Explore
Point Nepean National Park
The history of Point Nepean spans back thousands of years to the Bunurong people and it has also played an important role in shaping the early European settlement and defence of Australia, being used to quarantine people arriving in Victoria, defending the colony and for military training.
Walk or cycle through this rugged coastal landscape and enjoy panoramic ocean and bay views. Explore military forts and tunnels, learn about the people who passed through the Quarantine Station - and see fascinating artefacts spanning back over 150 years. View the site and memorial where Prime Minister Harold Holt went missing while swimming at the nearby Cheviot Beach. Follow our water safety advice to make sure your day out at Point Nepean National Park is a safe and enjoyable one.
Extend your stay at our new Point Nepean Discovery Tents campground. Perfect to explore the National Park, the pre-pitched canvas tents offer the opportunity to stay in nature without the fuss of setting up your own camping equipment.
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
Point Nepean National Park
Point Nepean National Park is located 110km south of Melbourne near Portsea. If driving, take the M1, Eastlink (M3), then Mornington Peninsula Freeway (M11) and follow the signs to Portsea and continue along Point Nepean Road. Alternatively, take the Queenscliff to Sorrento vehicle and passenger ferry (Searoad Ferries) which operates daily and connects with Point Nepean Road at Sorrento.
Visitors can also catch a suburban train from Melbourne to Frankston, or the Searoad ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento, and then take the PTV bus to Portsea (788), which terminates at the national park entrance. An internal park shuttle bus operates from the nearby Entrance Station Picnic Area carpark (100m walk) which links with the 788 PTV bus for transfers to/from the Quarantine Station (pick-up 10:25 am & 1:30 pm, drop-off 1:00 pm & 4:15 pm, or 4:45 pm during day light saving time). For a 788 PTV timetable, refer to the Public Transport Victoria website and Searoad Ferries website for ferry times.
The Quarantine Station is 2.3 km from the Entrance Station Picnic Area carpark via the shared bicycle/walking track and cycling is a great way to discover this vast 560ha park.
Point Nepean National Park is open daily. Vehicles may enter the park between 6am-6pm (6am-8pm in daylight savings) and can exit at anytime. Pedestrians and cyclists can enter and exit the park any time. The Point Nepean Information Centre is open daily from 10am, except Christmas day. Selected buildings in the Quarantine Station are open for the public to explore from 9am – 4:30pm daily.
Boat landing is permitted in designated boat landing areas in front of the Quarantine Station only.
Access from the shore to ocean beaches and marine national parks is prohibited due to conservation efforts and for safety reasons.
Swimming at the bay beach and the Quarantine Station is permitted. However be aware of strong currents and rips.
When you're there
Named after the British politician and colonial administrator, Sir Evan Nepean, Point Nepean National Park is the most westerly point on the Mornington Peninsula.
Grab an audio tour from the Point Nepean Information Centre. Learn about the rich history of the Quarantine Station, Fort Nepean and their surroundings.
The Quarantine Station is a perfect place for a picnic, with four electric BBQs provided and plenty of space to roll out a picnic rug. You may also bring your own gas BBQ (permitted in the Quarantine Station precinct only) however open fires, including charcoal BBQs are NOT permitted.
Jump aboard the hop-on-hop-off Point Nepean shuttle service. Running between the Quarantine Station and Fort Nepean, it’s a great way to explore all the highlights of Point Nepean National Park.
Hire a bike from Emocean and get around more of the park. For all bike hire inquiries, availability and bookings visit emocean.com.au. If your dates are not available, please email hello@emocean.com.au. Once your booking is confirmed, you can pick up your bike at Point Nepean National Park opposite the Information Centre.
Stop by Smooth Electra coffee caravan located near the Information Centre in the Quarantine Station. Serving high quality organic coffee, plus cakes, snakes and icy poles. Open daily from September to April. Opening days vary from May to August please check Google for updated hours.
The Point Nepean Quarantine Station consists of 50 heritage-listed buildings with artefacts dating back more than 150 years. Selected buildings are open daily between 9am – 4:30pm for visitors to explore. During its colourful history it has protected Victoria from diseases during immigration influxes, served as an army base and, finally, housed refugees from Kosovo in 1999.
Fort Nepean is Australia's best example of military fortifications and engineering. Explore the extensive tunnel complex which connects the historic gun emplacements.
