Princetown

Princetown brings together coastal scenery, a river estuary and wetlands with a section of the Great Ocean Walk. This makes the town appealing for different kinds of trips: you can focus on the beach and the landscape around the Gellibrand River, or plan a multi-day walking route. When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first consider which of these priorities will shape your trip.

Beach, river and coastal scenery

Princetown Beach stretches 800 metres east of Point Ronald, where it gives way to dunes, rugged headlands and small coves. The beach is within the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park. Those interested in recreational fishing will find a designated opportunity: east of the headland near Princetown, towards Rivernook Beach, a designated access zone allows recreational fishing.

A 600-metre walking track along the banks of the Gellibrand River leads to the beach. The river flows into the sea below Point Ronald. At its mouth, it widens into wetlands that are connected to and accessible from the hilltop town of Princetown via a boardwalk. The beach and river estuary thus bring different landscape experiences into your trip planning, without requiring a long walking route to be the main focus.

Wetlands and birdlife

The Princetown Wetlands are another natural area in the town. Their lower areas are nationally recognised in the Directory of Important Australian Wetlands (EA 2002). The wetlands can support large numbers of waterbirds. This describes an area whose appeal extends beyond the beach: if you are interested in wetland landscapes, you can include them in your plans alongside the coastal landforms and river.

Great Ocean Walk: a multi-day hike

The Great Ocean Walk is more than 100 kilometres long and runs from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles. The full route usually takes eight days. This gives an idea of the scale involved: completing the entire walk is a trip in its own right, not just a short detour. Near Princetown, the route crosses the Gellibrand River via a truss bridge. The Princetown–Clifton Beach Loop is also designated as a Great Ocean Walk route.

If you plan to do the walk, overnight stays along the route are a separate consideration: Great Ocean Walk campsites are small and must be booked before you set off. Princetown Recreation Reserve is a separate option. It has powered and unpowered sites, as well as a camp kitchen, covered barbecue areas, hot showers, a playground, a tennis court and laundry facilities.

When looking for a holiday rental in Princetown, you can first decide between a stay focused on the beach and wetlands and a trip centred on the Great Ocean Walk as a larger undertaking. This keeps your accommodation choice aligned with your actual travel plans, rather than making a single activity the measure of your entire visit.

More destinations

More destinations: Balwyn North, Murrindindi, Smeaton, Nirranda, Jeparit, Bentleigh East, Panton Hill and Tabilk.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.