Princetown: River Estuary, Wetlands and Coast

Princetown brings together the Gellibrand River and its estuary with wetlands, coast and the Great Ocean Walk. The different local references are useful for planning your trip: beach access, the duration of the full walk and camping facilities each concern their own details. This helps you understand the nature, activities and accommodation in relation to the specific landscape and route information.

River Estuary and Wetlands

The Gellibrand River flows into the sea below Point Ronald. At the estuary, the waterway widens into a bird-rich wetland, which is connected to and accessible from the hilltop town of Princetown via a foreshore promenade. The lower areas of the Princetown Wetlands are nationally recognised in the Directory of Important Australian Wetlands (EA 2002). The wetlands can also support large numbers of waterbirds. If you are interested in river estuaries and birdlife, you will find a natural area here with a named access route via the foreshore promenade.

Coast and Beach Access

Princetown Beach extends 800 metres east of Point Ronald. There, the beach gives way to dunes, rugged headlands and small bays. It can be reached via a 600-metre walking track along the banks of the Gellibrand River. The two distance figures answer different questions: the 800 metres locates the stretch of beach east of Point Ronald, while 600 metres is the length of the walking track along the riverbank. The Gellibrand River plays two roles here: its bank runs alongside the walking track, and its estuary lies below Point Ronald. Princetown Beach is in the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park. An exclusion zone east of the headland at Princetown, towards Rivernook Beach, allows recreational fishing there. The fishing opportunity is limited to this geographically defined section.

Walking the Great Ocean Walk

The Great Ocean Walk is more than 100 kilometres long and runs from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles. The full walk usually takes eight days. Near Princetown, the route crosses the Gellibrand River via a truss bridge. This crossing is a specific point on the trail near Princetown; Apollo Bay and the Twelve Apostles indicate the scale of the entire walk. The Princetown–Clifton Beach Loop is also listed as a route on the Great Ocean Walk. The eight days refer to the full walk, not the named loop.

Camping Information for Trip Planning

The Great Ocean Walk campsites are small and must be booked before setting out. The Princetown Recreation Reserve is separate: it has a camp kitchen, covered barbecue areas, hot showers, a playground, a tennis court and laundry facilities. The reserve has powered and unpowered sites. The listed facilities and power options belong to the reserve, while the size and booking information applies to the Great Ocean Walk campsites. Before you arrive, it is worth checking the latest information about the reserve’s facilities and site availability.

Discover more destinations: Koonwarra, Wedderburn, Chiltern Valley, Swanpool, East Warburton, Cape Bridgewater, Sherbrooke, Murchison

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.