Flagstaff Hill's State Heritage listed site and maritime village is set on 10 acres and reflects the pioneering atmosphere of an 1870's coastal port.

Experience first hand the perils of early sea travel as you explore The Gravesend Theatre, audiovisual presentations, interactive displays, and the relics & treasures recovered from various shipwrecks in the Great Circle Gallery, and of course the priceless Minton earthenware statue, the Loch Ard Peacock, Australia's most valuable shipwreck relic.

The Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village also contains the state heritage listed Lady Bay Lighthouse complex and Warrnambool Garrison area. Some of the world's rarest and most significant cannons are contained in the Warrnambool Garrison area.

BY NIGHT.....Step aboard the clipper Loch Ard as you set sail on her last voyage towards becoming Australia's most dramatic shipwreck. The world class sound and laser show takes you on her last journey and retells the famous story of her only two survivors Eva Carmichael and Tom Pearce. Experience SHIPWRECKED - A truely unique voyage.

Directions: Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is located in the heart of Warrnambool, over looking Lady Bay, and located halfway in between the beach and city, only 5 mins walk to either.

Our Opening Hours are 9am - 5pm daily (closed Christmas Day).

Shipwrecked Sound and Laser Show Nightly @ Dusk

Tariffs range from $40 to $80 AUD (Australian Dollars)

Arrival Time 14:00   Departure Time 10:00

n the 1880s, the Port of Warrnambool handled more cargo than the Port of Melbourne and was a thriving deep sea port. In 1874, a plan was approved by Government to provide protection to shipping by constructing a breakwater utilising huge concrete blocks weighing 32 tons each.

The blocks were transported to the breakwater site by a specially built railway line, and construction was not completed until 1890.

The Warrnambool Breakwater consists of two parts: the concrete breakwater extending out into the bay, and the timber viaduct which once joined it to the shore, which now runs along the east side of the Merri River and is surrounded by land to the east. The breakwater is 30ft wide with a 15ft wide parapet with a walkway along the top.

The viaduct was originally a raised timber structure, but is now filled in below and to the sides with bluestone rubble, and there is an asphalt roadway, known as Viaduct Road, laid along the top.

The area to the east of the viaduct which was once part of the harbour is now land, and a car park has been constructed along the new shoreline. The breakwater railway was removed in 1962, though some remnants of rail remain.

Today the breakwater is a great place to take the kids fishing, offering a sheltered place to relax. Fishing can be done on the bay side with smaller rods or over the breakwater facing the ocean with surf rods chasing the bigger fish.

Boat launching is also available at the breakwater.

Explore this massive volcanic feature by taking one of the five self-guided walks. Each has a different theme. Enjoy a picnic, spot some local wildlife and learn about the Aboriginal heritage of the area at the Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre.

Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre

Visit and enjoy the cultural displays and authentic Aboriginal products at this outstanding visitor centre which is managed by Worn Gundidj Enterprises. 

Opening hours of the visitor centre are 10am to 4pm daily, including Public Holidays.

The Game Management Authority is responsible for regulating all game hunting activity in Victoria. Visit their website www.gma.vic.gov.au for all information regarding hunting in Victoria, including licences, where and when to hunt and all regulations.

Aboriginal Traditional Owners

Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters. Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV and Native Title Services Victoria

Measuring 90 metres wide and plunging 12 metres over dark basalt rocks, the curtain-like Hopkins Falls is the largest in the Hopkins River. Take in the views from the two viewing platforms overlooking the falls and take the easy path from to the platform below for postcard-worthy snaps. (Look out for the camera stands, too – who needs a selfie stick?). Visit the falls in winter to see them at their most impressive and to keep an eye out for baby eels jumping the rocky ledges during their winter migration.

Hopkins Falls is just a 15-kilometre drive from Warrnambool. A popular picnic spot, the area above the falls has barbecue and toilet facilities.

The Warrnambool Art Gallery is owned and operated by the Warrnambool City Council as a memorial to Sir Fletcher Jones.

The gallery program is presented with the assistance of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

The collection

Established in 1886, the Warrnambool Art Gallery offers a diverse collection of artworks, from elegant European salon paintings to the Avant-garde modernism of the Angry Penguins.

