Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk in Wilsons Promontory National Park

Wilsons Promontory National Park, VIC

Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk

A long coastal walk ends at a remote beachside camp.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Length
15.2km
Time
5hr
Elev. change
86m
Difficulty
Moderate
  • No dogs
  • High point 86 m

Hear the audio tour

Tidal River Footbridge and Tidal Overlook

Overview

About Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk

Why go

  • Cross a granite tor by metal stairs at Little Oberon Bay.
  • Open coastal views to Skull Rock and the Glennie Group.

Heads up

  • Two long stretches of exposed beach sand.
  • Growler Creek must be timed with the tide.

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Wilsons Promontory map
Full map
Elevation0–86 m
TrailheadAustralian Commando Memorial, Tidal River-39.03038, 146.31960
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Start at the Australian Commando Memorial in Tidal River. Follow Ring Road west to the Second Ramp and Norman Beach. No separate trailhead car park was verified.

Safety

Growler Creek is tidal; check tide times and aim to cross at low tide. Both beaches are exposed, and the hike-in campsite’s tank water is unreliable and must be treated.

2 active Wilsons Promontory alerts

  • ClosureSouthern area closures and October deer-control restrictionsDo not enter the listed southern visitor areas during their closures, and plan around the October aerial deer-control operation.Official details
  • InfoEntrance traffic management and delaysAllow extra travel time and follow traffic controls at the Wilsons Promontory National Park entrance.Official details
Wilsons Promontory alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Wilsons Promontory Tour Guide

Your drive to Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk, narrated.

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 area

Tidal River Footbridge and Tidal Overlook
0:00 / 0:25
“You're coming up on Tidal River Footbridge, the start of the Tidal Overlook Circuit.”

Plays on the road 0.2 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Wilsons Promontory Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • Tidal River Visitor Hub
  • Norman Beach and Tidal River
  • Lilly Pilly Gully and Mount Bishop
  • Squeaky Beach and Its Singing Sand
  • 22 audio storiesacross Wilsons Promontory’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Wedge-tailed Eagle, Koala, Bare-nosed Wombat, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 36 trails, 46 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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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!!!!”
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Trail guide

Hiking Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk

A long coastal returnTidal River to Oberon Bay Walk is a 15.

Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk is a 15.2-kilometre out-and-back from the Australian Commando Memorial to the remote Oberon Bay hike-in campsite. Allow about five hours. The walk moves from the Tidal River settlement to Norman Beach, climbs the rocky coast through Little Oberon Bay, then descends to a tidal creek and the long sweep of Oberon Beach. It is a half-day for hikers who want a beach destination and don't mind retracing their steps. Turn around at Little Oberon Bay for a shorter outing without the final creek crossing and southern beach.

From Norman Beach to Little Oberon BayFrom the memorial, follow Ring Road west to Second Ramp and walk about 1.

From the memorial, follow Ring Road west to Second Ramp and walk about 1.5 km south along Norman Beach. A track leaves the sand and rises through coastal tea-tree and low heath; the coast opens around Norman Point, with Skull Rock and the Glennie Group visible offshore. The Norman Point viewpoint spur is optional. At Little Oberon Bay, metal stairs cross a large granite tor onto the beach. The path climbs around the next point, then drops on rough, stepped ground to Growler Creek.

The last bay and the practical detailsGrowler Creek is tidal, so plan to cross at low water. Beyond it, follow about 1.

Growler Creek is tidal, so plan to cross at low water. Beyond it, follow about 1.3 km of Oberon Beach. A creek-side footpad leaves the sand near Fraser's Creek and leads to the campsite and toilets. Tank water is limited and unreliable, and must be treated; carry enough water for the whole return. Overnight campers need an advance booking and permit. Dogs aren't allowed in Wilsons Promontory National Park. The Tidal River General Store and Cafe is close to the start; no food stop was verified along the route.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Wilsons Promontory

All Wilsons Promontory wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Wilsons Promontory. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Tidal River to Oberon Bay Walk

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

Places near the trailhead

Parkwolf’s Wilsons Promontory ranking

Top-rated trails in Wilsons Promontory

All 36 trails
  1. 1Mount Oberon Summit WalkModerate · 6.8 km
  2. 2Southern Prom CircuitChallenging · 35.5 km
  3. 3Squeaky Beach WalkModerate · 4.2 km
  4. 4Sealers Cove WalkChallenging · 20 km
  5. 5Three Bays WalkModerate · 12.4 km
  6. 6Mount Bishop Summit WalkModerate · 7.4 km

Take Parkwolf to Wilsons Promontory.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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