Beach · Wilsons Promontory National Park
A dry lake basin walk opens onto an exposed west coast.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Wilsons Promontory Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Wilsons Promontory National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Cotters Lake to the Wild Coast“You're approaching the access to Cotters Lake and Beach; the shore is still a walk from the carpark. An easy track crosses the often-dry lake basin, then opens onto a wild, windswept stretch of coast.”
Plays as you drive up to Cotters Beach in the Parkwolf Wilsons Promontory Tour Guide.
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Cotters Beach is a broad, windswept stretch of Wilsons Promontory’s west coast, reached on foot from Cotters Lake. Its approach is part of the stop: an easy Grade 2 management track crosses the often-dry lake basin before opening onto exposed shore. If you want a beach visit with a walk built in, this is a worthwhile detour.
The route is 1.1 km each way, about 30 minutes to the beach. Kangaroos and emus are often seen around the area. The wider Darby–Cotters coast is a long, exposed run of sand rather than a sheltered cove. The shore is unpatrolled, so treat swimming with care. For photos, frame the west-facing surf through washed-up driftwood when there is some along the tide line.
The route begins at Cotters Lake Carpark, about 11.5 km from the park entrance, and returns the same way. There are no facilities at the carpark, so bring water and what you need before setting out. The full walk is about 2.2 km return.
Wildlife
18 sightingsWedge-tailed EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
29 sightingsKoalaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
774 sightingsBare-nosed WombatMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
291 sightingsEastern Grey KangarooMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
512 sightingsSwamp WallabyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
20 sightingsIndochinese Hog DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Wilsons Promontory. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyCotters Lake and Beach Access Track2.4 km · 1 hr · 1.2 km awayCross the often-dry lake basin to a remote, windswept beach.
ModerateDarby River to Fairy Cove Walk5.6 km · 2 hr · 5 km awayA quiet cove worth timing your walk around low tide.
EasyDarby Beach Walk2.2 km · 40 min · 5.1 km awayA sandy river walk to a small beach between rocky headlands.
ModerateDarby River to Tongue Point Walk7.6 km · 4 hr · 5.1 km awayA granite headland hike with a Fairy Cove spur at low tide.
ChallengingDarby River to Darby Saddle via Tongue Point9.4 km · 4.5 hr · 5.1 km awayA coastal through-walk from Darby River to Darby Saddle.
ChallengingFive Mile Beach Walk36.9 km · 12 hr · 5.2 km awayA long, exposed road march to a remote northern beach.
ChallengingWilsons Promontory Northern Circuit60 km · 1 day · 5.2 km awayA 60 km coastal loop for experienced wilderness navigators.
ModerateVereker Outlook Walk6 km · 2.3 hr · 5.2 km awayA steep climb to granite boulders and wide coastal views.
Sight · 2.8 km awayProm Wildlife Viewing AreaA roadside chance to spot kangaroos, wombats and emus.Beach · 4.6 km awayDarby BeachA short sandy walk opens onto a beach between rocky headlands.
Beach · 6.2 km awayFairy CoveA tucked-away sand pocket framed by granite on the coastal walk.Sight · 6.4 km awayTongue PointWeathered granite tors reward the long coastal walk
Sight · 6.5 km awayMillers LandingA 4 km woodland walk to the world's southernmost mangroves.
Sight · 6.8 km awayLookout RocksThe steep climb pays off with Norman Island and Tongue Point below.
Sight · 7.1 km awayBig DriftA steep sand climb into an inland dune field.
Sight · 7.4 km awayVereker OutlookBalanced boulders and big inlet views reward a steep walk.Parkwolf’s Wilsons Promontory ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
