Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Wilsons Promontory National Park
Wilsons Promontory, commonly known as Wilson's Prom, is a national park in the Gippsland region of Victoria (Australia), 157 km southeast of Melbourne.
It is mainland Australia's southernmost national park, known for its beautiful rainforests, unspoiled beaches, and abundant wildlife.
| Wilsons Promontory National Park | |
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| Location | Victoria, Australia |
| Nearest City | Melbourne |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 490.00 km² |
| Date of Establishment | 1898 |
| Governing Bodies | Parks Victoria |
| IUCN category | II |
It covers the southern portion of Wilsons Promontory, a narrow peninsula containing the southernmost point on the Australian mainland. The area is often known as "Wilsons Prom" or just "the Prom". A lighthouse on the south-east corner of the peninsula is the southern-most lighthouse in Australia and has operated continuously since 1859.
The park is highly popular with bushwalkers and campers, and has a number of lodges and serviced camping areas at a camping area near the mouth of Tidal River.
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Wildlife
Among the different types of wildlife found in Wilson's Prom are kangaroos, wombats, echidnas, emu, rosellas , and several types of snakes. Generally, the wildlife is unaccustomed to human presence, but some have become dependent on tourists for food. The emu are known to be somewhat aggressive.
Hiking
Wilson's Prom has many different areas in which one can hike. There are trails of differing levels of difficulty, but most of them are day hikes.
A good portion of Wilson's Prom is rainforest. These areas are generally traversed on boardwalks and bridges. They are full of wildlife, most notably their venomous snakes.
There is also some mountainous terrain in Wilson's Prom. Mount Oberon affords beautiful views that are only mildly marred by a radio aerial close by.
The beaches of Wilson's Prom are large and white sanded, similar to many of those found in Hawaii. They are not crowded, due to the difficulty in getting to them.
Civilization
Wilson's Promontory is rather desolate, and the closest town is Yanakie located 36 km from Tidal River. Yanakie is very small, and is primarily consists of a general store and the Promhill Cabins .
External links
See also: Protected areas of Victoria (Australia)
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