Spotlight: Cape Conran, Victoria

For anyone travelling between Sydney and Melbourne via the coast, Cape Conran Coastal Park in Victoria's eastern Gippsland region can serve as a serene and tranquil stopover; a place to escape the grinding miles of the Princes Highway.

However, and as anyone who's stayed there will likely testify, it can be far more than a mere overnighter, and for lovers of nature and wildlife in particular it represents a first-class destination in its own right.

We found that out for ourselves recently when, at the tail-end of the Christmas school holidays, we packed the gleaming new Isuzu MU-X we had at our disposal and hitched up our elderly Southern Cross camper, before setting out from Melbourne for Cape Conran to unwind over a three-night stay. Our two boys, aged seven and nine, were also along for the ride, as were a couple of friends and their kids.

Gippsland paradise

Located roughly 400km from Melbourne or 530km from Sydney, as a destination in itself Cape Conran really deserves at least a couple of nights to justify the trek. Coming from the west it's simply a matter of turning off the highway at Orbost and following the meandering Snowy River to Marlo, before continuing for 16km past the spectacular bit of coastline where the river empties into the Tasman Sea.

From the east travellers should turn south on the Cabbage Tree Conran Road just past the characterful pub at Bellbird Creek, about 40km west of Cann River.

Despite being little more than a dot on the map Cape Conran has a few different accommodation options, from the Jungle Beach Caravan Park to well-appointed West Cape Cabins. We, however, had a site booked in Cape Conran Coastal Park, which has both cabins and unpowered sites, the latter varying in size to accommodate options from tents up to caravans.

We'd booked months in advance to secure a spot over the Australia Day weekend – it's a large, rambling camping area that extends in a strip along the back of the stunning East Cape Beach, but at peak times like this it's full to capacity.

That's not as dire as it may sound, however, because the majority of the sites are each tucked among the gums and banksia trees, the foliage providing a reasonable degree of privacy between individual sites.

All sites are unpowered but there are plenty of well-constructed fire pits, many with swivelling hotplates and hooks for boiling billies. There's a general store in Marlo or a supermarket in Orbost to purchase supplies, while ice and gas can be purchased at the park's reception hut.

Hitting the road

Packing the spacious MU-X was an easy affair and with a 3000 kilogram tow limit it barely noticed our compact 750kg (ATM) soft-floor camper on the back. These Isuzus are selling strongly these days, and for good reason – they really are a solid option for family escapes, and in a four-wheel drive format they'll get you to our more remote destinations with ease.

After a five-hour drive from Melbourne, the abundant shade offered by the many trees was appreciated as we set up camp. Then, while sitting back and enjoying our first cool drink, our boys excitedly cried out in unison – seems they'd met our first campsite visitors…

A pair of goannas lazily sauntered right through the middle of our site, as if to remind us that we were merely visitors on their patch. These large, impressive and metre-plus-long creatures, looking for all the world as if they'd just emerged straight from our sons' dinosaur books, are magnificent things to observe at close quarters – just don't forget to zip up your tent or camper lest you risk an encounter that's too close for comfort!

Goannas and lace monitors roam the park at will through the hotter part of the day, and over the course of our stay our boys got to know them by sight, even naming them (Beauty, Scavenger, Freshy and the rather ominous Deathtrap, complete with scars from past conquests) and recognising their individual markings.

Then, at dusk, the compact but impossibly cute redneck wallabies make an appearance, followed later in the evenings by inquisitive gangs of brushtail possums, all intent on finding an opportune feed where they can.

For our boys, Cape Conran was a wonderful place to get up close to some of our amazing wildlife, and a perfect opportunity to learn more about how these animals live and co-exist.

Natural splendour

Cape Conran Coastal Park is a relatively new protected area, its 11,700 hectares only established in 1997. It encompasses around 60km of pristine beaches and offers a range of activities, from hiking the Cape Conran Nature Trail, Dock Inlet or Pearl Point walks to snorkelling, canoeing, fishing or simply exploring the rock pools at Salmon Rocks.

Hardier souls might like to tackle the remote Wilderness Coast Walk, that takes in around 100km of largely untouched territory east from Sydenham Inlet in neighbouring Croajingolong National Park.

Access to the beach from our site, located up the eastern end of the park, is via a very pleasant two-minute track through a shady grove of tea trees. The sand flies are quite active through the day but they're a minor nuisance given the sublime beauty at every turn.

East Cape Beach goes for miles and while on this busy weekend there were plenty of visitors enjoying its seductive charms, we only had to go a few hundred metres further along to find a patch all to ourselves.

A cooling dip was just the ticket to escape the hot and humid weather and further brushes with Mother Nature are often had here in the form of seals, dolphins, even passing pods of whales and, if you're lucky, 'Ellie' the elephant seal.

These aquatic friends remained hidden during our time at Cape Conran, not that our kids seemed to mind in the slightest. No, they were perfectly happy just playing for hours in the crashing waves – their exertions also setting the stage for a solid night's sleep.

Water sports aplenty

It's a superb spot for all sorts of water activities, although the beach isn't patrolled so younger kids should be closely accompanied at all times, as rips and undertows are always a possibility. Nearby West Cape has the area's only boat ramp but it’s often subject to shifting sand and seaweed – there's a webcam on site to allow visitors to check on its status remotely.

Mind you, that would be difficult to utilise from the park itself, as there's very little to no mobile phone coverage. That, of course, is a blessing in this day and age, and we thoroughly appreciated switching our phones off for the duration of our stay.

For longer retreats there's no shortage of other nearby destinations to explore. Off-road adventurers can take in the sights of the equally unspoilt Croajingolong National Park to the east; there's also the picturesque coastal hamlet of Mallacoota further towards the NSW border or Victoria's renowned Buchan Caves, about 80km to the northwest.

We put our two boys and two others in the back of the MU-X for a day at the caves, and we surely weren't disappointed. For a start, on a day where the temperature topped 40 degrees the caves were wonderfully cool, and the guided tour of Royal Cave enthralled kids and adults alike with its massive underground caverns and intricate formations and columns.

One to remember

Our four days went all too quickly, our most strenuous decisions centring on whether or not we should return to the beach for yet another swim. As a back-to-basics break before a return to work and school, Cape Conran Coastal Park offered up a smorgasbord of natural delights. I have a feeling we'll return time and again in the years to come.

Further information visit www.conran.net.au.