GENERAL INFO
Travel down on the Great Ocean Road to the start of the walk. You will have to arrive by 12:00 midday on your first day to commence the walking. This walk is for people that are wanting to condense the number of nights on the walk and/or are looking for a bit of a challenge.
Each day we move your luggage ahead for you to the next accommodation. All you need to carry is a daypack with what you need for the day. We provide comprehensive walk notes for you. It’s easy to find the way on this track but with our notes you’ll also receive lots of information to help you better appreciate the flora, fauna, history and geology you’re experiencing along the route.
We’ve mapped a point-to-point walk to maximize the highlights, staying in different accommodations on the route. This means more variety, less backtracking and time spent in a vehicle and more time to relax at the end of the day. You’ll walk an average of 18kms each day, with some optional side walks for those wanting to extend themselves.
The walking terrain is varied following clifftops, wide forest tracks, rough trails, beach traverses, including Wreck Beach and tracks shaded by the forest canopy. It’s mostly easy-going, flat stretches, with some steady, challenging climbs and long downhill descents. The walk is moderate to challenging with some longer days, these provide a great opportunity for fit walkers to challenge themselves.
For what to bring please refer to Gear Advice on our FAQ section.
WEATHER
December through February is usually warm to hot with excellent swimming weather. Book well in advance for January due to the summer school holidays as the Great Ocean Road walk gets very busy. March through May is usually cooler, with long sunny days, perfect for walking. The winter months (June to August) are cool and sometimes stormy, providing exhilarating walking along the beaches. In winter, the hills are covered with pink heath, Victoria’s floral emblem. September to November are usually cool to warm and this is when most of the colourful wildflowers appear.
See the Bureau of Meteorology’s information about average temperatures and rainfall at different times of the year.
Source; BOM
HOW TO GET THERE AND AWAY
The trip starts in Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. You will have to arrive in the morning (by midday at the latest) on your first day. There are various ways to get the start, however, if you are going to use public transport (a train to Geelong and a connecting bus to Apollo Bay) then you will need to arrive the day before. This walk is for people that are either in a rush, perhaps live in Melbourne or want to challenge themselves (or all three).
If you drove to Apollo Bay we will transport you back there, arriving late afternoon. If you arrived by Public transport we will drop you in Camperdown to catch the train back to Spencer St Station in Melbourne CBD.
INSURANCE
We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.
For all trips that require international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance that also includes medical evacuation coverage.
We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred from our suppliers and in the office. See the FAQ section for more information.
INFORMATION PACK
For nearly 30 years we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you’ll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately 6 weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants or to speak with one of our guides. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@auswalk.com.au, or call us on +61 3 9597 9767.
6 DAYS
Moderate to Challenging
Monica M
Really enjoyed all of the trip, thank you.
Peter C
We were extremely happy with the high level of service and organisation provided by the Auswalk Team. We thoroughly enjoyed the Great Ocean Walk and would not hesitate to complete future walks with Auswalk. Thanks for supporting us to experience the magnificent Otway Ranges and some of Victoria’s best coastline.
Rob T
Great walk, well organised, terrific food, bus drivers friendly and on time, accomodation great.
Peter & Wendy L
Our party of six have just completed the Self Guided 6 Day Unplug GOW. From beginning to end we were extremely happy with the accommodation arrangements, walking notes, and catering. In particular the Pick up & Drop off transfer service provided by John & Georgie was exceptional.
Stewart A
Overall a fantastic experience despite a couple of wet days at the end. We would be very pleased to do the next walk with Auswalk.
Angela B
From organising the original booking, making last minute changes due to border closures, supplying detailed walking notes, detailed transport arrangements, great accommodation and a fantastic support crew during the walk, aside from the food, it couldn’t have been any better. I would not hesitate to book with Auswalk again. Our time on the Great Ocean Walk was certainly a memorable one we will not forget in a hurry. A special shout out of thanks to Anne (bookings) and Johnny (support crew) who made this trip seamless.
Michael B
We completed the self- guided Great Ocean Walk with Auswalk. The service in planning the trip was outstanding. The trip from pick up to drop off went without a hitch. Accomodation was first class and meals were of a very high standard ( much better than we anticipated) John our driver was friendly, professional, and very reliable. Nothing was a problem. The walk and experience was well above our hopes and expectations. I can’t recommend more highly.
Ruth F
We have just completed the Great Ocean Walk which we did as an Auswalk five nights and six days. The walk itself was absolutely stunning, not only the wild coastal stretches but also the beautiful rain forest and bush tracks. The GOW trail is mostly well marked but when it was not we found that the trail notes supplied by Auswalk could not be improved. Additionally the estimated walking times were really accurate and very helpful. We had not really thought too much about the accommodation before we left home but we absolutely loved staying in the Otway Light Keeper’s house for two nights. It was simply and tastefully decorated, very spacious and very comfortable. The bathroom was modern with a great hot shower and the front room had a fire which we lit and sat by in the evening. The pictures of the past lightkeepers and their families and the information about the shipwrecks kept us thinking about all that had happened in the house over the years. The food provided was also abundant and delicious. Our second accommodation was at the Chi Medicinal Farm.Shane greeted us and was a kind and helpful host.Our room was modern with a very stylish bathroom with a lovely hot shower. However, the outstanding feature here was the cuisine. The food was absolutely knockout! We could hardly wait to see what we would have for lunch or evening meal. I have never had such amazing food on the trail before and we have done heaps of walks! The evening meals were exquisite. Jodie is a gifted cook and we really appreciated it. Another aspect of the walk that we hadn’t really thought about was the interaction with the drivers who were picking us up and transporting our bags. We think that your company is extremely lucky to have found such a great group. We met Georgie, John, Jenny and Lee. All were so good humoured and friendly. Georgie’s knowledge of the country is deep. Her great grandparents and grandparents early pioneers on the land, so we got to know much more that we had anticipated about the region and it made it so interesting. John was warm, friendly and good company. He also went “the extra mile” to rescue a jacket that I had left behind at the lighthouse and he spent time showing us where we might like to eat out on our last night in Apollo Bay. We followed his advice and had a brilliant meal. We also met Jenny and Lee, Jenny picked us up from one trip and Lee had collected my coat from the lighthouse – both were warm and hospitable. Meeting such good people on top of walking one of the most majestic coastal trails made this such a great holiday. We are thinking of doing it again, and we would certainly recommend Auswalk to our friends. Thank you
Greg H
The GOW ticked all the boxes. Great scenery, diverse terrain, wildlife, and well maintained tracks. The flawless and flexible transfers, comfortable and unique accommodation, and quality food ensured the holiday was one of the most enjoyable l have ever had.
Tim T
The Great Oceean walk was exceptionally well organised with seamless transfers and lovely, helpful staff. The walk is amazing with stunning scenery and fascinating wildlife and flowers. Loved it
Suzanne and Reed
Gorgeous walk, well paced, mostly easy to moderate terrain, varied landscapes. Loved the ferns! The trip was accurately documented, extra flora and fauna materials much appreciated, pick ups and drop offs and all communication was seamless, accommodations were great, hosts were most gracious, and the food was terrific. Highly recommended to avid walkers of all abilities.
Jeff
This walk was a surprise package. The scenery was unbelievably beautiful and we walked wetlands, rain forest, Heathlands and of course the magnificent coast.
Auswalk made our trip seamless. We even stayed at Cape Qttoway lighthouse.
The walk itself is not too hard a few hills but the scenery more than makes up for it.
I would highly recommend Auswalk and I would especially recommend this walk.