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Wilsons Promontory Community Newsletter
Summer 2022
Wilsons Promontory is an Aboriginal cultural landscape and 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.
Welcome to the first edition of the Wilsons Promontory Community Newsletter. With many exciting projects happening across the park, this newsletter will update you on what is planned and how to get involved.
We encourage you to share this newsletter and encourage other to sign up to the email list. You can register to receive community updates here.
Wilsons Promontory National Park Revitalisation
Wilsons Promontory National Park will become Victoria’s largest conservation sanctuary and have visitor experiences improved through the $23 million Wilsons Prom Revitalisation project.
A predator-proof exclusion fence, supported by conservation programs, will help make the national park a sanctuary where native animals and plants can thrive.
In addition, upgraded visitor facilities, including projects to reduce traffic congestion, will allow people to visit, stay and learn about the Prom in a sustainable way.
The project will be ramping up this year, with more detailed assessments and studies taking place to determine where and how aspects of the project are delivered. We look forward to providing regular updates on this work and on the opportunities for community engagement and feedback.
Project Benefits
Environment - Installation of a 10-kilometre exclusion fence at the Prom will support efforts to turn the national park into a 50,000-hectare sanctuary, keeping destructive species out of the park and supporting the recovery and re-establishment of native animals, plants and habitats.
Visitors - With high visitation to the Prom, this project will help to deliver an improved visitor experience, introducing people to the wonders of the Prom in a sustainable way through new walks, accommodation options, and an upgrade to the visitor centre.
Community and economy - In addition to its special biodiversity values and critical conservation role, the Wilsons Promontory National Park plays an important role in supporting nature-based tourism, local businesses, employment and regional spending.
Safety and sustainability - Investigations into options to improve parking and help to manage congestion, improve driver and visitor safety, and reduce the impact of vehicles in the landscape.
What is involved
This landmark project will be delivered across a number of years to minimise disruption to regular visitation and to maintain the health of the park.
Environmental and cultural heritage assessments will inform where, when and how components of the project are delivered. While subject to adjustments, the current project scope includes:
- a 10-kilometre predator-proof exclusion fence across the Yanakie Isthmus
- an upgrade of the Tidal River Visitor and Education Centre
- improved carparking and traffic management
- three accommodation units outside the northern park boundary
- two accommodation units at Tidal River in existing accommodation areas
- a new Telegraph Saddle trail to connect Tidal River and Mount Oberon.
Over the next 12 months, a series of assessments, technical studies and community engagement will take place to ensure that improvements made to the park enhance visitor experience while respecting this unique and special place.
Creating a sanctuary for the future
Wilsons Promontory National Park (the Prom) is home to some of Victoria’s most significant environmental and cultural heritage values. We want to make it a sanctuary for the future.
The Prom Sanctuary project aims to create a refuge that is free from introduced predators, providing a safe haven for Victoria’s wildlife. This, in turn, will connect visitors to exceptional nature-based experiences in beautiful, restored landscapes.
There are three main outcomes of this project, which align with three stages of the project:
- Pest free nature: Remove major threats to nature on a scale that makes a difference. To create a protected landscape-scale refuge and permanently remove the threats of introduced cats, foxes, deer and environmental weeds. Building the predator proof fence is a key step in this.
- Restore Country: Recover key habitats. Remove environmental weeds to contribute to the restoration and protection of special habitats, such as restoring open grassy plains, banksia woodlands, coastal heathlands and ancient tall forests.
- Back from the Brink: Support rare wildlife species still present on the Prom. To protect and nurture recovery of key resident wildlife species, including bringing vulnerable species back from the brink.
To find out more about the Prom Sanctuary visit the project page. On this page you can watch a video from our Chief Conservation Scientist about how we create a sanctuary.
The New Holland Mouse, one of the animals we hope to protect and support through the Sanctuary.
Access for all
Accessible boardwalk at Tidal River
Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however, in Victoria, there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state.
Parks Victoria is committed to making parks available to all Victorian’s including Wilsons Promontory with the development of an all abilities walk at Wildlife Circuit as well as a changing places facility within the visitor precinct at Tidal River.
To find out more on the range of accessible experiences available at Wilsons Promontory including accessible accommodation, beach wheelchairs, autism friendly visits and more, please visit the Parks Victoria website.
Storm Recovery - update
Wilsons Promontory National Park has experienced widespread damage due to multiple flood and storm events in 2021. This has resulted in significant damage to several the Parks walking tracks such as Lilly Pilly Gully, Refuge Cove, Sealers Cove and Little Oberon Bay.
These storm events have also resulted in significant tree hazards across the entire 190 kilometres of the parks walking track network. Parks Victoria continues to work tirelessly to re-open as many of the tracks as possible. Many of these tracks are now fully open including Lilly Pilly Gully, and the track between Refuge and Sealers Cove.
However, to achieve the track re-openings, some other programmed works have been delayed such as vegetation management on the South East Track. Parks Victoria is working continuously on the re-opening of the iconic Southern Circuit Walk and overall, improving the park maintenance.
We thank all the park users for their patience and understand during this time.
Sealers Cove Access
Unfortunately, after a detailed engineering assessment the entire two (2) kilometres of the Sealers Cove Boardwalk will require full replacement as the damage is beyond repair. Parks Victoria is currently planning these works however due to the remote nature of the boardwalk and associated logistical challenges, the boardwalk and associated walking track will be closed for an extended time.
The flood events in 2011 and 2021 have also altered the hydrology of Black Fish Creek and the drainage of Sealers swamp which will require the new boardwalk to be raised to prevent future inundation. Access to Sealers Cove is still achievable via Refuge Cove.
Storm damage on the boardwalk near Sealers Cove
Little Oberon Bay access
The Little Oberon Bay walking track has also sustained erosion in the storm events. There has been a significant displacement of sand at the beach access, which has been eroded away creating a five metre ledge, therefore engineering options are currently being designed to regain safe access from the track to the beach. Machinery works are also required to repair the track surface due to erosion. It is anticipated these works will be completed by mid-2022.
Stay up to date and involved
Parks Victoria will provide updates and information as the project progresses, and will invite community input throughout the process. To stay up to date please register your interest to receive community updates here. You can also email us at engage@park.vic.gov.au.
To learn more about project happening at Wilsons Promontory National Park, please visit www.parks.vic.gov.au/projects. As the project progresses this information will be updated regularly. You can also contact us on 13 196
