A great family day out to learn about the life of a coal mining town in the early - mid 1900s.
The only coal mine experience in the Southern Hemisphere, this Wonthaggi heritage experience transports you to this time in history to follow the footsteps of the hard workers that mined for coal until 1968.
OPENING HOURS
Underground tours will be suspended from 27th April 2026 until early August 2026, in order for contractors to undertake maintenance works safely in the mine.
The State Coal Mine aboveground attractions, including the Coal Mine Café will remain open daily.
The venue is open daily from 10am to 4pm.
The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Cafe opens from 9am to 4pm.
Tours run twice daily at 11.30am and 2pm. The Mine is closed Christmas Day, open Boxing Day.
ABOVE GROUND
Walk among heritage buildings frozen in time to get a glimpse of life in a coal-mining village. Start your day with a caffeine fix or light refreshment in the cafe and then watch an introductory film in the theatrette.
Say hello to the pit pony, climb the old steam locomotive then take a stroll around the gardens before continuing to explore the museum.
You can BYO picnic to enjoy in the sheltered areas and there are free barbecues.
UNDERGROUND TOURS
Underground tours operate twice daily, at 11.30am and 2pm.
Be taken on a spellbinding journey underground, through the network of tunnels. Preserved just as it was in its working days with tools and skips lying around, the tour offers a taste of what it was like to do this backbreaking manual labour.
Kids will love getting hands-on at the coal face and search for a piece of black gold to take home.
To book tickets visit the Parks Victoria website.
Getting there
Take South Gippsland Hwy (A440) from Melbourne, which becomes Bass Hwy. Continue along the Bass Hwy/B460 until you reach the State Coalmine Access Rd in Wonthaggi.
When you reach the first roundabout at Graham Street, turn right and when you reach the roundabout at McDonalds, turn left and continue along Bilson Street. You will see the State Coal Mine sign when you near Garden Street, turn right and follow into the State Coal Mine.