Archives: Walk Directory

The Walk in Detail

This walk starts at the Commando Memorial at Tidal River, and follows the Ring Road Westward, towards the beach. Turn right at the junction with ‘Main Road’, into a carpark, then immediately turn left and follow signage down ‘Second Ramp’, to Norman beach.

Walk South down Norman Beach for about 1.5 Km, to the end of the beach, then take the track up off the beach.

The track heads South towards Norman Point, via a new boardwalk and footbridge. You reach a junction after about 1.4 Km, to a track out to Norman Point. This is an optional diversion, of 200 m each way, with a nice view at the Point.

The track continues up over a little hill (60 m ascent) to Little Oberon Bay, a distance of about 900 m. There is a new (and iconic) set of metal stairs here, up over a huge glacial tor and down to the beach!

Walk South down the beach until you can see the outflow of a small creek. About 90 m before reaching the creek, take a sandy track up the dune away from the beach. This leads to a good place to cross the (mostly dry) creek.

The track continues South through coastal heath, towards Oberon Bay, for about 1.6 Km. Here, you need to cross Growler Creek to get down onto Oberon Beach. Growler Creek is tidal, so at high tide, you may decide to save your boots and get your feet wet.

Walk South along Oberon Beach for about 1.3 Km. Just before reaching Fraser’s Creek, look for a foot-pad just above the beach, near the edge of the Ammophila grass holding the dune in place. This pad becomes a path which leads inland above and beside Fraser’s Creek. After about 100 m, you will find signage at an open grassy area which houses the toilet and water tank for the Oberon Bay campsite. The campsite is about 150 metres along a foot track on the west side of the toilet – you may wish to have a look! The Oberon Bay Track also continues Eastward from here, towards ‘Telegraph Junction’ and the Eastern side of the Prom.

When you are ready, you can retrace your steps back to Tidal River. The Northern side of Growler Creek is a nice place to have lunch!

Return to Tidal River by back-tracking. When you reach Norman Beach, you can either follow your footprints up the beach, or take a somewhat more direct route to Tidal River. If you select the latter, go straight ahead, through a beautiful Paperbark forest (about 1.2 Km to the Tidal River Ring Road, cross the road, and you have a further 400 m to the ice cream shop, the Parks Office and the Commando Memorial).

The Walk in Detail

This walk highlights three of the Prom’s best-known bays and beaches, and is a spectacular introduction to the Prom!

Cross Tidal River on the footbridge, and follow the path towards the Pillar Pt track junction. After a steep pitch (have a rest!), there is an excellent viewpoint overlooking Tidal River, with Mt Oberon in the background, from the track junction.

From the junction, you can optionally take the path down to Pillar Pt (720 m each way), which offers excellent views across Bass Strait. ‘The Glennies’ are a prominent set of small islands to the West, and, on a clear day, you can also see the dramatically eroded ‘Skull Rock’ to the South (best viewed from ‘The Wanderers’ boat trip from Tidal River).

Back at the junction, take the continuing track to the left to Squeaky Beach. After about another Km, the beach is a good spot for morning tea!

At the Northern end of Squeaky Beach, the trail heads inland and crosses a creek, then climbs to join a path to Picnic Bay.

Walk along Picnic Beach, and, at the Northern end, join a path to Whisky Bay. There is a bridge across Whisky Creek, before reaching the Southern end of the Whisky Beach, and a toilet is available up a short track to the carpark. Lunch at the Northern end of Whisky Beach, by the red lichen coloured rocks.

Retrace your footsteps to Tidal River

The Walk in Detail

Starting from Tidal River, at the footbridge, this walk includes the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk, an ascent of Mt Bishop, before returning to Tidal River. There are stunning views of Tidal River and the surrounding mountain ranges and beaches. A sharp eye may even spot an eel in the mountain streams, as they flow through the Lilly Pilly Gully.

The first challenge is the steady climb up to the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark, on a well-formed track. Not too hard! You will notice evidence of environmental burns and land clearing, as the land managers strive to remove Coastal Tea Tree to allow local eucalypts to reclaim their traditional dominance.

