A world-class attraction, Flagstaff Hill sits on the Shipwreck Coast, and the museum is the perfect complement to other Great Ocean Road stops: The collection includes an A$4-million ceramic peacock salvaged from the Loch Ard wreck that gave its name to Loch Ard Gorge. The village shops and the lighthouse provide lovely insights into Australian life during the 1870s, while the sound and light show brings the Shipwreck Coast’s colorful history to life.
As most travelers visit twice—once to explore the museum and village and once for the sound and light show—Flagstaff Hill isn’t a common stop on Great Ocean Road tours: Most people visit independently and spend one or more nights in Warrnambool.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village is a must for history buffs and an excellent choice for kids.
There’s a tea room and a “lolly shop” (candy store) on-site, but both are open for shorter hours than the rest of the museum.
Allow a few hours to explore the museum and village (longer if you plan to eat). The sound and light show runs for 75 minutes.
During summer, the sound and light show can start as late as 9pm, which may be too much for young children.
The museum area is wheelchair accessible, but the village has steep steps and a cobblestone path. Shuttle transfers are available for the sound and light show, although seats do shake.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village sits in the small city of Warrnambool in southwest Victoria, about a 20-mile (30-kilometer) drive from Port Fairy, where the Great Ocean Road ends. Whether self-driving or on a tour, most travelers start from Melbourne, about a 180-mile (290-kilometer) drive east, and join the Great Ocean Road at Torquay. You could also catch the train from Melbourne’s Southern Cross—Warrnambool station is a 10-minute walk from Flagstaff Hill.
The Tales of the Shipwreck Coast show runs at dusk, with the museum and village open 10am–5pm. Flagstaff Hill is open every day of the year except for Dec. 25 and 31. There’s often a significant gap between the day attractions closing and the show beginning, so some travelers arrive in Warrnambool for the sound and light show and then explore the museum in the morning. Guided tours in period costumes start at 11:30am.
Flagstaff Hill is Warrnambool’s top attraction, but this little city offers plenty more. The beautifully landscaped Deep Blue Hot Springs boasts a wealth of open-air geothermal pools; southern right whales generally arrive in Logan’s Beach to calve between June and September, coming so close to shore you can easily see them from viewing platforms on the beach; and the town offers a range of galleries and markets, as well as a street art trail. Sadly, the penguin colony the Maremma dogs protect is closed to visitors.
