Wilsons Promontory accommodation: Take the family for a walk on the wild side

In the centre of Foster, Wilsons Promontory Motel is just 25 minutes’ drive from the national park. With all amenities at your doorstep, including supermarkets and bottle shops, you’ll get a taste of local life in this quaint country town without missing urban conveniences.

In your family-sized room, crash out on two spacious doubles and a bunk bed. Bigger groups can check out the two-bedroom apartment for extra space and a fully-equipped kitchen. Come meal time, you can tuck into homemade dinners in your own outdoor seating setup, or get to know other travellers at the communal barbecue area. While your kids are making new friends, swap tips with other parents about the best local hikes for families. You might even get to feed the local king parrots, cockatoos and kookaburras, or spot a sleepy koala in the surrounding gum trees.

On free afternoons, head out onto the water to see Wilsons Prom from a new perspective. Local day cruises will take you around remote granite islands and coves. Or for something more refined, savour some Pinot Noir at the cellar door at Lucinda Estate, known for its Gippsland-inspired pizzas topped with wild-caught king prawns and Mirboo Farm garlic, or local figs with Persian feta.

Larger families will feel right at home at Buln Buln Cabins, and you can fit a full-on family reunion in the Loft House! This three-bedroom house has an open-plan living and dining area, with plenty of space to seat everyone for a family dinner. Pile out onto the wraparound veranda and take in breathtaking mountain views while you recount the day’s adventures. You can also book the adjoining Studio to sleep two more people, ideal for teenagers looking for a bit of privacy. Smaller families can move into a two-bedroom cedar cabin, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto picture-perfect views across the Strzelecki Ranges and the distant Wilsons Prom.

When tummies start to growl, fire up the communal barbecue or wood-fired pizza oven and cook alfresco, then eat around one of the shaded picnic tables. Kids will be kept busy after dinner on the playground complete with cubby house, while adults can ready the brick campfire pit for toasting marshmallows as the stars come out.

Come morning, your spot in the town of Yanakie means you’re just a 10-minute drive from Wilsons Promontory National Park. For aspiring anglers in the family, you’re also a stone’s throw from the top fishing spots of Corner Inlet and Shallow Inlet. For a truly memorable sight, drive over to the Agnes Falls Scenic Reserve to hike through the Blue Gum Forest and see the highest single-span falls in Victoria.

Just a five-minute drive to the entrance gates of the national park, Promhills Cabins is an accommodation option near Wilsons Prom in prime position for discovering this magical peninsula. Set on five acres of land, you can wake up each day to pristine views across farmlands and watch sheep and alpacas grazing on the grass.

If you’re travelling with a little one, book a standalone one-bedroom Wilsons Promontory cabin and your hosts will provide a porta-cot and high chair. With a queen bed in the bedroom and sofa-bed in the open-plan lounge, you’ll have plenty of space for the family to snooze. A fully-equipped kitchen means you can whip up fam favourites to eat in front of the roaring fire, too. For couples seeking some alone time, reserve an intimate studio apartment or a super-cool eco glamping tent powered by solar energy and serviced with rainwater.

On the edge of Yanakie township, you’ll be close to the general store where you can stock up on groceries and wine for nights in. Or you can grab a takeaway from Wilsons Promontory Café & Pizza and sit out on your front deck to watch pink and purple sunset hues fade to inky black.

Set on four acres of bushland, Prom Country Lodge in the township of Foster has one or two-bedroom accommodation options ideal for families exploring the area. Sleeping up to seven people, there are closing doors and a TV in each room, so you can have some privacy and control over the remote. On rainy days, snuggle down in the lodge’s own library with a gripping title and your feet up in front of the fire, and when the sun shines chase the kids outdoors to make a splash in the swimming pool.

The on-site café and restaurant, Max’s, is fully licensed and serves food all day. Get in early for a locally-roasted Gippsland coffee and a stack of pancakes topped with berries and syrup. Or choose the Max’s signature smashed avo with poached eggs and dukkah—the perfect setup for a day in the great outdoors.

Explore the property grounds, looking closely for koalas sleeping in the many rustling gum trees, or head down to the Sanctuary for a deep tissue or hot stone massage in one of the three treatment rooms. Drive down to the national park, or grab your board and head to Waratah Bay for great expanses of sandy coastline and some of the region’s best surfing.

You’ll find Motel on A’Beckett right on the main high street of Inverloch. With just 12 spacious rooms decked out in contemporary furnishings, you can meet other guests while still benefiting from small-establishment hospitality. Let your travelling brood settle into your airy two-bedroom family suite, where an open-plan living area gives you the space to spend quality time together over a board game or streamed series. Each new day will start strong in the breakfast room with your choice of continental or cooked breakfast while you chat to the owners for tips about local restaurants and walking trails.

Sink into the solar-heated spa to soothe your muscles after a day of breathtaking hikes while the kids practice their backstroke in the adjoining pool. If you’re after an even greater level of pampering, ask the reception team to arrange an in-room relaxation or remedial massage with an expert from local spa South Gippsland Massage Therapy.

Afterwards, the tropical patio surrounded by palm trees and ferns is a tranquil place to cosy up with a book and one of owner Kim’s freshly baked muffins. You can grill up the day’s catch and some organic heirloom vegetables on the barbecue, or bring home some seriously savoury fish and chips for an alfresco-style dinner beneath the perfume of trailing purple wisteria.

Eugenie’s Luxury Accommodation is a home-away-from-home in the heart of Inverloch. This boutique hotel has been purpose-built to maximise the views across the water—and those views are worth it! Large balconies and sun decks with outdoor furniture are idyllic spots for sipping a morning coffee or watching spectacular sunsets across the Anderson Inlet and Bass Strait. When the stars come out, retreat into your serene space to drift off in your king-size bed flooded in the moonlight.

With only four guest rooms, the hotel is a quiet escape for couples or those travelling with their first addition to the family. Choose the gleaming Penthouse, which sprawls over the entire top floor of the building, or check into Deluxe Room B for direct access to the outdoor swimming pool. Swim a few laps before sweating out any lingering cares in the sauna, then unwind with your partner in the tranquil indoor spa.

Wake up to a delicious continental breakfast each day before heading out to explore the area. Wander along the turquoise estuary and through grassy dunes, or jump in the car to drive down to Wilsons Prom. Just 45 minutes from Inverloch, you can also visit Phillip Island and watch the nightly penguin parade.

Opposite the beach on the sweeping South Gippsland Coast, RACV Inverloch is close to the township of Inverloch and an hour’s drive from the park. Set within grounds boasting more than 50,000 indigenous plants and trees, usher the kids outside to spot local flora, birds and marine life at the nearby wetlands.

At your quaint standalone cabin, strike up a family game of cards on your private sun deck. Should your family like more space to spread out, you can book a premium two or three-bedroom ocean villa with cosy fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over rolling lawns and the sparkling sea. If rugged living is the name of the game, there’s a caravan park with 32 sites, including 12 with en-suite facilities in contemporary timber huts. Stroll through natural vegetation and teach the kiddos some wilderness tricks in the camp kitchen and laundry. If you’re lucky, some local kangaroos will stop by to check you out as you fire up the barbecue!

On nights when you can’t be bothered to cook, on-site restaurant Radius serves up ocean views alongside classic pub dishes with a modern twist. Think bush pepper and smoked salt calamari with citrus and fennel salad, or panko-crumb prawn cutlets with Bloody Mary ketchup. The nearby Zenith Lounge is decked out with cushy couches and armchairs next to a fireplace, making it the ideal spot to warm up and chill out on autumnal nights.