Bay of Islands Coastal Park
Wild stacks beyond the crowds
On the lands of the Eastern Maar people.
schedule 2 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Bay of Islands Coastal Park stretches 32 kilometres along Victoria's Shipwreck Coast between Peterborough and Warrnambool, protecting a dramatic procession of limestone and sandstone sea stacks carved by the Southern Ocean over millions of years. Four clifftop lookouts offer panoramic views over offshore formations that rival the Twelve Apostles, yet draw a fraction of the visitors.
The Southern Ocean has worked on this coastline for more than 20 million years, depositing and compacting marine sediments before wave action eroded tunnels through the weakest rock, ultimately collapsing them into the isolated stacks and arches that define the park today. The geology is a mix of limestone and softer sandstone, giving the formations a layered, sculptural quality quite different from the more uniform pillars at nearby Port Campbell. Driving west from Port Campbell along the Great Ocean Road, the landscape opens up and the crowds thin out considerably before the turnoffs to Peterborough begin.
The Bay of Martyrs lookout is perhaps the most accessible highlight, sitting only a short walk from its car park along a wheelchair-friendly path and framing a sweeping arc of stacks, platforms, and a protected cove below. A short distance along the cliff, the Bay of Islands lookout reveals a denser cluster of formations, sometimes described as resembling a fleet of ships sailing into shore. The Bay of Martyrs trail links both viewpoints along the cliff edge, taking roughly two hours return and passing remnant coastal heath that bursts with wildflowers in spring.
The park also holds the grim romance of the Shipwreck Coast. The Falls of Halladale, a four-masted barque that ran aground in 1908, lies just offshore and is visible from the cliffs on clear days. Interpretive signs along the clifftop explain the wreck's story alongside the broader maritime history of a coast that claimed dozens of vessels as European shipping routes became established in the nineteenth century.
Wildlife adds another reason to linger. Endangered Hooded Plovers nest in the beach dunes between August and February, and visitors are asked to keep dogs on leads and well clear of the high-tide mark near nesting areas. Dogs are only permitted at Sandy Cove near Murnanes Bay within the park. Rufous Bristlebirds, endemic to the coastal heathlands of south-western Victoria, can be spotted in the scrub along the clifftop tracks. Southern Right Whales appear offshore from May to October, and the estuary at Peterborough offers safe, calm water for swimming and wading.
There are no entry fees and the park is open year-round. Autumn and spring offer the most comfortable walking temperatures. Sea kayakers use the Bay of Islands beach as a launch point to explore the stacks and sea caves at water level, which is the best way to appreciate the full scale of the formations. No camping is available within the park boundaries, but Peterborough township and Port Campbell offer accommodation within easy reach.
Common questions
Things visitors ask about Bay of Islands Coastal Park.
Quick answers to help you plan.
Is there an entry fee for Bay of Islands Coastal Park?
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No, the park is free to enter and open year-round. Car parks at the main lookouts are free, and there are no booking requirements for day visitors. The only costs you are likely to incur are accommodation or meals in the nearby township of Peterborough or Port Campbell.
Can I swim at the beaches in the park?
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Parks Victoria does not recommend swimming at the unpatrolled beaches within the park due to dangerous surf and rip conditions along this exposed stretch of the Southern Ocean coast. The Peterborough estuary, just east of the park, provides a safer, calmer option for swimming, particularly for families with young children.
Are dogs allowed in Bay of Islands Coastal Park?
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Dogs on leads are permitted only at Sandy Cove near Murnanes Bay. They are not permitted on other beaches or clifftop tracks within the park. During the Hooded Plover nesting season from August to February, dogs must stay well clear of the high-tide mark and dune edges to protect nesting birds.
How does Bay of Islands Coastal Park compare to the Twelve Apostles?
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The rock stacks here are geologically similar to the Twelve Apostles but draw far fewer visitors, making it easy to find a lookout to yourself. The formations at Bay of Islands and Bay of Martyrs are arguably more varied in shape, and the clifftop walks connect several viewpoints. The trade-off is that facilities are more basic and there is no large visitor centre.
What is the best walk in the park?
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The Bay of Martyrs trail is the standout walk, running along the cliff edge between the Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands lookouts. It takes about two hours return at a comfortable pace and passes coastal heathland with seasonal wildflowers. The Peterborough Walk, from the golf course to Halladale Point, is another good option for broader coastal views.
When can I see whales from the lookouts?
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Southern Right Whales migrate through the waters off the Shipwreck Coast between May and October each year. The clifftop lookouts at Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands provide elevated vantage points over the ocean where whales can occasionally be spotted from shore, particularly in the cooler months of June, July, and August.
Who are the Traditional Owners of this country?
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Bay of Islands Coastal Park sits within the country of the Eastern Maar people, who hold Native Title rights and interests over large areas of south-west Victoria. Parks Victoria acknowledges the deep and continuing connection Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and recognises their ongoing role in caring for Country.
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Gallery
Bay of Islands Coastal Park in pictures.
6 images licensed from Wikimedia Commons
All images are sourced from Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences. Individual photographers are credited on the source pages.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
Content (4)
- Wikipedia: Bay of Islands Coastal Park · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bay of Islands Coastal Park · Parks Victoria
- Bay of Islands · Visit Victoria
- Bay of Islands Coastal Park - Wikipedia · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Images (6)
- Australia headland, Murnane Bay, Childers Cove, Bay of Islan... · Gypsy Denise · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bay of Islands panorama.jpg · Stephen Bain · CC BY-SA 3.0
- GOR Bay of Islands -38585564 14228277.jpg · RhonLee · CC BY-SA 4.0
- GOR Bay of Islands 1.jpg · -jkb- · CC BY-SA 3.0
- GOR Bay of Islands 2.jpg · -jkb- · CC BY-SA 3.0
- GOR Bay of Islands 3.jpg · -jkb- · CC BY-SA 3.0
Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under licenses that permit commercial use. If you are the rights holder and believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us.