Lower Glenelg National Park

The Glenelg River cuts a gorge up to fifty metres deep through limestone in the far southwest of Victoria, close to the South Australian border, and the park protects both the river and the heathland and forest around it. The Princess Margaret Rose Cave, discovered in 1936, is shown on guided tours through chambers of stalactites, columns and helictites in unusually good condition. On the river itself, a canoe route runs for around seventy kilometres with riverside campsites reachable only by water, taking several days. Fishing, swimming and boat cruises operate from Nelson at the river mouth, and the park's heathland flowers strongly in spring.

What you actually see

• The river gorge - limestone cliffs up to fifty metres above the Glenelg.
• Princess Margaret Rose Cave - guided tours through decorated chambers.
• The canoe route - a multi-day paddle with water-access campsites.
• The spring heath - wildflowers across the park's sandy country.

When to go

October to April for paddling and camping; winter is cold and the river high. Cave tours run to a set daily schedule year-round. Canoe campsites must be booked in advance and fill in summer holidays.

Honest expectations

Access roads within the park are partly unsealed and slow. The canoe trip requires self-sufficiency, with no facilities beyond basic campsites. Cave tours are timed and can sell out. Mosquitoes along the river are heavy in summer evenings.

Nearby

Nelson sits at the river mouth; Portland and Cape Bridgewater lie east.