You must cross the main road to reach the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark – be careful!

From the carpark it is an easy stroll to the start of the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk. This lush area of interlinking water courses and wetland vegetation is a delight. Start the Lilly Pilly Gully walk going anti-clockwise, taking the right-hand path from the carpark, and enjoy the walk for the next 4.2 Km.

This track has quite a few information signs giving details about bushfires and how they affect the local ecosystem, types of local birds (eg. the Powerful Owl), fungi, types of trees, and many flowers. One of the signs lists 32 species of birds to look for, so, keep your eyes open!

The Nature Walk includes a wet-land area, with running water, seem from a boardwalk. There are more signs here, explaining about the lives of small tree climbing crustaceans, climbing fish, and the communities of plants and animals in this section of warm temperate rainforest. It would be easy to spend more than an hour here - it is a really beautiful and interesting place.

There you will find a track junction, with a track off on the right signposted ‘Mt Bishop’. Take this track, and commence a long steady climb up another well-maintained track to Mt Bishop. The climb is not hard, but demands a good level of fitness. The 2.2 Km climb is eventually rewarded by stunning views from the summit.

The return down to the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk is easy, and after a further 1.5 Km, you finish the Nature Walk at the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark.

Again, cross the main road (with care) and, after 200 m, at the track junction, take the left-hand trail back to Tidal River.

The Walk in Detail

Starting from Tidal River, at the pedestrian bridge, this walk includes part of the Lilly Pilly Gully walk, an ascent of Mt Bishop, the Tidal Overlook Track, with an optional side trip to Pillar Pt, before returning to Tidal River. With stunning views of Tidal River and the surrounding mountain ranges, there are so many photo opportunities that it is a challenge to keep moving. A sharp eye may even spot an eel in the mountain streams, as they flow through the Lilly Pilly Gully.

The first challenge is the steady climb up to the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark, on a well-formed track. Not too hard! You will notice evidence of environmental burns and land clearing, as the land managers strive to remove Coastal Tea Tree to allow local eucalypts to reclaim their traditional dominance.

From the carpark it is an easy stroll to the start of the Lilly Pilly Gully boardwalk. This lush area of interlinking water courses and wetland vegetation is a delight. Start the Lilly Pilly Gully walk going clockwise, and enjoy the walk for about 1.5 Km.

There you will find a track junction – take the hard left turn, and commence on a long steady climb up another well-maintained track to Mt Bishop. The climb is not hard, but demands a good level of fitness.  The 2.2 Km climb is eventually rewarded by stunning views from the summit.

The return down to the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark is short and sweet. From the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark, cross the main road (with care) and, after 200 m, at the track junction, take the Tidal Overlook Track. A few stone steps along the way lead you around a massive granite outcrop before reaching the main ridge. There is a chance to take in the views from the rock outcrop, before moving on to Lookout Point, where you get another opportunity to capture the views of Tidal River and beyond. Continuing on, after a further 800 m, the track reaches the junction with the track to Pillar Pt. This is an optional easy walk (720 m each way), with a short section of rock scramble before emerging onto a wide rock platform with views across the Tidal River inlet and rolling surf of Norman Beach, with Mt Oberon as a backdrop.

After the mandatory photo op, return 720 m to the track junction: hard left leads to Squeaky Beach,straight-ahead is the Tidal Overlook track and to the right is the Tidal River track. Turn right, and it is now only about 1.2 Km directly back to Tidal River.

The Walk in Detail

This walk starts at the Tidal River footbridge, and includes part of the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk, and an ascent of Mt Bishop, before returning to Tidal River. It offers stunning views of Tidal River and the surrounding mountain ranges and flood plains and beaches!

Cross the Tidal River footbridge and take the ‘Lilly Pilly Link Track’ east towards the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark.

The first challenge is the steady climb up to the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark, on a well-formed track. Not too hard! You will notice evidence of environmental burns and land clearing, as the land managers strive to remove Coastal Tea Tree to allow local eucalypts to reclaim their traditional dominance.

