Two of Victoria’s most iconic attractions are linked by this coastal road trip.
Why join the two destinations?
Well, check out this drive that’s not just scenic, but also intriguing…
Wilson’s Promontory and Phillip Island are two of Victoria’s most beloved natural treasures. At The Prom you’ll find wildlife at every turn (at the Tidal River campsite you’ll even trip over wombats if you don’t carry a torch for your bedtime bathroom run!) and some of the best bushwalking in the country, while The Island is famous for its penguin parade and seal colony. You’d struggle to find a Victorian family for whom these spots aren’t part of the summer holiday narrative of childhood. What they probably haven’t done, though, is drive between the two.
Aside from a trip that’s bookended with a parade of gorgeous little penguins and a hike at the southernmost point of the mainland, there’s a very good reason to join these two points: this amazing coastal drive through glorious southern Gippsland takes you through some intriguing parts of Victoria. I did the 90km drive with my family over the course of a full day, making plenty of stops to explore towns, beaches and fascinating history, and boy were we surprised by what we stumbled upon.
After leaving our accommodation at the family paradise that is Silverwater Resort in San Remo, the entrance to Phillip Island, our first stop was just ten minutes down the road in the tiny town of Kilcunda. We pulled in to Shelly Beach for a quick look, and ended up staying at the secluded cove for a while, exploring the rock pools with the kids and giving our older daughter the chance to add to her shell collection. (It’s not called Shelly Beach for nothing!) I climbed to the top of the rocky outcrop for a wonderful view over Bass Strait, where the most glorious fresh air helped me breathe away any troubles and relax into road-trip mode.
Still in Kilcunda, we stopped to snap the old railway’s trestle bridge. Built in 1911, this beautiful bridge was regularly crossed by locomotives carrying coal from the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine over to Woolamai. The line was closed in 1978, several years after the coal mine was closed, and is now part of the Bass Coast Rail Trail for walkers and cyclists. And what a spectacular ride that would be… but for us it was back onto four wheels to continue our road trip through some of Victoria’s greatest farming land.
There’s nothing like the fresh Gippsland colours. You’ve never seen such blue blues, green greens or felt so envious of the cows for their great views. Interesting, though, to realise that what we see as beautiful farmland is seen by others as a terrible period in the region’s history. This was once the Great Forest of South Gippsland, a rich environment with towering gum trees and other local flora (one piece of old literature describes the number of tree ferns as “like looking down on a green sea”), creeks and an abundant set of native wildlife – think lyrebirds, dingoes, platypus. It’s almost impossible to imagine now. Through an enormous area, the whole lot was torn down in the late 1800s – volcanic rocks used to make roads, blackwood trees milled, sassafras bark smoked with tobacco for enjoyment – to create farms for ex-gold miners who were seeking a new way of life.
And one sign of that new life is in Wonthaggi, at the State Coal Mine, an interesting stop for some insight to over a hundred years ago when coal became an important discovery in the area. Drawing lots of European immigrants and ex-gold miners, the coal mine was their chance to start a new life, earn money and ultimately better themselves. Tours are available underground, however because my kids are still little, we didn’t do the underground tour, instead opting to wander around above ground for a while, touring the replica coal miners’ village and reading up on what life would have been like for them.
From 1909 to 1968, this coal mine produced around 17 million tons of coal, which was used mainly to operate Victorian railways, as well as some factories and domestic heating in the area. The underground tour takes you 60 metres below the surface, with guides showing you the working areas and equipment, and talking about how the coal was dug, the history of how the mine worked, and how life was for the miners.
“Life was pretty difficult as a miner,” explains Anthony Jones, Under Manager of the coal mine. “They stayed underground for their whole eight hour shift. Some of the mines were hot and humid, others were cold and wet, and some of the areas were so narrow each shoulder was touching the walls.” Certainly a reminder of how well so many of us live these days.
Onwards we go, hitting the busy holiday town of Inverloch, where families flock by the caravan-full to partake in long, beachy summer days. The streets are just scattered with a few bodies when we arrive – and this scene is similar in the nearby beach towns of Cape Paterson and Venus Bay; after all, winter isn’t exactly coastal Victoria’s peak time – so we have the chance to explore minus the crowds. What we find are cafes, pubs and beautiful beaches, which are all lovely but it’s when we drive just out of the town that we find a really intriguing treasure.
