Cape Woolamai was shaped by millions of years of violent ocean swells and fierce Antarctic winds. On this coastal self-guided audio tour, you’ll discover how this dramatic granite headland became the setting for one of Australia’s most successful conservation programs. You’ll also explore sea caves carved by hydraulic action, pink granite cliffs that supplied stone for Melbourne’s Parliament House, and the nesting grounds of seabirds that migrate 15,000 kilometres from Alaska each year. The tour starts at Woolamai Surf Beach, a designated National Surfing Reserve known for its powerful waves and dangerous rip currents. Along the way, you’ll hear about how George Bass landed his open whaleboat in 1798, naming this fish-shaped headland after the Eora word for snapper, and explore the ruins of the granite quarry that once supplied stone for Melbourne’s iconic buildings. The tour ends back at the Woolamai Surf Beach car park where you began your journey.
tal heathland, granite headlands, and ocean beaches meet in a single reserve. This is the beating heart of one of Australia's most remarkable conservation stories, where penguins, bandicoots, and migratory seabirds have been brought back from the brink.
powerful swells roll in uninterrupted from Antarctica. On a clear day the scale of the headland becomes fully visible, with pink granite cliffs dropping sharply to the churning water below.
Cape Woolamai, Australia
Explore a network of clifftop tracks winding through coastal heathland, past shearwater burrows and wind-sculpted scrub. The trails follow the natural contours of the headland, revealing new coastal vistas at every turn.
National Surfing Reserve for its world-class waves. Strong rip currents run along its shores, a reminder that this coastline has always been as dangerous as it is beautiful.
During breeding season, thousands of burrows line the slopes on either side, each one home to a bird that has flown 15,000 kilometres from Alaska to return here.
Cape Woolamai, Australia
Marvel at towering columns of pink granite rising from the cliff edge, carved by 360 million years of weathering and relentless Southern Ocean swells. These sculpted rock formations are among the most striking natural landmarks on the entire Victorian coastline.
navigation beacon marks the tip of the headland. From here the full fish shape of the island that gave Cape Woolamai its name becomes clear against the surrounding ocean.
Cape Woolamai, Australia
Discover the industrial ruins of a 19th-century quarry where workers once used plug-and-feather techniques to split massive stone blocks by hand. The pink granite cut from these cliffs was shipped to Melbourne, where it was used in the construction of the city's Parliament House.
This tour starts at Woolamai Surf Beach. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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