Tower Hill
Tower Hill Reserve, nestled inside a dormant volcano, is today a beautiful haven for wildlife thanks to the efforts of Friends of Tower Hill and volunteers. A lake and wetland are features of the reserve, and during years of average rainfall it is not uncommon to see the wetland completely immersed in water.
Koalas, emus, kangaroos, sugar gliders and many species of water birds, including the graceful black swans roam freely throughout the reserve, often within clear view. Located only 14km west of Warrnambool on the Princes Highway, Tower Hill is popular among people of all ages for picnics, nature walks and wildlife watching.
Guided interactive walks (1 hour duration) are conducted by experienced guides with specific knowledge about the volcano, indigenous lifestyles, wildlife and natural habitat. Visitors will engage with native animals whilst gaining a good understanding of Aboriginal heritage.
Book your guided walk of Tower Hill here
Watch the sunset and witness Tower Hill's silhouted crater and landscape before undertaking a night walk. View a wide range of nocturnal wildlife and get a better appreciation of what happens in the animal world after dark.
Book your Night Wildlife Experience here
TOWER HILL
LOCATION: Princes Highway, 14 km west of Warrnambool
OPEN: Access at all times.
ADMISSION: Free
FACILITIES: Picnic areas with electric BBQ, toilets and tables
Further information is available on the following website www.worngundidj.org.au
A volcano erupts
Tower Hill formed around 30,000 years ago in a violent volcanic eruption. The initial eruption created the outer rim of the volcano, and subsequent smaller eruptions formed the internal hills that can be seen today.
Rich human history
Artefacts found in the volcanic ash layers remind us that Indigenous communities were living in the area at the time of the eruption. The area was a rich source of foods for the Koroitgundidj people, whose descendants retain special links with this country.
Victoria’s first National Park
The fertile soils produced a diverse range of vegetation including Manna Gum, Blackwood, Black Wattle, Swamp Gum and Drooping Sheoak, prompting the area to be declared “Victoria’s First National Park” in 1892. Early settlers cleared much of the area for grazing, cropping and quarrying, and by the 1930s the hills and islands were bare and little wildlife remained.
The restoration
In the 1960’s a revegetation project began, based on species identified in a highly detailed painting of Tower Hill by Victorian artist Eugene von Guerard in 1855. A copy is now on display at the Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre. Today, Parks Victoria is implementing restoration programs that aim to reintroduce indigenous understorey plants, including ferns and grasses.
Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre
This outstanding Centre features cultural displays and locally-produced authentic Aboriginal Products, and is managed in partnership with Parks Victoria by Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative. Founded in 1992, the cooperative is a not-for-profit 
organisation which harmonises contemporary artistic creation and nature-based tourism.
Open Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.00pm
Weekends and public holidays 10.00am-4.00pm
For further information on parks and reserves call the Parks Victoria Information Centre on 13 1963 or visit www.parkweb.vic.gov
.au