You need to cross the main road to enter the Lilly Pilly carpark area – take care here!

Start the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk going clockwise by taking the track from the northern end of the carpark. Enjoy the steady climb for about 1.5 Km until you reach the clearly signposted Mount Bishop track junction.

Take the hard left turn up the Mt Bishop track, and commence on a long steady climb up another well-maintained track to Mt Bishop. The climb is not hard, but demands a good level of fitness. Part of this track is sometimes a little wet and muddy, so be careful of slips and falls! Below the peak, there is an open area of rock with a panoramic view over the Tidal River area. The track crosses this area, but is quite faint, it is tricky to find the continuation of the track on the other side. After 200 m, you will reach the summit (320 m), where there are fabulous views Southwest, over the entire Tidal River area, with Norman Island to the West. Mt Leonard (560 m) dominates the view to the North.

The return down to the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark is short and sweet. From the Lilly Pilly Gully carpark, cross the main road (again, with care) and, after 200 m, at the track junction, take the left-hand path back to Tidal River, ignoring the track to Tidal Overlook

The Walk in Detail

Walk 9 is the reverse of Walk 8. The below directions need to be reversed.

From the 5-Mile Rd Carpark, go through the locked gate and walk along 5-Mile Road until you see the sign to ‘Vereker Outlook’. Turn right onto the track as indicated, and follow it (1.3 Km) to a junction.
Take the right-hand branch (also signposted to ‘Vereker Outlook’).

Continue (1.36 Km), to a sign in front of a large rock indicating that you have reached the lookout (506 m). A little further on there is a sign ‘Regeneration Area’. Do not continue past this sign. Take in the views South Southwest across the Darby River flood-plain, towards Mt Leonard (556 m) and Mt Bishop (283 m), and to the South East along the Vereker range towards Mt Vereker (500 m), which somewhat hides Mt Latrobe (700 m) & Mt Ramsey (668 m). To the North, you can see ‘Little Drift’!

Return to the previous junction, and take the right-hand branch, which also takes you back to 5-Mile Rd. Turn right along the road for 30 m, and take a left turn where the sign directs you to ‘Miller’s Landing’. Continue along this track to another sign pointing to ‘Miller’s Landing’, and turn right. This track reaches the beach after about 500 m. The beach is worth exploring, and a good spot to break for lunch. There is a nascent mangrove forest in the tidal area - one of the Southern-most areas of mangroves – with prolific crustacean and bird life!

Return to the previous junction and take the right-hand branch to the Southwest, which will take you more directly back to the 5-Mile Rd Carpark (about 1.6 Km)

The Walk in Detail

Walk 9 is the reverse of Walk 8 ie. the following:

From the 5-Mile Rd Carpark, go through the locked gate and walk along 5-Mile Road until you see the sign to ‘Vereker Outlook’. Turn right onto the track as indicated, and follow it (1.3 Km) to a junction. Take the right-hand branch (also signposted to ‘Vereker Outlook’).

Continue (1.36 Km), to a sign in front of a large rock indicating that you have reached the lookout (506 m). A little further on there is a sign ‘Regeneration Area’. Do not continue past this sign. Take in the views South Southwest across the Darby River flood-plain, towards Mt Leonard (556 m) and Mt Bishop (283 m), and to the South East along the Vereker range towards Mt Vereker (500 m), which somewhat hides Mt Latrobe (700 m) & Mt Ramsey (668 m). To the North, you can see ‘Little Drift’!

Return to the previous junction, and take the right-hand branch, which also takes you back to 5-Mile Rd. Turn right along the road for 30 m, and take a left turn where the sign directs you to ‘Miller’s Landing’. Continue along this track to another sign pointing to ‘Miller’s Landing’, and turn right. This track reaches the beach after about 500 m. The beach is worth exploring, and a good spot to break for lunch. There is a nascent mangrove forest in the tidal area - one of the Southern-most areas of mangroves – with prolific crustacean and bird life!

