Connecting people with nature & culture

One hour west of the 12 Apostles conveniently placed between Warrnambool and Port Fairy is Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve. Inside this vast volcano rim visitors will encounter a wildlife haven and international site of geological significance with ash layers showing Aboriginal people existed at the time of eruption 32000 thousands of years ago.Worn Gundidj Tours within Tower Hill is a product partner of the Great Southern Touring Route therefore ideally positioned for Grampians, Melbourne and Adelaide itineraries. Start the experience by entering Tower Hill’s volcanic crater which is easily accessible immediately from the Princes Highway (A1) ten minutes west of Warrnambool. Once inside drive 1.5 kilometres to Visitor Centre.

From here our experienced guides offer fun-filled informative walking tours suited to bus and school groups, families or independent travellers. All Worn Gundidj guides have a personal connection with Tower Hill therefore enjoy telling their own stories making the visitor experience extremely pleasant and informative. We guarantee visitors will connect with and get a better understanding about wildlife and indigenous history in the Australian bush. For groups we offer Indigenous cultural activities (painting, music, boomerang, spear, traditional games) and nature-based experiences that can be personalised around a customer’s specific need or interest. On request we provide a uniquely Australian BBQ with native foods and spices.

Facts and Figures on Tower Hill

Indigenous community: the Gunditjmara people. 

Type of Reserve: Wildlife Reserve.

Date reserved for wildlife: 1982.           

Nearest towns: Warrnambool: Koroit.

Manager: Parks Victoria (since 1997).        

Visitor Centre Manager: Worn Gundidj.
Landform type: nested Maar volacano.      
Average rainfall: 736 mm.
Reserve area: 6.2 square kilometers or 614 hectares, of which about 350 hectares is water, depending on rainfall patterns.
and....
The first confirmed European sighting of Tower Hill was by French explorers sailing with Captain Baudin aboard the ‘Geographe’ in 1802, who named the crater 'Peak of Reconnaissance'.
Tower Hill is one of the most recently active volcanos in Australia.
Erupted 32 thousand years ago. Last activity 7000 years ago.
Nested Maar - One of the largest of it’s type in the world.
The crater has an 11 km circumference, and is 3.2 km across.
Highest point on Eastern rim is 88m above crater floor.
Ash (Tuf) spread to over 8 km to the East.
Tower Hill was the first declared National Park in Victoria (1892).
Total area 614 hectares 1516 acres. Islands 11 hectares 355 acres.
Tower Hill Information Centre was opened in 1971 by the Hon. R.J. Hamer.
It is speculated that the name Tower Hill refers to the physical shape and attributes of this distinct landscape feature, specifically the moat-like characteristics of the crater lake, which in non-drought periods, resembles and surrounds the central islands.  
Did you know that Corella’s nest in the ash layer walls as you enter the park.