Visitors to Wilsons Promontory National Park are set to receive a revamped welcome to Tidal River, with Eplus Architecture appointed as principal consultant to design an upgraded visitor precinct at the key arrival and accommodation hub.

Part of the Wilsons Prom Revitalisation project, the works will rejuvenate the information centre and its connections with surrounding visitor spaces and facilities.

Visitor numbers to the park have started rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 197,700 visits in summer, up from 191,386 for summer 2020-21 and 178,353 the year before. In the same period, more than 139,000 people camped overnight at Tidal River, compared to 123,000 in 2020-21 and 113,000 the year prior.

The upgrades at Tidal River, which is home to the park’s roofed accommodation, campground, toilets and amenities, café, general store and other facilities, will help boost the experience for years to follow.

The Revitalisation project will also deliver a new Telegraph Saddle trail to connect Tidal River and Mount Oberon, and an upgrade of the Wildlife Circuit. New accommodation options are currently being explored, with tenders sought for new huts at Tidal River and studio-style accommodation at the park’s northern boundary.

To future-proof the Prom’s special biodiversity and habitat, an exclusion fence will also be built at the park’s northern boundary. The fence will keep out animals like foxes, cats and deer, helping to create the state’s largest conservation sanctuary.

Parks Victoria will be engaging with Traditional Owners and specialist consultants throughout the project to ensure Aboriginal cultural heritage and environmental values are protected.

The majority of on-ground works are expected to be delivered during 2023 and 2024, subject to on-ground and construction industry conditions.

This project is being funded as part of the Victorian Government's $633 million Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan.

For further information visit: parks.vic.gov.au/projects