Victoria’s Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is Home to an Extinct Volcano & Abundant Wildlife

On a team trip to the Great Ocean Road, Bee and the We Are Explorers crew spent a quiet afternoon exploring the abundant and ancient landscape at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve. Volcanos, koalas, and emus abound!

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which this adventure takes place who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Facts

Distance: Approx 2.5km across two tracks
Duration: Allow 2.5 hours if you’re having lunch and keen to spot some wildlife!
Closest town: Killarney, VIC
Facilities: Picnic tables, electric BBQs, toilets, Worn Gundidj Cultural Centre, open 7 days, 10am-4pm

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve Highlights

• An abundance of koalas and emus 
• Extinct volcano crater 
• Home to 160 iconic bird species 
• Several self-guided short walks are available 
• Ocean views from the top of the crater

Read more: Remember to leave no trace!

How to Get to Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

From Melbourne

Located 275km southwest of Melbourne, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is roughly a 3.5-hour drive along the Princes Highway. At the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve sign, turn right at Entrance Road and follow signage until you reach one of the reserve’s car parks. Park up and pick one of the many walking trails on offer. 

From Port Fairy

Head north 14.6km on Albert St/Princes Highway toward the Entrance Road, turn left onto the Entrance Road and follow signage until you reach one of the reserve’s car parks. 

Skill Level

Beginner

There are several self-guided walks available in the reserve, all of which range from half an hour to an hour long. 

Essential Gear

• Water bottle
• Walking shoes 
• Camera
• Lunch or a snack
• Windbreaker/rain jacket (it’s always bloody windy and unpredictable on the Great Ocean Road)

What It’s Like Visiting Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

Lava Tongue Boardwalk

Distance: 1.6km loop
Duration: 30 minutes

Before we’d even parked the car, we met one of the resident emus. Like a parking inspector on patrol, it surveyed our car before checking out who was next in the lineup. Gobsmacked, the sighting amped up our crew for what other magnificent creatures we might see!

We parked at the entrance of our chosen track, the Lava Tongue Boardwalk, and made our way along the 600m loop through the wetlands. We could not have anticipated the number of wildlife sightings we were about to experience!

Like kids at a carnival, it became a spotting frenzy; koala here, extra fluffy koala there, Australian Shelduck on the lake, Grey kangaroos hopping up ahead, Red and Brown finches in the reeds!

Spot the dropbear

And then, came the fauna finale… as the loop rounded back towards the car park, we were stopped in our tracks. Headed straight for us was a big Papa emu with her baby in tow. There’s nothing like a David Attenborough moment on the track, and this was one of them! Breathtaking and beyond adorable, we squashed together like sardines to let the locals take priority on the path.

Journey to the Last Volcano Loop

Distance: 1.9km loop
Duration: 1 hour

Home to one of the largest Maar volcanoes in the world, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is a major geological attraction. After our wetlands waddle, we were eager to find out what all the Maar fuss was about and made our way to the Journey to the Last Volcano Loop. A slightly windy 1.9km scramble to the top of the crater with promised 360º views. 

We moved through lush fern undergrowth and cute patches of tiny lilac flowers. Seizing the moment, I had a peaceful flower bath.

Squeaky clean now

Then we began a steep ascent on a clear path to the crest of the crater. Reaching the top, we were rewarded with panoramic views stretching from the crater lake to fertile farmland and onto the point where the unruly Southern Ocean meets the horizon. A ripper spot to enjoy a few multigrain Vegemite sambos, we made a quick pit stop before heading back towards the car.

Not that we minded, but the way back was slightly harder to navigate, and we managed to take a few wrong turns that pleasantly extended our return amble. As there are a few tracks that cross over, I suggest taking a picture of or carrying a map if you’re under a time pressure to explore the reserve. 

A Lasting Impression

Heading back to the quaint blue-stone village of Port Fairy, I began to daydream, curious about the reserve’s history and the peaceful, calm feeling that’d washed over me during our visit. 

I start to render the initial explosions, rewinding back some 32,000 years. I imagine the multiple meetings of hot magma and water-bearing rock. A series of chaotic eruptions forced their way through the Earth’s surface. Quickly, lava tongues start to flow and large craters take shape. The landscape is alive and evolving. Time passes, the rain arrives, it continues the transformation, filling craters and nourishing the life of those who call these new formations home. 

This place is special and has been for a long time. Located on Worn Gundidj Country, the reserve was once a rich source of food and shelter for different clans of the Gunditjmara Nations, including the Koroit-gunditj and Peek Whurrong people.

Traditional Owners help to manage the reserve and the Worn Gundidj Cultural Centre, where there are daily tours to educate visitors on the area’s immense cultural significance. If you’re coasting along the Great Ocean Road, a tour and a self-guided walk at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve are essential to add to your list!

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve Tips

• The reserve is beautiful to visit even in wet weather, so if you’re driving the Great Ocean Road, save this one for a rainy day
• Make sure to keep a safe distance from all animals and give them space. Don’t touch or feed them

FAQs Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

Is Tower Hill worth visiting?

Absolutely! It’s a bit of a hidden gem on the Great Ocean Road and offers great opportunities to see different wildlife up close (it’s in the name after all!). Not to mention, the view over the extinct volcano is surprisingly lush!

When was the last eruption of Tower Hill volcano?

Tower Hill volcano last erupted around 34,000 BP. Wondering what BP means? Me too. It’s a time scale specific to archaeology, geology, and other scientific practices and stands for ‘Before Present’. ‘Present’ is considered from the 1st of January, 1950.

What time does the Tower Hill Visitor Centre open?

The visitor centre opens 10am-4pm, 7 days a week, including public holidays, except Christmas.

Photography by @thetantrap

Table of contents image by @ben.savage