Tower Hill State Game Reserve

Tower Hill is a dormant volcano believed to have erupted about 30,000 years ago.

It was declared Victoria`s First National Park in 1892, but was not well cared for and by the 1930s little wildlife remained and the landscape was barren. It was declared a State Game Reserve in 1961 and has since been restored and revegetated to the green and blossoming park it is today. Further plans will see Tower Hill continually rejuvenated and regenerated over time.

Home to koalas, kangaroos, emus, many birds species and more, a number of walks, picnic areas and public facilities make it a great place to visit. Make sure you stop in at the Natural History Centre, which has been rejuvenated by the Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative in recent years and now stocks a range of bush foods.

Also see:

• Park Vic web site - About Tower Hill
• Wikipedia - About Tower Hill

Tower Hill State Game Reserve (614 ha) is situated in the crater of an extinct volcano which formed thousands of years ago when a violent eruption created the funnel-shaped crater which was later filled by the lake with its various small islets. Aboriginal relics found in volcanic ash indicate Aboriginal occupation from the time when the volcano was still active. The first known Europeans to sight the hill were the party of Captain Baudin in 1802.

A detailed 1855 painting of Tower Hill by Viennese artist Eugene Von Guerard depicted a variety of flora and fauna which had virtually disappeared by the end of the 1860s due to the clearing practices of European settlers who used the local soils for agriculture and who grazed cattle on the islands. Remarkably, Von Guerard's painting (housed in the Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery) was used as the basis of a revegetation program entailing 300 000 plantings since 1961. This process encouraged the return of wildlife and the reserve now features kangaroos, many koalas, wombats, sugar gliders, possums, echidnae, numerous waterbirds (including Cape Barren geese, musk ducks, spoonbills and chestnut teals) and some very bold emus which enjoy the picnic area (feeding is strictly prohibited).

Tower Hill is located just 10 mins east of Port Fairy on the Princes Hwy. The interpretation centre is open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., tel: (03) 5565 9202.

The picnic area is the starting point for the Lava Tongue Boardwalk -a 30-minute wetland walk which leads to a bird hide and a second boardwalk. It also connects with the Whurrong Loop Track (one hour) which focuses on Aboriginal foods. The picnic area is also the start of the Hat Island Habitat Loop Track (a revegetation walk of 45 minutes), the Journey to the Last Volcano (a geological walk of one hour) and the Peak Climb (for orientation and geological purposes). All are easy-going treks except the latter.

From the centre, the access road leads on by the inner lake shore, past another good birdwatching area then reaches a junction from whence there are good views. A right will take you back to the highway while a left leads onto a road that follows the rim of the volcano around the outer edge of the lake.

Motorcycle ride inside Tower Hill

Meeting a Koala at Tower Hill