Whoever said that Australia is a new country clearly hasn’t thought through our ancient landscape. Who knew that the first dinosaur bones in Australia were found right here on the beaches outside Inverloch? It’s a rocky beach (no beautiful white sand along this side of Inverloch, but that’s not what this stop is about), and dinosaur fossils have been discovered all through the tough, ancient environment. If you’ve ever been to the Melbourne Museum, you’ve seen the bones of dinosaurs that used to wander this beach and snack from the plants on the huge rocks. It’s amazing to realise that this is the scene of the world changing, where dinosaurs were forever immortalised in legend. Even better, dinosaur digs still happen each summer, and more fossils are still found to this day.
At some point along this road trip that cruises along the coast, you need to head inland in order to reach the entrance to The Prom. And at that point you’ll see signs pointing you to Fish Creek, a small town that you could either stop in or bypass. May I suggest you take the chance to stop and discover a little gem?
Yes, you’ve probably never heard of it, after all, it’s just an unassuming sounding dot on the map, but we unexpectedly fell in love with it. This is a place with a true creative soul; home to 250 people and four art galleries, its own annual Tea Cosy Festival which attracts upwards of 10,000 visitors, and best of all (and the big talk amongst locals) new owners at the pub.
We ate lunch at the glorious 1930s art deco building that was once called The Fishy Pub, but is now much more suited to The Fish Creek Hotel. Their greatest pride is their support for local produce, and that is definitely worthy of bragging about. Upon ordering the pork belly, I was told by the waitress, “The pork’s from two minutes up the road.” Oh, this was going to be good, I thought. And yes, it was indeed fabulous.
A quick chat to the new owner, Simon, revealed big plans for the place. “We’re only just coming to the end of our renovations,” he explained, before showing us the beautifully updated accommodation upstairs, which is perfect for those touring the Great Southern Rail Trail (or those who just want to enjoy a winey and arty stay in the town without worrying about driving afterwards). Those refurbishments have been enormous: new flooring, wiring, furniture, paint, bar, artwork … the lot. Even the fish sculpture atop the building (known as “the stunned mullet” and a nod to those days of the Great Forest of South Gippsland, with fish abundant in the creeks) has fallen and needs to be reset, a kind of nod to this being a new chapter in the hotel’s life.
The support for local produce happily extends to the drinks menu, and every wine on the list is local. “So many people ask for New Zealand wine,” Simon said, “but the wineries of Marlborough will be fine – we’re more interested in supporting the wine makers of Gippsland.” If only we heard this more often, regions would surely find their restaurants providing a future for their local producers.
A look over the history books reveals the 1939 newspaper story of the hotel’s impending opening (replacing previous pubs which had burnt down): “The new building should be a fine acquisition to the town.” I bet they never knew for how long, and in how many ways, that statement would remain true.
And that was that: a wonderful near-ending to a surprising road trip. Pretty soon we were driving into the wilds of Wilsons Prom, ready to lace up our hiking boots (and walk off all that local pork and wine!).
There are some major towns and big holiday destinations along this road trip but above all, we loved the small towns and pieces of history that, despite being lifelong Victorians, we never knew about – forests torn to wide open landscapes, a coal mine dating back a hundred years, old railway remnants, dinosaurs roaming and their fossils still found, and local food and wine worthy of some major plaudits. Plus the Island and the Prom, of course, but they’re used to getting all the attention.
All in all, we’re left pondering: is the Penguins to Prom trail Victoria’s ‘other’ great scenic drive?
Location
The Penguins to Prom touring route follows 90km of the South Gippsland coast between two of Victoria’s greatest natural wonders and wildlife habitats, Phillip Island and Wilsons Promontory.
Camping
You’ll find plenty of camping spots at various locations along the road trip. Phillip Island has holiday parks but no bush camping at Wilsons Prom you can camp at Tidal River, and in between there’s great coastal camping at Inverloch, Venus Bay and Cape Paterson. All are subject to fees and are suitable for tents, caravans and campervans, and accessible for two-wheel-drives along made roads.
Best time to visit
Coastal Victoria is beautiful and accessible all year round, depending on the conditions you like best. During summer it’s often busy in the big places like Phillip Island, Wilsons Prom, Wonthaggi and Inverloch, while in winter it’s pretty cold along the coast but you’ll have plenty of space to roam without the crowds. Weather conditions can be extreme at times, so keep informed about fire danger and floods.
Don’t miss: The amazing history around here. Visit the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine, the dinosaur diggings beach near Inverloch, and marvel at the fact Fish Creek used to be in a forest area.
Websites and Contacts
Visit http://www.drivesoutherngippsland.com.au/penguins for information on the touring route.
Head to http://www.visitpromcountry.com.au for more information on the area.