Wilsons Prom Community Newsletter

Summer 2023-24

Wilsons Promontory is an Aboriginal cultural landscape. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters and will continue to work together with them to care for Country. 

This newsletter includes information about the busy summer period at the Prom, a big thankyou to our volunteers, and an exciting opportunity to help boost our understanding of frogs in the park. 

Please share it and sign up to the email list here. Stay up to date with community engagement via Engage Victoria. 

Summer at the Prom

Saving water at Tidal River

As we enter a busy time at the Prom, we’re asking all visitors to help save water at Tidal River.

Being water-wise in national parks is always important. It’s especially important at Tidal River, which is ‘off-grid’. This means it sources its water from inside the park.

This year, Tidal River is operating with a reduced water supply while we repair one of our storage tanks.

While there’s still adequate supply, we’re reminding people about sustainable visitation. We’ll be encouraging campers and day visitors to reduce their own use by:

• filling up caravan water tanks before arrival
• limiting showers to 4-minutes or less
• using the half-flush on toilets
• turning off the tap while brushing teeth
• washing dishes in a tub and not leaving taps running
• taking laundry home
• reporting leaks and running toilets to the Visitor Centre.
• using a caravan dump point outside of the Prom to get rid of your caravan waste

Pack your Summer Smarts

Whether you’re travelling to the Prom, or another park or reserve, don’t forget to pack your summer smarts!

That means being prepared, avoiding unnecessary risks and making good choices.

From campfire and hiking safety, to packing the right things for your trip, you can find important tips on our website.

Before heading outdoors, visit www.parks.vic.gov.au/get-into-nature/safety-in-nature

Come share your ideas

Throughout January, our staff will be out-and-about to chat with visitors about a range of topics.

It’s a busy time at the Prom. We’re working with Traditional Owners to develop a new management plan for this amazing landscape. We’re also delivering million-dollar projects to revitalise the park and improve people’s visit. And there’s the Prom Sanctuary project, which will turn the national park into Victoria’s largest conservation sanctuary.

These complex and long-running projects will all contribute to a healthier and more sustainable landscape at the Prom.

So, if you’re in the park next month, come and share your ideas.

You can also provide feedback at any time by emailing us at engage@parks.vic.gov.au. Information about

Summer holiday program

Across the state, Parks Victoria runs school holiday programs, helping kids and adults experience more of our natural and cultural landscapes.

At the Prom this summer we’ll be hosting a bunch of fun and interactive activities:

• Become a ‘bush detective’ and identify plants and animals of the Prom.
• Visit the site of a recent ecological burn and find out how Parks Victoria restores native landscapes through planned burning.
• Explore the lifestyle of the Southern Brown Bandicoot.
• Discover the underwater world of Tidal River using microscopes.
• Explore the Prom’s rock pools to discover the unique creatures living at the edge of the sea.
• Walk Lilly Pilly Gully with a Park Ranger and learn about the diverse habitats of the area.

Bookings will be released through the links below, or for more information email wpromdiscovery@parks.vic.gov.au

Junior Rangers (6-12 years) and Discovery Kids (3-5 years) >
Discovery and Learning >

Tidal River General Store Christmas closure

Visitors to the national park during the Christmas week should be aware that the Tidal River General Store will be closed on:

• 24 December (Christmas Eve) – closed at 4:00pm. Hot food not available after 3:30pm.
• 25 December (Christmas Day) – closed all day.

Visitors should make sure they have their own supplies during these times.

Celebrating park volunteers

Parks Victoria extends a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of the thousands of Victorians who donated their time by volunteering in parks and reserves in 2023. 

We’re fortunate to have thousands of committed volunteers spread right across the state from Brimbank to Budj Bim, Wyperfeld to Warby-Ovens, Creswick to Croajingolong, and everywhere in-between. 

At Wilsons Promontory National Park, the landscape continues to benefit from the work of volunteers, led by the Friends of the Prom. These environmental volunteers deliver a range of projects in the park, including monitoring, research, planting, re-vegetation and habitat restoration.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have a legion of dedicated volunteers who understand the importance of caring for nature and are willing to contribute their time and skills to both protect and enhance our special natural spaces,” says Tony Varcoe, Director of Community Programs and Partnerships – Parks Victoria.

“Volunteering in our parks and reserves is not just about giving but also about receiving the immeasurable satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the conservation and enjoyment of our parks.” 

“The contribution of volunteers within the Parks Victoria estate cannot be overstated. From all of us here at Parks Victoria, thank you and keep up the incredible work.”

Volunteers come from all walks of life and play a critical role in protecting our unique natural and cultural heritage, improving it for the benefit of others. 

Visit the Friends of the Prom website to find out more about their work, and the Parks Victoria website to discover other opportunities to help support nature's future.

Prom Sanctuary project – frog hunting

Through the Prom Sanctuary project, Wilsons Promontory National Park will become a 50,000-hectare climate change safe haven.

Creating Victoria’s largest sanctuary is complex. It will involve the contributions of many – including members of the public and park visitors. These citizen scientists can provide invaluable information to how we manage landscapes.

At the Prom, citizen scientists have an opportunity to help catalogue frog species, in particular, the Growling Grass Frog.

The Growling Grass Frog was once considered common throughout Victoria. But populations have declined over the past 30 years and it’s now listed as a Threatened Species.

We’re keen to find out more about the population and distribution of this frog in the Prom and visitors can help, thanks to our friends at the Australian Museum and their amazing FrogID app.

How you can help

1. Download the Australian Museum FrogID app to your phone and create a profile.

2. Visit Wilsons Promontory National Park. Stick to the paths and when you hear what you think is a frog call, whip out your phone and record it. The recording needs to at least 20 seconds long.

3. Submit the recording. You don’t even have to know which frog you’re listening to - experts will use the recording to identify the species. This information is then accessible to Parks Victoria scientists who can use the data to inform their work.

For more information about the Prom Sanctuary visit our website where you can also read more about the FrogID project.

Aurora Australis over the Prom

Did you catch the solar storm over the Prom in November?

One clever photographer has rendered 3,000 photos into a video – and we just had to share!

With thanks to Gippsland Aurora & Astro Photography.

Stay up to date and involved

To learn more about what's going on at the Prom, visit www.parks.vic.gov.au/projects call 13 1963 or email engage@park.vic.gov.au. Register for emails here