The Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a narrow reserve of land which stretches 32 kilometres along the coast between Peterborough and Warrnambool.

The area has spectacular coastal views, with secluded beaches, rock stacks, cliff formations and coastal heath vegetation supporting many rare flora and fauna species, including  the rare rufous bristlebird.

A colony of rare black-faced cormorants, Victoria’s only exclusively marine cormorant nest on one of the rock stacks, which affords protection from feral animals such as cats, foxes and dogs.  Rare plant life includes the metallic sun orchid and the scented spider orchid.

Access points to the park are mostly from Peterborough end, beginning with Wild Dog Cove, whic lies near the Peterborough Golf Course. This secluded beach is great for families, with safe shallow paddling and plenty of rock pools to explore.

If you're keen for some fishing, continue west on the Great Ocean Road and look for the turnoff to Worm Bay with its sheer rust coloured cliffs.

The Bay of Martyrs is a popular tourist stop with good parking, a beautiful beach, viewing areas and a self-guided walk along the clifftops to Point Halladale, where you'll find a display on the shipwreck of the "Falls of Halladale", which was grounded here in 1908.a

Point Halladale has another name, Massacre Point, referring to rumours that Europeans killed a group of local Kirrae-Wurrong Aborigines here in the mid-1800s. The women and children of the group were killed in the nearby wetlands at Massacre Bay.

Futher along boat access can be found at Boat Bay. Also look out for Childers Cove, where the barque "Children" was wrecked in 1839.