Island & Volcano Excursions – January & February 2020

Posted on by Susan

Griffiths Island and Tower Hill Nature Reserve quickly became two of our favorite destinations, both just short drives from Warrnambool, and we visited the sites multiple times. One day we were feeling energetic and even went to both locations!

Griffiths Island – This small bit of land is connected to the town of Port Fairy by a pedestrian causeway. John Griffiths established the town’s whaling industry in the area during the 1830s and the 1.5 kilometer long X 0.8 kilometer wide island is named after him.

Near the end of our walk on the outer loop trail, we reached the red and white lighthouse created with bluestone. Built in 1859 by Scottish masons, the lighthouse aids oceanic boaters as they approach the headwaters of the Moyne River. Before the light was automated in 1954, lighthouse keepers lived on the island. These days solar power plus a wind assisted generator continually energize the 24 hour beacon. During our multiple visits to the island we experienced lots of sunshine and we had to hold onto our hats or remove them because of the strong breezes. So, the lighthouse lamp should never go dark.

We almost didn’t see a very focused echidna foraging for food beside the trail. It didn’t seem fazed by our close, continued proximity. We thought that its hind feet were quite unusual.

Wallabies live on the island and we finally encountered some of these cute marsupials during our final visit. 

Eighty to 90 bird species frequent the island. Sadly for us and luckily for you, we only photographed 10 to 15 varieties.

  • Australian white ibis
  • Another Australian white ibis
  • Great cormorant
  • Little pied cormorant
  • White-faced heron
  • White-face heron drying in the sun
  • Black swan
  • Chestnut Teal
  • Sooty oystercatchers
  • European goldfinch

Tower Hill Nature Reserve – The local Aboroginese originally gave the name of Warrnambool, meaning to swamps or ample water, to this volcanic cone with its surrounding lake and wetlands. When the nearby town of Warrnambool was established, the area was renamed Tower Hill Nature Reserve. In 1892 it became the first national park in the state of Victoria. We hiked to top of Tower Hill Peak plus drove to the lookout point on the north boundary of the park to enjoy the wonderful scenery.

  • Susan nearing the top of Tower Hill Peak

During each visit to the reserve we looked for koalas eating or sleeping in the tall eucalyptus trees, kangaroos and wallabies nibbling on the grasses by the picnic tables,  and emus hanging out by the visitors center. 

  • Wallaby

We regularly traversed the boardwalk of the Lava Tongue Trail in hopes of seeing and possibly photographing the many shy, flighty birds in the bushes and majestic black swans in the lake. 

  • New Holland honeyeater
  • White-browed scrubwren
  • European goldfinch
  • Brown thornbill
  • Grey fantail
  • Closer look at feathers of grey fantail
  • Yellow-faced honeyeater
  • Golden whistler
  • Australian magpie
  • Australian swamphen
  • Silver eye
  • Superb fairy-wren
  • Susan on the boardwalk

2 thoughts on “Island & Volcano Excursions – January & February 2020”

  1. I love Australia. Would love to go again sometime. Looks like y’all had a great visit

    1. We had a a wonderful time in Australia and look forward to returning some day to see more of the country. We want to visit the states of Queensland and South Australia, plus the NW part of the country.

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