Sealers Cove hike-in campsite at Wilsons Prom: how permits book, when nights sell out, and how to catch a cancellation now the boardwalk has reopened.
About
Sealers Cove is the classic first night on the Prom's Southern Circuit: a long arc of sand on the east coast, backed by forest, reached by a walk that drops from Telegraph Saddle through rainforest and fern gullies. For a few years it was much harder to get to. Storm damage closed the Sealers Cove walking track, and the only way in was a long detour via the Telegraph Track and Refuge Cove.
That changed on Friday 18 September 2026, when Parks Victoria reopened the rebuilt boardwalk and walking track, just ahead of the spring school holidays. Parks Victoria said at the reopening that it expects strong demand for campground bookings and suggested booking early. So if Sealers Cove was on your list and you've been putting it off, plenty of other walkers had the same idea.
The sites
Parks Victoria doesn't publish a site count for Sealers Cove. Hike-in camping here is sold per person, per night, not per pitch, and the number of permits is capped to protect the toilets and water supply when the Prom is busy.
What's confirmed on the official pages:
- Toilets in the campground (the walking track page notes they sit before you reach the beach)
- Creek water, which is untreated, so boil, filter or treat it before drinking
- Plenty of shade
There's no power, no showers and no toilet paper supplied. You carry all rubbish out.
Hiking notes
- Creek crossing: the campground sits on the far side of a creek. Parks Victoria recommends crossing at low tide, so check the tide times before you leave Telegraph Saddle and plan your arrival around them.
- Fires: campfires aren't allowed on the Prom's hike-in sites at any time. Fuel stoves are fine on ordinary days, but not on Total Fire Ban days, and that includes inside your tent.
- No dogs, generators or bikes.
- Stay on the track. The Prom has Cinnamon Fungus, and walking off-track helps it spread.
How booking works
Every overnight hiker needs a permit, booked in advance through the Parks Victoria booking site (or by phoning 13 19 63). The rules that apply at Sealers Cove:
- Booking is per person, per night
- Maximum of two consecutive nights at each hike-in camping area
- Maximum group size of 12
- Carry your permit (printed or on your phone) for the whole walk
- Don't change your route once you've started
- Leave your itinerary with an emergency contact
Parks Victoria also asks overnight hikers to check in at the Tidal River Visitor Centre before heading out.
New dates open four times a year, roughly six to nine months ahead, at 10am AEST over three days. Tidal River goes first, roofed accommodation second, and everything else, including the multi-day hikes like the Southern Circuit, on day three. The most recent release ran from 28 to 30 September 2026.
When it sells out
As the shortest walk from Telegraph Saddle to an overnight beach, Sealers Cove is the obvious pick for first-timers, so expect competition. The Parks Victoria release schedule flags summer school holidays, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Australia Day as peak dates, and Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day and the King's Birthday long weekend in autumn. Expect those nights, plus most Saturdays from late spring through Easter, to go fast on release day. The reopened track adds pent-up demand for the 2026–27 season.
How to get a cancellation
Plans change, and when someone cancels, their permit goes straight back into the online system for anyone to book. Parks Victoria's refund rules shape when that happens:
- 100% refund if cancelled 30 or more days before the first night
- 50% refund at 8 to 29 days
- No refund inside 8 days
That means you'll see small waves of permits come back just before the 30-day and 8-day marks, as people decide whether to keep their money. Bookings can also be moved to other dates free of charge up to check-in for camping, so permits shuffle around in the final week too.
Refreshing the booking site yourself works, but it's tedious. Instead you can watch Sealers Cove on Aussie Camp Alerts and get an email when a sold-out night opens up. The free plan covers one live watch with alerts 15 minutes behind. If you're juggling several dates or sites, the Summer pass (A$29 once, 12 months) gives up to 10 watches with instant alerts by email, Telegram or web push.
Getting there
The walk starts at the Telegraph Saddle car park, up the hill from Tidal River. Parks Victoria lists the Sealers Cove walk at 10 km and about three hours one way, Grade 4, with some steep sections. The return takes longer because you finish with the climb back up to the saddle.
During peak summer and on weekends from Melbourne Cup to the Easter long weekend, a free shuttle bus runs from Tidal River to Telegraph Saddle, and the car park is closed to other vehicles. Allow extra time on the drive in: Parks Victoria expects delays at the park entrance until 20 November 2026 for Prom Sanctuary road works.
The standard three-day Southern Circuit loop starts and ends at Telegraph Saddle, with Sealers Cove as the first night and Little Waterloo Bay as the second.
Nearby alternatives