2 Day Wilsons Promontory Itinerary: Beaches, Walks & Wildlife
This two day Wilsons Promontory itinerary covers the highlights of Victoria’s southern wilderness, including iconic beaches, sweeping lookouts and wildlife encounters!
I’ll absolutely never forget my first wildlife encounter on our first night in Wilson’s Promontory, when a wombat casually wandered into our campsite as we sat having an evening beer. It was a wonderful taste of what was to come – two days filled with wildlife, wilderness and wonderful landscapes.
Affectionately dubbed ‘The Prom’ by Aussies, Wilson’s Promontory is a beloved coastal wilderness less than three hours from Melbourne. Here, at the southernmost tip of mainland Australia, towering summits meet wild and pristine beaches.
With this two day Wilsons Prom itinerary, you’ll experience coastal and inland trails, with plenty of opportunities to spot wombats, kangaroos, emus and birds. If you add on a coastal wilderness cruise, you might also spot seals, dolphins and whales!
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Wilsons Promontory Essentials
Getting there: Wilsons Promontory is 2.5-3hrs drive from Melbourne. If you don’t have a vehicle, you could take a day tour from Melbourne – there isn’t an easy way to get here using public transport.
Park entrance fee: Free
Tours & Activities: The main activities here are the walks and wildlife spotting, but you can also book a wilderness cruise or whale watching trip (seasonal) to get out onto the water.
Where to stay: Tidal River Campground is the only accommodation in the park itself, offering campsites and cabin accommodation. Just outside the park, find holiday home lets like Promhills Cabins ($$$$) and Prom Gate Getaway ($$$). For more budget-friendly accommodation nearby, hotel rooms are available at Fish Creek Hotel ($$$) and Meeniyan Motel ($$$).
Best time to visit: Spring (Sep-Nov) is great for walking and wildlife, with milder temperatures during the day and whale watching opportunities. Autumn (Mar-May) has warm weather and less crowds compared to high summer.
Day 1: Beaches, Lookouts & Wildlife Encounters
Morning: Three Bays Walk
Wilson’s Prom is beloved for its spectacular beaches, offering rugged coastline trails with plenty of lookout spots! This easy-moderate walk is one of the most popular coastal trails, and you can tailor it to make the walk longer or shorter depending on ability.
To start your walk, park at Tidal River Campground and head out to Norman Beach, where stretching shoreline meets views towards Mount Oberon.
Make your way to the Tidal River footbridge, and past the Tidal River Circuit Viewpoint for views down to the mouth of the river. [UPDATE: As of Nov 2025, Tidal River Footbridge is temporarily closed for repairs. You can drive to Lilly Pilly Gully Carpark after visiting Norman Beach to join the Tidal Overlook Trail towards Squeaky Beach.]
You can also take a slight detour to Tidal Overlook, and/or follow the trail to Pillar Point (around 700m from the turn-off point) for even more sweeping views of the river and surrounding coastline.
Following the trail across the headland, you’ll switch back and walk through shady forest past wildflowers and rock formations to Squeaky Beach. This iconic spot gets its name from the fact that the sand here is so fine, it squeaks when you walk across it!
After Squeaky Beach, you can choose to head back, making it around a 7km walk in total, or 8.6km if you include Pillar Point). If you want to take it a bit further and see another of the park’s most-loved beaches, continue the coastal trail across the dramatic headland to Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay – giving you a 13.3 km return trail if you make it all the way to Whisky Bay.
[To visit Squeaky Beach, Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay with less walking, you can also drive to the Squeaky Beach Car Park and Picnic Bay Car Park for shorter walking times to the beach!]
Once your walk’s done, head to Tidal River campground to grab lunch at the General Store cafe, which serves hot and cold food. There’s a souvenir shop too!
Even if you’re not staying at the campground, it’s worth dropping by. The Visitor Centre is a hub of park information, and sometimes runs ranger activities during the day. You can also have a quick stroll along the Loo-Ern Track, a boardwalk that follows Tidal River.
Aftternoon: Prom Wildlife Walk
Just before sunset is the most-recommended time for this walk – but we went around 4pm, so a little before dusk and weren’t disappointed by the abundance of wildlife sightings!
This easy, flat loop is an absolute Wilsons Prom essentials, as the area is home to a variety of the park’s iconic wildlife. We saw wombats, kangaroos, wallabies and emus all frolicking within easy sight of the path.
Read more: Six Easy Walks in Wilson’s Promontory
Evening: Sunset and a quiet night
On the way back to our pitch in Tidal River Campground, we stopped to watch one of the most stunning sunsets in the south! There are some lookout points along the road, but we found the best spot next to Picnic Bay Carpark. You can take the trail out to Picnic Bay and Whisky Bay Lookout, or there’s a small balcony beside the car park. We had this spot completely to ourselves, so grabbed a couple of beers from our van and enjoyed the scorching colours of the sky over the dramatic ocean below.