Return to the previous junction and take the right-hand branch to the Southwest, which will take you more directly back to the 5-Mile Rd Carpark (about 1.6 Km)

The Walk in Detail

This walk starts at the Commando Memorial in Tidal River, and follows the Ring Road Westward, towards Norman Beach. Turn right at the junction with ‘Main Road’, into a carpark, then immediately turn left and follow signage down ‘Second Ramp’, to Norman beach.

Walk South down Norman Beach for about 1.5 Km, to the end of the beach, then take the track up off the beach.

The track heads South towards Norman Point, via a new boardwalk and footbridge. You reach a junction after about 1.4 Km: the right-hand path goes to Norman Point. This is an optional diversion, of 200 m each way, with a nice view at the Point.

The track straight-ahead continues up over a ridge (60 m ascent) to Little Oberon Bay, a distance of about 900 m. There is a new (and iconic) set of metal stairs here, up over a huge glacial tor and down to the beach! Take the time to explore the beach!

Return to Tidal River by back-tracking. When you reach Norman Beach, you can either follow your footprints up the beach, or take a somewhat more direct route to Tidal River. If you select the latter, go straight ahead, through a beautiful Paperbark forest (about 1.2 Km to the Tidal River Ring Road, cross the road, and you have a further 400 m to the ice cream shop, the Parks Office and the Commando Memorial).

The Walk in Detail

Take a Shuttle Bus or Car Shuffle to start this walk at Darby Saddle, ending at the Darby River carpark (about 7 Km from Tidal River). Care needs to be taken at Darby Saddle, as there is parking on both sides of the road and the road can be tricky to cross, here!

The track climbs directly from Darby Saddle, through beautiful Messmate forest, She Oaks and Banksia.

At the first track junction, take the opportunity to digress to Sparkes Lookout (only about a 250 m detour). The views across to Tongue Pt and Norman Island are very rewarding!

The track descends steeply, and then (guess what) climbs again, to another viewpoint at Lookout Rocks. Cleft Island (better known as ‘Skull Rock’) and ‘The Glennies’ can be clearly seen from here!

The trail then descends on sections of green boardwalk into coastal heathlands, towards Tongue Pt.

Stop at the green post – this marks the furthest out that you can safely go towards the point (don’t do it!) Enjoy the view!

Follow the track back up the hill, to the track junction. Take the path Northwards towards Darby River.

Another junction is soon reached to a side path leading down to the left to ‘Fairy Cove’ (optional – 330 m each way). This path is steep, with stairs down to the beach. It is a beautiful cove!

The trail continues, undulating, towards Darby River, where there is a toilet at the carpark.

The option exists (if you have time) to walk a little further from the carpark (1.3 Km each way), to the mouth of the Darby River and spectacular cliffs! Take the time to walk along the beach to inspect the sand cliffs (heed the warning signs), and the Darby River cascading down to the beach.

The Walk in Detail

This walk starts at the Western end of the Telegraph Saddle carpark, and winds its way zig-zag fashion through Eucalypt forest up the Eastern flank of Mt Oberon, at a steady grade of 1 in 8 for 3.3 Km. There are bench seats at most of the folds in the track, to give exhausted walkers a break.

There is abundant bird life along the wide, easy track, including Gang Gangs and sometimes YellowTailed Black Cockatoos – keep your eyes peeled! The forest includes many beautiful tree ferns, mostly along the creeks that flow off the mountain towards the East. There are several viewpoints along the way – but they pale into insignificance compared to the 360° views from the top!

At the end of the management road, you emerge onto a football field sized area containing three communication towers – which seem oddly out of place up here!

Cross this area, to the Southern edge, and there is a little rocky path heading South. That is it – the path to the top!

The path includes steps and stairs, with guard-rails, and rocky clambers – it is a short, fun track!

This pops out right among the boulder field that is the top of Mt Oberon. Clamber onto a rock, take a seat and admire the view (weather permitting)! The entire Tidal River area is on display in front of you, and a panorama from Whisky Bay right around to the South! You can see Kanowna Island and Skull Rock in Bass Strait, the entire Glennies Group of islands, and Norman Island in the North.

Have lunch up here!

The walk back is downhill, all the way, following the same track, and much more relaxing.....