Croajingolong National Park
What a hidden gem in the east of Victoria!
The place is named after the Aboriginal people of the area, Croajingolong follows the far-eastern coastline of Victoria for 100 kilometres and features eucalypt forest, rainforest and heathland.
As with so many places I ended up visiting in Victoria - I had NO idea a place like this exists.
I was doing a road trip around Victoria, when one of the tourist info office’s ladies up in New South Wales recommended me to go an visit this place on my way back to Melbourne.
Pebbly Beach before sunrise, Croajingolong National Park
Sunset at Mallacoota, Walagarugh River
And I listened.
I love senior people’s advises - they just never go wrong. I wish I had talked more to my grandparents when they were alive but I guess this is life is not it? We learn things at the right time.
Anyways, I do love going to these tourist information centers in Australia - especially in smaller town; its usually supported by very locapatriot, and home-loving locals (pensioners usually) and if you spend a little bit of more time with them - which I always do- you gonna get the secret tips.
Getting back to Croajingolon National Park - the nearest town I stayed at is Mallacoota. Alternatively you can camp in the park in many of it’s camping sites -if you have got the gears and company - those I did not have being a solo traveller.
I am so in love with Mallacoota!
A small town, reachable only with a one way road off the Prince’s Highway, with two restaurants and a bar/hotel of course and couple of caravan parks.
Night sky at my Accommodation, Milky Way Core
So the town is reachable via a 30km drive off the Prince’s Highway, lies between mountains, national parks, river and the ocean. Surrounded by massive nature, remote, wild and local enough.
Oh, and there is only one radio channel in the area served by the local community; everything is live. The smooth bariton voice introduces every song prior to playing them, and when it’s time to talk about weather of the news they always add “beautiful Mallacoota”: “It’s 8 o-clock in beautiful Mallacoota”. “The weather in beautiful Mallacoota is sunny”.
Absolute fav in Victoria!
Pebbly Beach at Low tide
Danger is Relative - goanna in Croajingolong National Park
Mallacoota is also the entrance of Croajingolong National Park.
This national park is nothing like those others in Victoria - whilst usually you can drive through the parks on a paved road - forget about it here.
It’s still so remote and wild, the 100km long park needs a 4W car in the hidden spots.
I hope this place is going to stay as untouched as it is now. Where else would you see a goanna so easily in Victoria?
Its way too crowded!
Go and visit this place!
Tamboon, Croajingolong National Park
Gipsy Point
Pebbly Beach at sunrise
Wallagaraugh River, Mallacoota
What about these sunrise colours?
How to get to Mallacoota / Croajingolong National Park?
Mallacoota is about 450km to the east from Melbourne. Take A1 towards New South Wales and get off at C617 after about 400km-s from Melbourne.
Gipsy Point is the first small town with holiday houses / accommodation options, but if you dont have your own food, Mallacoota is your place about 25km further south.
It really does not matter where you stay you gonna see the stars everywhere!