Wilsons Prom gets pretty quiet after dark, so evening activities usually involve relaxing around the campsite or heading back to your acommodation. We were staying in , and did a short night time walk around the Loo-Ern Track.
If you’re looking for a dinner spot, Promontory Restaurant and Winery is around half an hour’s drive inland from the park, serving European dishes with a view. For something more casual, check out Wilsons Prom Pizza Restaurant at the gate of the park. Check opening days before you plan, as some restaurants close on Mondays/Tuesdays!
Day 2: Walks, Water and Wilderness
Morning: Lilly Pilly Gully/ Mount Bishop Walk
Walking around Lilly Pilly Gully can be as easy or challenging as you make it! All three of these trails start out at Lilly Pilly Gully Car Park
Beginner: Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk
This easy, mostly flat 5.2km trail winds through temperate forest and heathland for a magical immersion into the inland beauty of Wilsons Prom. The woodland section of the trail, you reach a 600m boardwalk over streams and swampland.
Intermediate: Lilly Pilly Gully Circuit
After the Nature Walk, you can turn around and head back or continue around the Lilly Pilly Gully circuit trail, with the option of adding the Mount Bishop summit. We opted for the in-between choice of completing the full circuit loop without turning off onto the Mount Bishop track!
After the boardwalk, the trail begins on an upward incline, with just enough flat sections in-between to make this a relatively achievable hike for most walkers. At the peak of the trail, we got delicious glimpses through the trees of the Norman Bay coastline in the distance.
Challenging: Lilly Pilly Gully Circuit + Mount Bishop summit
If you want to push yourself, this moderate-challenging route rewards you with panoramic views across the park and out to sea.
Once you’ve ascended most of the way on the Lilly Pilly Gully Circuit, the road forks. To the right, you’ll be on the turn-off for the Mount Bishop summit. The path to the summit has some steep sections and can be rocky in parts, but it’s achievable with a decent level of fitness.
Sadly, we decided not to add on the Mount Bishop summit as there was another storm threatening above our heads, but I’d love to go back and do this one fully!
In the afternoon, head out to see some more of the Prom’s incredible landscapes and wildlife – from the water, or on land!
Afternoon: Option A – Wildlife Boat Trip
Explore Wilsons Promontory from a different perspective on a boat trip around the park’s rugged coastline! Get up close to rock formations jutting out from the ocean, and keep an eye out for seals, dolphins, seabirds.
During the months of May-October, humpback and southern right whales can be seen on their migration journey. We didn’t get the chance to see them here, but we had some amazing whale experiences in Gold Coast and Port Macquarie, and seeing these magnificent creatures should be on everyone’s bucket list!
You can visit the information centre at Tidal River campground for on-the-day bookings. However, I’d recommend booking your wilderness cruise or whale watching trip in advance, especially in the busier months!
Afternoon: Option B – Cotters Lake & Cotters Beach Walk
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly (free!) afternoon activity in Wilsons Prom and your legs are still up for some more walking, I really enjoyed the Cotters Lake and Cotters Beach Walk – definitely somewhat of a hidden gem!
This flat walk to one of the Prom’s lesser beaches is usually much quieter than other walks in the park. When we did it, we only met one other person (who helpfully alerted us to a nearby wombat sighting!). Making our way along the path through grassland, we spotted emus and plenty of wombats.
At the end of the trail, the path gives way to sand dunes, with views over Cotters Lake and the surrounding marshes. Beyond the dunes, Cotters Beach is a rugged and secluded stretch of coastline, with views of Shellback Island and Tongue Point.
This trail is also a great option on your way out of the park, as it’s a short drive from the park entrance.
Is two days enough time in Wilson’s Promontory?
Two days is a great amount of time to spend in Wilson’s Promontory, as you’re able to cover a range of walks and wildlife encounters.
If you’re looking to extend your trip in Wilson’s Promontory or just want something a little more challenging for your two day visit, the Mount Oberon Summit and Darby Saddle to Tongue Point trail are good alternative or additional options.
Final tips for visiting Wilsons Promontory
- Drive carefully: The park is easy to get around with your vehicle, and trails are well-signposted. Be careful when driving around at dawn or dusk, as this is when wildlife is most active. We saw quite a few kangaroos and wombats close to the road alongside the Prom Wildlife Walk
- Book in advance: During high season, Tidal River campground and local accommodation can get booked
- Check the forecast and plan accordingly: We actually had a great time visiting in October. It DID rain a fair amount, but we were prepared with good footwear and waterproofs. We also opted for some of the less challenging trails due to the conditions.
- Respect the wildlife: Most wildlife we encountered, especially on the Prom Wildlife Walk, seemed pretty comfortable with human prescence. As with any wildlife, respect the animals’ space, and don’t touch or feed any wildlife you encounter!
