THE PROMISE OF THE PROM
TAKE A HIKE TO SEALERS COVE, WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK, VICTORIA
Mainland Australia’s southernmost national park is known for its powdery beaches, temperate rainforests, abundant wildlife and soaring granite peaks. Families come here to reconnect with nature. Surfers come to ride waves that are blissfully free of crowds. And bushwalkers come for its myriad hiking trails, ranging from hour-long jaunts across rolling sand dunes to multi-day slogs far from roads.
Sealers Cove is a 20km return hike that can be done in a day, while also making for an ideal introductory overnight hike for young families. Depending on the season, you can either drive to the Telegraph Saddle carpark to start the hike or catch a free shuttle bus from Tidal River. The Telegraph Track to South Point and to a lighthouse that has been operating continuously since 1859 also starts here. Or you could bag the 558m summit of Mount Oberon from here on a two-hour-long sidetrack offering sweeping vistas over the promontory and a preview of the journey ahead.
The hike’s toughest section begins almost as soon as you set off from the carpark, climbing to Windy Saddle – the trail’s highest point. Nestled between mounts Wilson and Ramsay, the saddle’s grassy clearing often doubles as the trail’s first rest stop.
From this point on, the vegetation changes as the trail winds towards Ferny Glade – also a popular place to break up the walk. Surrounded by man-sized ferns and mossy tree trunks, the shady glade offers a cool respite from the sweaty task of shouldering heavy backpacks.
Replenish your water supplies in the swift- flowing creek tumbling down the southeast face of Mount Ramsay before setting off for Sealers Swamp. The trail flattens abruptly here as a raised boardwalk weaves between swamp paperbarks all the way to Sealers
Cove.
Bookended by granite headlands, fringed by towering eucalypts and cushioned by sandy beaches, the Sealers Cove you see today appears idyllic, masking a history that’s been marred by environmental neglect. Countless seals and whales were slaughtered here and the mountain gullies above the cove were stripped of timber. Some exposed jetty stumps are all that remain from that period.
You’ll need to cross Sealers Creek to access a campground that’s hidden among the trees so be sure to check the tides before you depart. There’s a fair chance that friendly natives may drop by once you make it here. Crimson rosellas, wombats and wallabies are all frequent visitors. And it goes without saying that you should keep an eye out for seals before undertaking the long trek back.