6 Easy Walks in Wilsons Promontory National Park

Wilsons Promontory has to be in my top five places we visited on our year-long Australia trip. For starters, it’s the place where wombats became my absolute favourite animals. The coastline here is something special, and it’s also a great place to stretch your legs on some amazing trails.

Our two night trip to Wilson’s Prom came off the back of a busy visit to Melbourne, balancing catch-ups with family and friends with long hours working at the Melbourne show. We’d done some pretty full on walks in Grampians National Park previously; but with the less-than-ideal weather when we reached Wilsons Prom, we decided to stick to easier and shorter trails.

If you’re planning on doing the same, these six easy trails show off the very best this incredible park has to offer!

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Prom Wildlife Walk

If you want to get closer to the wildlife of Wilson’s Prom, this easy trail is an essential walk! Basically – if you only do one walk, make it this one.

This flat, circular track is teeming with Australian wildlife legends, including wombats, kangaroos, wallabies and emus. The area is at the centre of the park’s wildlife conservation efforts, and you’ll see evidence here in the form of wildlife monitoring activity.

I’d recommend doing this walk earlier in the day or towards dusk. Just remember to allow yourself extra time on the road for driving back to the campsite, as animals in the park are most active at these times. We did the walk about an hour before dusk, and the animals in the area were super active. A wombat crossed our path moments after we stepped on to the trail!

Loo-Ern Track

The Loo-Ern track follows the Tidal River along a boardwalk over fragile wetland. The path is suitable for electric wheelchairs, and those with limited mobility. We didn’t actually take this walk, but it’s another great trail for getting a feel for the park without having to overexert yourself!

Cotters Lake & Beach

A lesser-talked about trail, but definitely a bit of a hidden gem! This quiet grassland trail leads to a rugged beach, past tall grassland and swampy lakes.

Starting from the car park, follow the flat, wide trail through grassland. The trail itself is mostly dirt and some grass, which can get a bit muddy during rainy times. This section is wide, cut through the surroundings, totally flat and pretty even. Keep an ear out for singing frogs, and an eye out for emus and wombats using the grass as cover – we saw both on our walk!

Once you reach the final section of trail, you’ll reach the sand dunes which stretch to the beach for a couple of hundred metres. As you follow the dunes, look out left for Cotters Lake, a swampy body of water, with dramatic peaks in the distance.

The beach itself is rugged and natural – no sun loungers or beach kiosks to be found here! Along the coastline, you’ll be able to see the Shellback Island, and the headland of Tongue Point.

Visiting in the afternoon, we had this trail almost completely to ourselves; save for a wildlife photographer who pointed us in the direction of our first wombat sighting! Once we’d started, it didn’t stop – with plenty along the trail, including a mum and her ADORABLE baby.

Tidal River to Squeaky Beach

One of the most popular easy walks in Wilsons Promontory…and the only one we didn’t actually get around to! The Tidal River footbridge was sadly closed for repairs when we visited.

Passing across the headland, the walk takes you to Squeaky Beach, named after the squeaking sound the ultra-fine quartz sand particles make. There’s some gentle inclines, but the route is recommended as an easy walk for beginners and young families. Along the way, you’ll see fascinating rock formations and sweeping bay views.

As we didn’t get to do the walk ourselves, I’d recommend checking out this trail guide to plan your walk!

Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk

A gorgeous woodland path through eucalypt forest that that leads to a circular rainforest boardwalk! If you’re looking for a longer trail that’s still very achievable for all walking abilities, this is it.

The Nature Walk trail is relatively flat with a few gentle inclines. The path is soil/dirt, and you may encounter some slightly uneven sections of flooring due to leaves and branches. During rainy periods, the trail can get muddy – but we encountered nothing our trainers couldn’t handle!

The woodland section of the trail leads to a 600m boardwalk that weaves through the trees and over creek, streams and swamp. We arrived at the boardwalk, and with a rumble of thunder in the distance, the heavens opened. Luckily, we’d brought our umbrellas – and it was pretty magical to be in a rain shower in such a wild, rainforest area!

If you’re looking for more of a challenge at this point, you can continue in a loop around the Lilly Pilly Circuit back to the car park. This trail is rougher, and has some steep sections. If you’re not confident with that, you can simply head back the way you came to return.

Norman Beach Walk

Although not marked as a trail on its own, the trail across Norman Bay incorporates into the longer and more challenging Norman Bay South Track and Telegraph Track Loop. But we’re talking easy here – and the Norman Beach section is a very satisfying stroll suitable to even the most inexperienced of walkers.

Instead of taking the trail, we followed Tidal River’s sandbank down to where river meets ocean, for beautiful views across the bay. We strolled across the length of the bay spotting starfish at the shore, before taking the inland track back to the campground.

The inland trail section has some slight inclines, and although there’s not much in the way of views here, it’s a mystical and captivating woodland track. Keep a look out for wallabies hiding in the undergrowth!

Wilsons Promontory Tours

Planning to visit to Wilson’s Promontory on a tour? Check out these top options:

If you’re travelling with a larger group, you could also consider booking a private tour to tailor walks and activities to your group’s abilities.

More Victoria travel guides

• 2 Day Wilsons Promontory Itinerary: Beaches, Walks & Wildlife
• A Weekend in Melbourne: 2 Day Itinerary For First Timers
• Grampians National Park Guide: Everything You Need to Know