Great Ocean Walk

    This area has additional visitor advice This area has reported issues This area is closed

    Explore

    Great Ocean Walk

    The Great Ocean Walk shadows the route of the iconic Great Ocean Road. Those stunning coastal landscapes you see from your car window are even better enjoyed at walking pace. The walk extends just over 100km and takes eight days, but you can also sample the experience with a range of half-day walks.
    Book now

    Starting at Apollo Bay and finishing at the world-famous Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Walk is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The full hike is over 100 kilometres over eight days. Walkers stay at the seven hike-in campsites, which must be booked, or nearby.

    What are you likely to see on this epic trek? All or some of the below:

    • Koalas sleeping or chewing meditatively in the eucalypt trees.
    • Cape Otway Lighthouse, where you can explore the stories of the Shipwreck Coast.
    • Wreck Beach and the rusting anchors of the Marie Gabrielle and Fiji shipwrecks.
    • Camp at the heritage-listed Aire River
    • Quiet beaches at Blanket Bay and Johanna Beach.
    • In winter you might spot Humpback and Southern Right Whales on their annual migration.

    Bite-sized Great Ocean Walk experiences

    If you don't wish to tackle the whole Great Ocean Walk, you can experience it in shorter snippets. Several half-day walks explore the tall forests of the 'tame side' or for the more experienced hiker, the remoter, steep and isolated coves of the 'wild side' in the sections closer to the Twelve Apostles. There are also short walks, day walks and overnight walks. Check out the Great Ocean Walk website for a selection of bite-sized experiences.

    How to get there

    Great Ocean Walk

    Apollo Bay, the start of the Great Ocean Walk, is three hours' drive from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road. If you have only one or no vehicles, there are shuttle service providers. If you have one vehicle we recommend that you park at the Twelve Apostles Carpark and get shuttled back to Apollo Bay to start your walk.

    We currently recommend the following shuttles:

    GOR Shuttle: 0428 379 278

    Walk 91: 0439 893 950

    Timboon Taxi: 0438 407 777

    Christian's Bus Company (V/Line): (03) 5562 9432.

    Alternatively, use public transport. The V/Line bus stops at the Twelve Apostles Carpark, Princetown and Apollo Bay.
    Great Ocean Walk

    When you're there

    The full Great Ocean Walk is from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles and is walked over eight days:

    Day 1: Apollo Bay to Elliot Ridge, 10km, 3.5 hrs

    Day 2: Elliot Ridge to Blanket Bay, 12km, 4.5 hrs

    Day 3: Blanket Bay to Cape Otway, 11km, 3.5 hrs

    Day 4: Cape Otway to Aire River, 10km, 3 hrs

    Day 5:     Aire River to Johanna Beach, 14km, 5 hrs

    Day 6: Johanna Beach to Ryans Den, 14km, 5 hrs

    Day 7: Ryans Den to Devil’s Kitchen, 13km, 5 hrs

    Day 8:     Devil’s Kitchen to Twelve Apostles, 16km, 5 hrs

    The official Information Guide and Map to the Great Ocean Walk can be purchased from the Great Ocean Road Apollo Bay Visitor Information Centre in person or over the phone on 1300 689 297.

    Download the comprehensive Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions guide for more information.

    Need to know

    Great Ocean Walk

    Accessibility

    There are some sections of the Great Ocean Walk that are accessible for visitors with mobility limitations and for families with strollers. These sections vary in level of difficulty and are dependent on the type of mobility equipment used. Visitors to the Great Ocean Walk are required to travel in an east to west direction.

    Many sections of the Great Ocean Walk are unsuitable for wheelchairs and strollers due to steepness and the presence of many steps. Some sections of the walk are also unsuitable due to very loose beach sand, river crossings and intertidal zones.

    The most accessible sections of the Great Ocean Walk are:

    - Apollo Bay Visitor Information Centre to Marengo Caravan Park
    - Cape Otway Lighthouse car Park to Aire River Camp Ground
    - Gibson Steps to Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre.

