Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

West of Warrnambool on the Great Ocean Road, Tower Hill fills the crater of an extinct volcano - a lake and islands ringed by a steep, wooded rim, all of it teeming with wildlife. Emus, koalas, echidnas and kangaroos are readily seen along the walking tracks, and the reserve is famous as the subject of an 1855 painting by Eugene von Guerard that later guided its replanting. A Worn Gundidj visitor centre offers Aboriginal-guided walks. Compact and easy to explore, the crater is one of the best and most reliable places for wildlife on the western coast.