Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

Tower Hill State Game Reserve sits inside an extinct volcano and is a beautiful haven for wildlife with koalas, emus, kangaroos and many species of waterbirds roaming freely.

History
It formed some 30,000 years ago in a violent volcanic eruption that created a funnel-shaped crater (later filled by a lake), creeks and islands. Tower Hill’s vegetation was originally very diverse, but early European settlers cleared much of it for grazing, leaving the area bare with little wildlife remaining.

Moves to restore Tower Hill began in the late 1950s. Noted Victorian artist Eugene von Guerard had painted an exceptionally detailed picture of Tower Hill in 1855 and this was used to identify the species for the replanting program. The painting can be viewed at the Warrnambool Art Gallery. In 1961, Tower Hill was declared a State Game Reserve and is now managed by Parks Victoria.

Wildlife haven
Since then, more than 300,000 trees have been planted and the revegetation has provided new habitats for many animals. There are over 200 kangaroos and koalas in this tiny crater-bound eco system, and many live around the visitor car park. Emus, echidnas and waterbirds are also abundant. Boardwalks, nesting boxes and a birdhide have been constructed to assist bird watchers in catching a glimpse of many birds, including chestnut teal, musk dusks, and spoonbills.

Natural History Centre
Visit Tower Hill’s Natural History Centre to experience the history and evolution of Tower Hill. This information service, along with the sale of locally produced authentic aboriginal products, is operated by Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Co-operative.

How to get there
The reserve is located 15 kilometres west of Warrnambool, next to the historic township of Koroit on the Princes Highway.