    All-terrain wheelchairs, called Trailriders, are also available for use from Colac Otway Shire and Surf Coast Shire.

    Change of Conditions

    Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.

    • Notices Affecting Multiple Parks

      Closure due to COVID-19

      Under the direction of the Chief Health Officer and in accordance with Department of Health and Human Services’ requirements, this facility will remain closed until further notice. This is to reduce the number of people moving around in the community and reduce the risk of transmission. For more information, visit www.parks.vic.gov.au/covid-19

      Seasonal road closures 2020

      Some roads in this park are subject to seasonal road closures. Seasonal road closures generally operate after the long weekend in June through to the end of October, but may be extended due to seasonal conditions. View the list of 2020 seasonal road closures for details and check the corresponding map numbers with the seasonal road closure 2020 index map for locations of the closures or visit the seasonal road closures page for more information.

      Partial closure due to COVID-19

      Under the direction of the Chief Health Officer and in accordance with Department of Health and Human Services’ requirements, this park is open to local residents in regional Victoria. You can use this park for walking, hiking, bike riding, surfing, kayaking or yoga so long as it is closest to your home. While exercising with a person outside your household, you should keep at least 1.5 metres distance from them and others. Some parts of this park are closed  to reduce the number of people moving around in the community and reduce the risk of transmission. For more information, visit www.parks.vic.gov.au/covid-19

    • Notices Affecting Multiple Sites

      Aire River West and East campgrounds- Temporary Closure of sites

      Aire River East and West Campgrounds in the Great Otway National Park are currently closed due to recent flooding. 

    • Gibson Steps (Port Campbell National Park)

      No access to Gibson Steps beach

      For public safety, the staircase to the beach at Gibson Steps is currently closed due to potentially hazardous rocks. Cliff-top lookouts remain open.

    • Great Otway National Park

      Temporary Road Closure

      Allardyce  Track in the Great Otway National Park is temporarily closed for public safety. 

    • Big Hill Campground (Great Otway National Park)

      Big Hill Campground is currently closed during seasonal road closure period

      The Big Hill Campground is closed during seasonal road closures. As the Campground is situated along Big Hill track which is seasonally closed due to wet weather. The Campground will reopen 30 October 2020

    • Herberts (Wymbooliel) Campground (Great Otway National Park)

      Herbert's Campground closed

      Herbert’s Campground is closed until further notice due to hazardous trees.

    Similar experiences

    Four friends walk across the sand dunes along the Wildernous Coast Walk close to Mallacoota Inlet.

    Wilderness Coast Walk

    The Wilderness Coast Walk extends 100km from the eastern shores of Sydenham Inlet in Croajingolong National Park, to Wonboyn in the Nadgee Nature Reserve, New South Wales.
    A group of four hikers walk along the beach at Discovery Bay as part of the Great South West Walk

    Great South West Walk

    The Great South West Walk winds through the diverse landscapes of Lower Glenelg National Park, Discovery Bay Coastal Park, Cobboboonee National Park and Cape Nelson State Park. Starting from the township of Portland in south west Victoria, the walk takes you on an unforgettable journey across rugged cliffs carved by the Southern Ocean, over remote beaches, past ancient, pristine lakes and through majestic, tall forest.
    A group of three friends walk through the rocky ravines of the Northern Grampians.

    Grampians Peaks Trail

    The Grampians Peaks Trail is one of the Walk Victoria’s Icons long distance trails. The first section is now complete and offers a 36km, three day/two night circuit walk departing from Halls Gap.
    Two hikers reach the summit of Mount Nelse at Bogong High Plains
    X
    By using our site you accept that we use and share cookies and similar technologies with certain approved third parties. These tools enable us to improve your website experience and to provide content and ads tailored to your interests. By continuing to use our site you consent to this. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.
    Confirm