The Great Otway National Park stretches from Torquay through to Princetown and up through the Otway hinterlands towards Colac. The park features rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, rock platforms, windswept heathland and stunning cool temperate rainforest.
In the north, the park features tall forests, ferny gullies, magnificent waterfalls and tranquil lakes. Down south, the rainforest gives way to the ocean in dramatic fashion. Visit the turbulent meeting of the South Ocean and Bass straight at Cape Otway Lightstation, or seek out a sheltered beach for a day of sea play.
Conditions can change in parks for many reasons. For the latest information on changes to local conditions, please visit the relevant park page on the Parks Victoria website.
Be bushfire ready in the great outdoors. Refer to the Bushfire Safety section of the Parks Victoria website for tips on how to stay safe.
As a general rule, dogs are not permitted in the national park with a few exceptions.
The Great Ocean Walk is a one way long distance walk extending east to west, just over 100kms between Apollo Bay and the iconic Twelve Apostles and through the Otways. The spectacular walk weaves its way through the National Park which is full of tall forests, coastal heathlands, wild rocky shores and windswept cliff tops presenting amazing views – nature truly unfolds at every step.
Discover more about the Great Ocean Walk
The team from the Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre have put together this excellent itinerary for the Great Ocean Walk – check it out here!
Renowned for waterfalls, the striking cool temperate rainforest of the Great Otway National Park boasts one of the highest rainfalls in the state. Whether chilling-out or cooling-off, a waterfall makes for a stunning natural backdrop. On cooler days, especially after rain, watch the falls transform into a roaring curtain of water. And on a hot summer’s day, enjoy some shady respite through the sheltered forest to the water’s edge.
Boasting a mind-blowing collection of walking tracks and trails across amazingly diverse terrain, choose your landscape – cliff top, coastal, rainforest or bush trail or all four at once!
Get off the beaten track of the Great Ocean Road and head deep into the Great Otway National Park for either easy or challenging four-wheel driving and some great camping and bush scenery.
The Otways have a lot to offer for all four-wheel driving skill levels. Roads and tracks in the Otways are drivable in a standard four-wheel drive when it is dry, but mud tyres and a winch are necessary when it is wet. Base yourself in Forrest for a weekend of four-wheel driving. Tracks of interest around the area are Cowley track, Goat track, Noonday track, Number One Spur track, West Barwon track, Turtons Track, Delaney’s Road and Curtis Road.
Alternatively, the area around Lavers Hill provides further opportunities to explore the Otways and its star attractions. Tracks in the area include Egan track, Mount McKenzie Road, Number Nine Ridge track, Holy Water track, Bennets track and Heffernan track.
For some ideas on fantastic driving opportunities to explore the famous Otways coast and lush green hinterland, including Victoria’s Great Otway National Park, have a look at Parks Victorias Victoria’s Iconic 4WD Adventures. For your own safety and the preservation of our natural landscapes, seasonal road closures apply throughout the Park and on tracks in state forests managed by the Department of Energy, Environment & Climate Change (DECCA).
The Otways 4WD Touring Map available for purchase from the Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre: (AU$14.95 & $2.00 postage).
A permit is required for horse riders to ride in the National Park and Parks Victoria staff can assist you with this. The formed roads and tracks provide ideal trails.
Forrest
More than 70km of mountain bike trails radiate out from Forrest, creating a mammoth network in two main zones, the Southern Trail Network and the Yaugher (Northern) Network. Forrest contains two fun trail networks:
Designed around the village of Forrest, the southern network showcases the natural beauty of the Otway Ranges, passing through tall eucalypt forest, dry heathy scrub and magical fern gullies. The trails have been built with real mountain bikers in mind and offer experience for beginners, intermediate and hard-core dirt fanatics of all ages….all year round! Begin your ride in town or at the Forrest Trailhead and be sure to check out the pump tracks, skills park and jumps line there to practice your skills before hitting the trails.
The Yaugher (northern) network is located north of the township. Grab your provisions in town and then ride (5 minutes) up the Tiger Rail Trail to the Yaugher trailhead. The Yaugher network boasts awesome XC trails through fields of grass trees and beautiful dry eucalypt forest. The trails at Yaugher range from beginner to expert; Yaugher as a whole is an authentic XC experience with a few more black runs than the southern network.
Want to plan your next mountain bike experience? Click here to see the official Ride Forrest website.
Old Beechy Rail Trail
The Old Beechy Rail Trail is a 50km walking/cycling trail, located in the Otways between Colac and Beech Forest. The stunning trail follows one of the state’s former narrow-gauge railways through an area of scenic forest, rich farmland and rolling hills.
Before taking on the Old Beechy Rail Trail please research your journey as some sections of the trail are suitable for beginners and families, while other sections are only suitable for intermediate to advanced riders; additionally trail closures can occur. For all the latest trail updates please see Old Beechy Rail Trail – Colac Otway Shire
A region full of Cycling Events
Want to experience the Great Ocean Road itself on two wheels then consider participating in one of the regions many cycling events:
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
