VISIT WARRNAMBOOL VICTORIA
DISCOVER WARRNAMBOOL
Warrnambool offers all the services expected of a vibrant, modern city whilst maintaining the atmosphere of a relaxed country town.
Warrnambool has a dramatic location on a plateau behind a steep bluff, defined by rivers to the east and west, overlooking sheltered Lady Bay. There are interesting historical buildings and attractive streetscapes. There is much to see and discover in Warrnambool, take a moment and see for yourself.
WARRNAMBOOL’S BEST EXPERIENCES
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum And Village
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has just undergone a major redevelopment, that included interactive digital installations throughout the village and a full upgrade of the Sound and Light show, now called ‘Tales of the Shipwreck Coast’. With engaging storytelling, fresh new imagery, dazzling lighting and sound effects throughout the village – it is sure to impress. At night, immerse yourself in the stories of our volcanic plains, the whaling industry and the famous Loch Ard shipwreck. Their night show is a state of the art production like no other. By day, Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is a maritime village and museum built around 1858 state heritage listed Warrnambool Lighthouse.
Deep Blue Hot Springs Warrnambool
Harnessing the natural geothermal waters, the Deep Blue Hot Springs Warrnambool is a self-guided journey in an open-air sanctuary of enhanced geothermal bathing experiences. Let your mind wander to a therapeutic state while your body absorbs the health-restoring minerals and heat of the natural earth drawn waters as you slowly make your journey through a myriad of thermal pools. Delving into steep sensory caves and bathing in floral aromatic mist.
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is located at the heart of the spectacular Great Ocean Road region. The only wildlife reserve west of the popular Twelve Apostles and just ten minutes from the coastal tourism hub of Warrnambool, you will discover the naturally diverse offering of the exquisite Tower Hill State Game Reserve. Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is the ideal place for visitors to experience the Australian bush, enjoy magnificent scenery and landscapes. Get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most iconic native birds and animals including emus, koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, wedge-tail eagles and other native Australian wildlife.
Warrnambool Art Gallery
or the past 130 years, with more than 2,000 artworks ranging from European Salon and Colonial paintings of the 1800s and Indigenous artefacts to the Melbourne Modernists of the 1940s and contemporary works, the Warrnambool Art Gallery has facilitated rich experiences for audiences both through its collection and through an inspired program of exhibitions and events in and beyond the gallery.
Warrnambool Breakwater
The westernmost point of Lady Bay, the Warrnambool breakwater is as much an attraction in its own right as the activities it helps facilitate. The breakwater was built between 1874 and 1890 to provide ships with greater protection from the Southern Ocean. At that time, Warrnambool handled more cargo than the Port of Melbourne. Today the breakwater is a great place for fishing, offering a sheltered place to sit and wait for the fish to bite. Lines can be cast on the bayside with smaller rods or if you’re chasing bigger fish, surf rods can be used over the ocean side.
Go Surf
With an unbeatable school holiday program, Go Surf is the perfect program for kids. Encourage a love of the ocean, develop ocean awareness, make new friends and learn in a safe, fun environment. Go Surf also offer stand up paddle-boarding and surfing for adults.
Great Ocean Road Day Trips
Set up camp in the biggest and only city of the Great Ocean Road and enjoy any number of short drives to iconic sightseeing locations. Take your pick: Port Fairy a leisurely 20 minutes drive, or in the other direction London Bridge is 45 minutes, the famed 12 Apostles is 55 minutes, the Otway Rainforest is 2 hours, Erskine Falls at 2 hours and The Cape Otway Lightstation can be found in 2 hours and 20minutes. Even the Grampians or Budj Bim National Park can be reached in just over an hour. The scenery on the wide-open road, whether it’s rolling green pastures with cows to boot or the sight of the wild southern ocean is breathtaking and definitely worth the ride.
Lake Pertobe Motor Boats Hire
At Lake Pertobe Motor Boats, Warrnambool, they aim to give you an experience of fun and adventure. It’s not every day that you can ride in a boat, let alone, drive it yourself. (You need to be aged 12 plus to drive a boat). Young children can steer with older people helping to guide the boat. Fun hire boats that all the family can enjoy. People come back year after year to drive a little boat on the lake.
Botanical Gardens
Warrnambool’s Botanic Gardens were designed by William Guilfoyle in 1879, shortly after he completed the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens. Designed in the classic style, these elegant sheltered gardens feature wide curving paths, ancient trees, a lily pond with ducks, fernery and a band rotunda. The garden retains remnants of the original flora on the site, plus a fernery with flora from the Otway Ranges.
Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground
The Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground is a 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 including tennis courts, mini-golf, an athletics track and a skateboard park.