Point Nepean National Park sits on one of the most treacherous coastlines in Victoria. An estimated 130 shipwrecks lie in the Port Phillip Area with over 50 reported to have occurred in The Rip, a triangle bounded by Point Nepean, Point Lonsdale and Shortlands Bluff. Watch giant freight and cruise ships pass by.
Detour from Defence Road and discover a network of beach, coastal and inland walking trails. Follow the Bay Beach Walk to see the quarantine cattle jetty at Observatory Point or the Range Area Walk to the Monash Light Tower for panoramas across Bass Strait, Port Phillip and the Melbourne skyline.
From the viewing area, overlook Cheviot Beach, where Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming in 1967. It's also the site of Victoria's worst shipwreck, the SS Cheviot, which hit a reef in 1887 during storm conditions; 35 of the 59 passengers drowned.
When to go
Point Nepean National Park is a hive of activity from November to April. Join in the fun with events such as craft markets, Portsea Swim Classic, Portsea Twilight, Portsea Polo, Barefoot Cinema and Portsea Running Festival.
In the warmer months, snake sightings can be common within the park. Please be mindful of their presence and do not approach or harm snakes.
Need to know
Point Nepean National Park
Accessibility
Visiting a park can be 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.
Within Point Nepean National Park the historic Quarantine station is generally accessible, with ramp access to those buildings that are open to the public, and accessible paths throughout.
From the Gunners Cottage carpark, Walter Pisterman Heritage Walk leading out to the bay, is generally accessible, but lacks handrails and is steep in parts. Wheelchair access is limited at Observatory Point beach access due to steps.
To access Fort Nepean, at the tip of Point Nepean National Park, Coles Track and Defence Road are also generally accessible. Alternatively, the shuttle bus service, which operates from the Quarantine Station to Fort Nepean, can accommodate standard wheelchair access. The bus cannot accommodate motorised, scooter style or the Parks Victoria all-terrain wheelchairs due to access limitations.
Once at Fort Nepean, the most accessible route for exploring leads from the shuttle-bus stop to the Old Barracks site via a tunnel, and back again via Gun Emplacement No.1. Other paths in this area have isolated obstacles such as steps and uneven surfaces limiting their accessibility.
Two all-terrain beach wheelchairs (adult and youth size) and one standard wheelchair are available for loan from the Information Centre, free of charge, for visitors who have mobility issues. Please phone to book the wheelchairs or visit the Information Centre on the day to arrange use.
Parks Victoria's social script resources for children on the autism spectrum have been developed with the professional assistance of AMAZE to increase the accessibility of its parks for people on the autism spectrum.
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.
Change of Conditions
Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.
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Fort Nepean (Point Nepean National Park)
Closures - Fort Nepean
Engine house walking track closed until further notice. Access to Gun emplacements 5 & 6, Engine House, Battery Observation Posts restricted. -
Point Nepean National Park
Fox Control Program
Parks Victoria are undertaking fox control in Point Nepean National Park to relieve predation of vulnerable and threatened native fauna. Programs involve the use of soft jaw leg hold traps, Canid Pest Ejectors and para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) poison, as well as buried PAPP poison, to bait foxes in strategic locations.Fox trapping and baiting will occur until June 2025.Dogs are prohibited from entering Point Nepean National Park. If pets are suspected of having consumed a PAPP bait during the baiting period, a vet should be consulted immediately. An antidote to PAPP (methylene blue) is available and stocked by most vets on the Mornington Peninsula.Point Nepean Front Gate Closing and Opening times
The front gate is currently opening at 6am and closing at 6pm until further notice.
How we keep it special
We aim to ensure that our valued parks, and the natural assets and cultural heritage they hold, can be enjoyed now and by future generations.
The Point Nepean National Park Master Plan which was released in 2018 directs aspects of management across the park.
The Western Port and South-east Melbourne Conservation Action Plan provides directions for environmental conservation management across the diverse landscape, including Point Nepean National Park. This covers the varied ecosystems across the area which range from heathlands to woodlands, wetlands and other marine environments.
Named after the British politician and colonial administrator - Sir Evan Nepean, the park was created in 1988 when it was opened as part of Australia's bicentennial celebrations. The Quarantine Station was added to the national park in 2009. The national park status recognises Point Nepean's archaeological, ecological, architectural, historical, scientific and social significance.