Explore
Belfast C.R. Coastal Reserve
Belfast Coastal Park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape. Parks Victoria respects the deep and continuing connection that Traditional Owners have to these lands and waters, and we recognise their ongoing role in caring for Country.
Popular all year round with dog walkers, birdwatchers and ocean anglers who enjoy the 20km stretch of sandy beaches, grassy dunes and thriving wetlands right on the doorstep of Warrnambool and Port Fairy.
This coastline is alive with activity. Belfast Coastal Reserve has attracted people for thousands of years to its freshwater wetlands, sandy beaches, grassy sheltered dunes, rocky outcrops and in-shore rocky reefs and rockpools.
Stretching from Port Fairy to Warrnambool the reserve is very popular with locals and wildlife all year round and gets extra busy in summers water activity holiday periods. Buzzing with shorebird-watchers who flock to this sandy strip of land, unique to Victoria’s parks. It is home to several endangered wildlife species including Hooded Plovers and Oyster Catchers; all sharing beaches with dog-walkers, joggers, anglers, surfers, swimmers, horse-riders and birdwatchers.
Things To Do
Dog walking in Belfast Coastal Reserve
Birdwatching in Belfast Coastal Reserve
Surfing
Fishing
Tours and adventure experiences in parks
One of the best ways you can get into nature is with a Licensed Tour Operator.
There are more than 400 Licensed Tour Operators across Victoria who are ready and waiting to help you experience and connect with Victoria’s spectacular parks and waterways.
Discover more than 60 different types of nature-based experiences including hiking, mountain biking, boating, four-wheel driving, indigenous culture tours, birdwatching, surfing, diving and so much more.
Licensed Tour Operators know all the best places to go and will plan and prepare your visit to ensure you are safe and can enjoy your nature-based adventure to the fullest.
How to get there
Belfast C.R. Coastal Reserve
The reserve adjoins Warrnambool City and extends 20km to Port Fairy.
The main visitor areas are accessed off the Princess Highway A1. Warrnambool is 256km from Melbourne on the Princes Highway or Great Ocean Road and approximately 600km from Adelaide.
When you're there
Download the Belfast Coastal Reserve visitor guide for more information about the park and a map.
Need to know
Belfast C.R. Coastal Reserve
Accessibility
Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however in Victoria there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state.
Assistance dogs are welcome in Parks Victoria parks and reserves. Entry requirements apply for parks and reserves that are usually dog prohibited, such as national parks.
How we keep it special
There have been recent changes to where recreation activities can take place in Belfast Coastal Reserve.
These changes come from the Belfast Coastal Reserve Management Plan which was developed after extensive consultation in 2018.
The plan strikes a balance between recreation on the reserve with the protection of environmental and cultural values. The key changes to achieve this are:
- Creation of a ‘Conservation Zone’ prohibiting horse riding and dog-walking.
- Creation of a ‘Conservation and Recreation Zone’ allowing on-leash dog walking and recreational horse riding.
- Restriction of commercial horse training to a small area at Levy’s Beach and Hoon Hill.
- Priority management strategies to protect and monitor populations of beach-nesting birds.
- Foreshore access throughout the entire reserve for walking dogs on-leash and recreational horse riding.
The links on the right hand side provide further information about the management plan and recent changes for the reserve. Watch the video below to learn about the updates to dog walking in the reserve.