Guide · Coastal walks ·
Great Ocean Walk: planning the 104 km coastal hike
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Great Ocean Walk campsites must be booked and paid for before you set off, and that single rule shapes the whole trip. The Great Ocean Walk is a one-way track along the Victorian coast, from Apollo Bay west to the Twelve Apostles. Parks Victoria calls it just over 100 km, and some guides round it to 104 km. Most people walk it in eight days, but you can also do a night, a day or a short stroll.
This guide covers the stages, the camp booking rules, the tide and river hazards, and the shorter walks for people with less time.
Sources for this section: Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Walk; Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, Great Ocean Walk home page; Wikipedia, Great Ocean Walk (104 km length); Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017).
The eight stages
The official walk has seven hike-in campgrounds and eight walking days. Each day ends at a camp, apart from the last, which ends at the Twelve Apostles. The distances below are the rounded figures from the official question and answer sheet. They add up to 100 km.
| Day | From and to | Distance | Time | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apollo Bay Visitor Centre to Elliot Ridge | 10 km | 3 hrs 30 min | Medium |
| 2 | Elliot Ridge to Blanket Bay | 12 km | 4 hrs 30 min | Easy |
| 3 | Blanket Bay to Cape Otway | 11 km | 3 hrs 45 min | Easy to medium |
| 4 | Cape Otway to Aire River | 10 km | 3 hrs 15 min | Medium |
| 5 | Aire River to Johanna Beach | 14 km | 5 hrs 15 min | Medium |
| 6 | Johanna Beach to Ryans Den | 14 km | 5 hrs | Medium to hard |
| 7 | Ryans Den to Devils Kitchen | 13 km | 5 hrs 15 min | Medium to hard |
| 8 | Devils Kitchen to the Twelve Apostles | 16 km | 5 hrs 15 min | Easy to medium |
The times assume about 3 km an hour. The walk is designed to be done from east to west, and Parks Victoria says walkers must travel in that direction. Fit walkers can cut the trip to six or seven days, but the longest days then run to about 25 km.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017); Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Walk; Great Ocean Walk, Walk Itineraries.
Booking the camps
You need a booking for every night, and you must pay in full when you book. Parks Victoria says advance bookings and payment are needed all year. The booking is your permit, so carry the confirmation letter on the walk. Bush camping is not allowed in the Great Otway and Port Campbell National Parks.
- Where to book: online through the Parks Victoria stay site, or by phone on 13 1963. Online booking has no fee. Phone bookings carry a fee.
- How early: sites open up to 12 months before your arrival date. Spring to autumn is the busy season.
- Group size: each camp has 8 tent sites with up to 3 people per tent. One booking covers up to 4 sites and 12 people. Small groups of 13 to 18 people use group areas at four camps, but not at Johanna Beach, Ryans Den or Devils Kitchen. Bigger groups cannot book the hike-in camps.
- Changes: bookings cannot be transferred. If you cancel 30 days or more ahead, a 50 percent fee applies. Inside 30 days, you get no refund.
Parks Victoria says there are no trail fees. The official sheet lists A$30.90 per tent per night as a camping guide, so check the online price.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017); Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Walk.
Tides, beaches and river crossings
Tides are the main hazard. The official sheet warns that beaches, rock platforms and cliff-locked beaches can become impassable under a high tide or a large swell, and that conditions change fast. You may have to wait or turn back.
- Wreck Beach and Moonlight Head: the beach runs under a cliff and below the high tide mark. It can be dangerous or impassable at high tide, and you cannot always see this from the clifftop. Use Port Campbell tide times here.
- Rivers: the Elliot, Parker and Johanna rivers have no bridges. They are usually small, but heavy rain, a high tide and swell can make them impassable. Cross at low tide when the water is low.
Parks Victoria also advises against swimming at unpatrolled beaches, and says not to walk after dark.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017); Great Ocean Walk, Plan your walk.
Water, fire and phone signal
Camp water comes from untreated rainwater tanks. Parks Victoria does not guarantee that a tank has water, so you must treat it and carry extra in warm weather. Licensed tour operators can drop off food and water.
The walk is in a high bushfire risk area, and the sheet says there is no safe place to shelter from a bushfire. Campfires are never allowed at the hike-in camps. On a Total Fire Ban day, no flames are allowed, which includes gas and liquid fuel stoves, so carry some food that needs no cooking. Most of the park closes on Code Red days.
Mobile signal is patchy. The sheet lists Telstra reception at Blanket Bay beach, above Station Beach, Johanna Beach, Ryans Den, Moonlight Head and the ocean views at Devils Kitchen. In an emergency, call 000, or 112 from a mobile with no network.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017); Great Ocean Walk, Plan your walk.
Shorter walks and day options
You do not need eight days. The official site lists one night walks, such as Shelly Beach to Cape Otway Lightstation with a night at Blanket Bay, or Cape Otway to Johanna Beach with a night at Aire River. It also offers day walks of up to six hours and short walks under three hours.
- Cape Otway to Aire River: a day walk through dunes and coastal scrub, with a 3 km return side trip to Rainbow Falls.
- Princetown to the Twelve Apostles: a short walk over cliff tops, past Gibson Steps, ending at the Twelve Apostles.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk, Walk Itineraries; Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Walk.
Getting there and back
The walk ends far from where it starts, so plan the transport first. The official sheet says there is no long term parking at Apollo Bay or Marengo, and that you should tell police if you leave a car for more than a day. It names shuttle operators, and V/Line buses run back to Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road. Food is hard to buy on the route, so stock up in Apollo Bay.
For a road trip view of the same coast, see our Great Ocean Road drive guide. Rules and prices change, so check the official pages before you book.
Sources for this section: Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions (printable, 3 February 2017).
Sources
- Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Walk: parkweb.vic.gov.au
- Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, Great Ocean Walk: greatoceanwalk.com.au
- Wikipedia, Great Ocean Walk: en.wikipedia.org
- Great Ocean Walk, Plan your walk: greatoceanwalk.com.au
- Great Ocean Walk, Walk Itineraries: greatoceanwalk.com.au
- Great Ocean Walk Frequently Asked Questions, printable edition of 3 February 2017: greatoceanwalk.com.au