Victoria’s Largest Maritime Museum and Village
Flagstaff Hill is a state heritage listed site overlooking the beautiful Lady Bay. Today you can explore the site and gain a glimpse into our regions maritime heritage.
The Maritime Village is both a living historical village that displays the life of a 19th century port and town, and holder of Victoria’s largest maritime shipwreck collection, it occupies a beautiful site, tumbling down the bluff towards Lady Bay. You can explore the village area that has over 40 buildings and vessels spread over 10 hectares. Explore at your own pace or take the fun (and educational) Sea Chest Challenge Trail. All kids receive a bag of nibbles for the farm animals that they will discover as they explore.
As night falls step inside the village to experience dramatic stories of Australia’s rich maritime history, told vividly through the multimillion-dollar Sound and Light Show Experience. Our new sound and light show combines three great stories. Tales of the Shipwreck Coast takes you on a journey through the ages. From local Aboriginal stories to our colourful whaling past then to events that gave our coastline a reputation that inspired fear and trepidation among mariners.
The original Warrnambool Garrison area, plus the two 1858 lighthouses are registered on the Victorian Heritage Register and you will see why these areas were developed. The complex includes the two historic lighthouses that were originally erected on Middle Island in 1858, but which were relocated to Flagstaff Hill in 1872. Climb the upper lighthouses and glimpse for passing ships.
In 1887, as part of the colony’s response to the fears of a Russian invasion, a fort was constructed near the lighthouses to house two rare muzzle-loading cannons with a range of 5½ km. The fort and the cannons have been restored.
A tour of Flagstaff Hill begins with a multimedia presentation tracing the voyage of an early immigrant to the Victorian colony. You then explore the museum that houses many treasures that have been rescued from shipwrecks that occurred along the Great Ocean Road.
Centrepiece to the collection is the stunning Loch Ard Peacock recovered from the famous 1878 wreck of Loch Ard. This piece is Australia’ most valuable shipwreck artefacts recently re-insured for $4m. Other wrecks featured follow the maritime heritage of the Great Ocean Road.
You can now stay at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in the Lighthouse Lodge. The original Warrnambool Harbour Masters house has been fully restored and now provides award winning luxury accommodation in unique surrounds.
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
