Always wanted to do something daring like explore a volcano, but would like to take a break for a barbeque lunch without being barbequed yourself?
Tower Hill Bushland
Behold,
Tower Hill, where you can clamber around a volcanic crater with its lakes and islands, stop to sizzle some sausages and have nothing more dangerous to escape from than a few curious emus.
Emu at Tower Hill
Located near the township of Koroit in South West Victoria, 275km west of Melbourne, Tower Hill is an inactive volcano (no eruptions in the last thirty thousand years or so) with several nature walks spiralling out from a central picnic area.
The walking tracks wind through indigenous vegetation, with one starting from the bird watching hut and another leading to a wetlands boardwalk. Take care to read the signs or you may be alarmed by some of the local wildlife, including a large number of lizards and snakes among the ferns to the sides of the walk ways.
Snake at Tower Hill
The picnic area has barbeque facilities and picnic tables, where you will find very sociable emus (watch your sausages). Koalas, possums, kangaroos and echidnas are also regularly sighted nearby.
Tower Hill Lake
Tower Hill is a protected area, so it is very important to leave the site as you found it (don't go about digging for the rumoured gold willy-nilly either). Artefacts found in the volcanic ash indicate that the reserve was inhabited by Aborigines at the time, and remains an important cultural landmark. It is a high bush fire risk so check the
Bureau of Meteorology for Code Red Fire Danger before visiting as the park is closed on days with this rating.