Artworks range from the romanticised colonial landscapes of Eugene Von Guerard and Louis Buvelot, to contemporary Australian printmaking by Juan Davila, Barbara Hanrahan and Ray Arnold.

Warrnambool’s fantastic Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground is a year-round family attraction. This 8ha adventure playground is paradise for kids with giant slides, flying foxes, a maze and boat rides. There are lovely walking tracks around the lakes, and the park features delightful picnic areas and sheltered BBQ facilities.

The Lake Pertobe precinct is also home to other sporting facilities such as lawn tennis courts, mini golf, an athletics track and nearby skateboard park.

There’s no better way to enjoy the coast and the countryside. Make it as relaxed or as energetic as you like and take in the fresh air and beautiful surrounds on your way. Please comply with all regulatory signage.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trail

This 37km rail trail from the Moyne River in Port Fairy through Koroit to Warrnambool is currently under construction. The first 23.5km from Port Fairy to Illowa is completed and rideable with the section including tunnel access under the highway. The section from Illowa to Levy's Point is under construction and is planned to be completed by the May 2012. This uncompleted section is across Kelly's Swamp.

History

The railway line from Warrnambool to Melbourne was opened in 1887. The construction of the line to Port Fairy, via Koroit, started in late 1888 and it was completed in 1890.

Between Warrnambool and Belfast (Port Fairy) there were 12 gate keepers’ cottages. Stations were situated at, Warrnambool, Illowa, Koroit, Crossley Kirkstall, Moyne, Rosebrook and Port Fairy where farmers shipped their produce directly to Geelong and Melbourne.

Koroit became an important hub with the line to the north (Ararat line) joining the Port Fairy to Warrnambool line some 300 yards to the west of the station. Remnants of the cattle loading yards can be seen near North Street. The goods shed, one of the largest in the area is opposite the station. Also, remnants of the sidings and goods sheds at Port Fairy, Koroit and Illowa can be seen along the trail.

Some thought the line so beneficial that they felt the farmers should not require compensation for it passing through their property. For a time, the soon to decline ports, handled large quantities of railway materials. J Wilson and Company supplied 5,100 tons of equipment to the project.

The line came to provide an important recreational aspect to the area. Special pleasure trains ran to the seaside towns for Sunday school picnics, school excursions and social gatherings.

The line closed in September 1977 due to low usage.

Almost every year between June and September, female Southern Right whales return to the waters of Warrnambool’s Logans Beach to calve. The whales often swim within a hundred metres of the shore. They can be viewed from a specially constructed platform in the sand dunes or from the beach.

Location : Logans Beach Road, off Hopkins Point Road, Warrnambool
Admission: Free
Open : Access all times.
Information: Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre (03) 5559 4620

Fletcher Jones Market is a collectors dream & Australia's largest mix of Antiques, Collectables, Furniture, Giftware, Memorabilia & Vintage Clothing.

The Fletcher Jones Market is located within the Old Fletcher Jones Clothing Factory and is conveniently located on the main highway coming into Warrnambool from the Eastern approach. Access to the Market and ample parking is also available at the rear of the building in Lava Street. A great stopping point for visitors and bus groups with the heritage listed gardens to stroll through.

Open every day of the year 9.30am - 5.30pm, (except Christmas Day).

We have for your selection: Collectables - Antiques - Memorabilla - Recycled - Retro - Fine China - Clothing Art - Glass - Jewellery – Old & Interesting Books – Records - Gift Ware.

This coastal park has outstanding ocean views and geological features. Sheer cliffs and rock stacks dominate the bays, and heathlands display colourful spring wildflowers. Beaches are accessible at some points.

Aboriginal Traditional Owners
Parks Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters. Further information is available from Aboriginal Affairs Victoria AAV and Native Title Services Victoria.

Before you go
Conditions can change in parks for many reasons. For the latest information on changes to local conditions, please visit the relevant park page on the Parks Victoria website.

Be bushfire ready in the great outdoors. Refer to the Bushfire Safety section on the Parks Victoria website for tips on how to stay safe.