Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

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Explore

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and we recognise their ongoing role in caring for Country.

Tower Hill is home to some of Australia's best loved wildlife. Emus, kangaroos, koalas, swans, ducks and blue wrens all live inside this magnificent dormant volcano near the Great Ocean Road. Walk across wetlands, craters and bushland and learn how the park was exploited by early settlers before being restored by volunteers.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve sits in a large volcanic crater. It is one of Victoria's most fascinating and significant geological formations. Volcanic cone-shaped hills rise from the lakes. It's a short detour from the Great Ocean Road and offers ample walking opportunities for people of all abilities – from easy boardwalks to scenic climbs.

Join a tour run by experienced local guides to discover how Tower Hill was transformed from a desolate wasteland to the park you see today - and the dedicated volunteers who made it happen. Visit the Tower Hill Visitor Centre, designed by celebrated Australian architect Robin Boyd.

Things to do in the area

An Indigenous guide discusses traditional artifacts with a couple on a walking tour in front of the lake at Tower Hill.

Tower Hill Visitor Centre

Visit the Tower Hill Visitor Centre, designed by celebrated Australian architect Robin Boyd.

A three year old boy leads his mum and younger brother through the forest near Grants Picnic Ground.

Family activities

Stash some supplies into a back pack and take the family out for a day trip and in only a short drive from Melbourne you can be surrounded by nature.

Three friends enjoy a picnic on the grass in front of the historic Wallace Hut.

Picnics

Head outdoors for lunch in the warmer months and enjoy a picnic in some of nature's most relaxing and inspiring settings.

Three friends take a break from their walk to take a photo of a Kangaroo who is equally watching them.

Wildlife viewing

Get up close and personal with some of Australia's shy native wildlife or look up to spot tree-dwelling mammals and flocks of colourful birds,

Tower Hill

This area is well known for its wildlife. Keep an eye out for:

Emus

Kangaroos

Koalas

Tours in the area

Bushwalking, four-wheel driving, horse riding, kayaking, rock climbing and mountain biking are just some of the many activities you can experience in Victoria's parks.

If you want to try something new or meet some like-minded people on your next visit to a park, contact a licensed tour operator.

Parks Victoria licenses tour operators who are experts in these activities and more. They will help you get the most out of your visit.

View all local tours

How to get there

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve was the first national park declared in Victoria in 1892 in an attempt to stop the environmental damage of the once majestic site. Grazing, cropping, quarrying and rubbish dumping continued and, by the 1930s, the site was barren with little wildlife. [source: Heritage] In 1961, it was declared a State Game Reserve and a major re-vegetation program began to provide new habitats for wildlife including wetland birds and dryland forest species such as sugar gliders.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

When you're there

Download the Tower Hill Reserve visitor guide for more information about the park and the experiences to be had within its borders.

Tower Hill Reserve Visitor Guide

When to go

If there has been good rainfall in spring, the ponds and wetlands will be brimming with native birds and amphibians.

Need to know

Accessibility

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.

Change of Conditions

Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.

All abilities access

How we keep it special

Parks Victoria, Warrnambool City Council and Moyne Shire Council commissioned the Tower Hill Future Directions Strategy, delivered in August 2002, to guide the future direction of Tower Hill State Game Reserve.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is one of Victoria's most important ecological and geological sites formed by volcanic eruptions nearly 30,000 years ago. You can enjoy a range of self-guided walks through magnificent scenery and see some of Australia's most iconic wildlife in their natural habitat. Local tourism operators offer a unique eco-tourism experience where you can learn about wildlife, environmental conservation and sustainability, and local Aboriginal history.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. It is classified by the National Trust as a site of international significance for scientific reasons, including geology and re-vegetation work, and national significance for aesthetic and cultural reasons, including the historic and social aspects of the site. [source: Victorian Heritage Database Report]

Tower Hill Future Directions Strategy

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

105 Lake View Road
Tower Hill VIC 3283

13 1963