The popular Sealers Cove boardwalk in Wilsons Promontory National Park will be fully rebuilt and upgraded, reconnecting the cove's golden sands to the Tidal River campground.
Parks Victoria will receive $4.8 million to completely rebuild the two-kilometre boardwalk to give visitors easier and safer access to the stunning beach at Sealers Cove.
The boardwalk carries the track from Tidal River to the cove across an otherwise impassable swamp. It was severely damaged by three successive storms that hit Wilsons Promontory in 2021.
Parks Victoria District Manager Andy Davies says rebuild was the best option for repairing the boardwalk and will restore one of the most popular hikes in Victoria.
"We've investigated different options after the storms, but a total rebuild is the best way to make sure the boardwalk is reinstated and has a long life," says Andy Davies.
"The Sealers Cove track is 11km long and very popular with visitors to the Prom. Without the boardwalk, you have to take a 26km detour through Refuge Cove to get to Sealers."
Parks Victoria rangers assess flood damage on the Sealers Cove boardwalk. Credit: Parks Victoria
The new boardwalk will be made of fibre-reinforced plastic, to ensure it is low-maintenance and able to stand up to the Promontory's wild weather.
"This kind of fibre-reinforced plastic has been used for boardwalks at Lilly Pilly Gully and Waterloo Bay and we know it can stand up to the wild weather the Prom experiences," says Andy Davies.
Planning, design, and approvals for the project are underway to protect the significant cultural and environmental landscape of the Prom.
Building works in remote areas like Wilsons Prom are labour-intensive and require specialised machinery. Parks Victoria will continue to keep the community updated as this project progresses.
The rebuild is in addition to the $23 million Wilsons Promontory Revitalisation Project, which will create Victoria's largest conservation sanctuary by constructing a predator-proof fence across the Yanakie Isthmus and fund an upgrade at the Tidal River visitor precinct, new accommodation options and trail upgrades.
