get to their friends a few blocks over. Interestingly, the campsite originated as an army training ground in WWII, and the street names have stayed the same ever since (1st Ave on up).
As for the rest of Wilson’s Promontory, it was quite beautiful, but nothing I haven’t seen or experienced in Western Australia, either in Esperance or in Fitzgerald River National Park. It would probably have been a more valuable experience there if I had the time to actually do some overnight hiking to more remote areas of the park or possibly do some sea kayaking around the place. Some beaches looked much friendlier to land on than others. I did manage to get a few short hikes in. One followed the coast south of the camp to visit a few more beaches without the hordes of people. The other hike was up to the very top of Mount Oberon Summit for a view of the entire National Park below.
Beach Hiking Circuit
Mount Oberon Summit Hike
After my morning peak hike, I had to get on the road to loop around Port Phillip Bay through Melbourne and down to the Great Ocean Road for my coastal journey back through Adelaide and on to Perth.
Today’s Drive
