GENERAL INFO
This trip starts and finishes in Portland, which is a 5-hour drive from Melbourne, or a 6-hour drive from Adelaide. If you prefer, there are regional airports located at Warrnambool, VIC and Mt. Gambier, SA that service’s Portland by onwards coach travel from far afield of either Melbourne or Adelaide. Alternatively, the public transport offers a combination of trains and coaches from Melbourne or Adelaide also. Contact us for more details.
We have rated this walk as moderate as some days are quite long. Full-day walks average about 22km, 5 to 7.5 hours walking each day. The walking is mostly flat over reasonably well-walked paths, bush tracks and some sandy sections.
For what to bring please refer to Gear Advice on our FAQ section.
WEATHER
This walk can be done any time of the year except for the winter months of June, July and August. September to April is the ultimate time of the year for walking. Sea breezes usually keep the temperatures comfortable in summer, although there can be a period of quite hot weather, especially during February.
Warning about tide times – we may have to be a little flexible with your start date to make sure that walking on the beach at high tide is avoided.
This walking holiday includes some sections of beach walking, so you need to take into account the tide times when choosing a starting date. To check tide charts, go to the Bureau of Meteorology and select your location as Portland. We can assist you if you need help understanding the charts.
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.
SELF GUIDED
8 DAYS
Moderate
Simon B
I’d never done a supported walk before and it made it all very easy. Al the arrangements worked perfectly. Accommodation etc. and meals were excellent. And I don’t know if we were tracked by the epirb I carried – but both times John (from Nelson) picked us up, we walked in to the pick up point just as he drove in! An extraordinary coincidence. No waiting for either of us.
Kevin
I did the Auswalk 8 day Great South West Walk with my sister in early October 2018. Right from the time we engaged with Auswalk, we found them helpful and supportive. Once we were close to the walk they checked in with us to ensure that we were ready (and I wasn’t and it was a great reminder to get my head into that space). The walk itself was absolutely great – we followed the Glenelg River and along the coastline and were greeted with many types of fauna and animal life. The accommodation and hospitality of our hosts were outstanding. They were the other side of the trip that made the comfort factor after a day of walking so much more bearable. They also gave us an insight into how much they care about their community and their habitat. Although I have lived in Victoria my whole life I do not know this part well at all and I am so glad that I now have some seen some of the most breathtaking parts of State. I have not hesitation recommending Auswalk, the Great South West Walk as a nature trip and the opportunity to engage with some of the local and their nature fauna and flora.
Carol
Thanks for your effort it is much appreciated. If you require more room for your response feel free to email us.:
My brother and I did the self guided 8 day Great South West Walk from the 8 – 15 October. The weather was cool with light showers for the first 2 days then perfect walking weather. The landscape changed from river to cliff top to the beach. At all times we felt looked after, both by Auswalk and our lovely B&B hosts. The walking notes were detailed and informative. We are both on the far side of 60 but look forward to doing it all again somewhere else. Thanks Auswalk!
Kevin S
We did the 8 days, Great South West Walk, that follows the Glenelg River and the south-west coastline. While I love walking along rivers and pathways through bushland I found on this occasion the highlights were equalled by spectacular views and interesting insights into the formation of the landscape along the coastline. The variety and notes provided by Auswalk were informative. The advice they provide on what to bring, such as cameras and what to be careful about was sound. I would suggest that you have your camera handy at all times – so many times I was too slow to catch a photo of a kangaroo, wallaby or another of the natural wildlife. The hosts at the various locations were outstanding.
Karen B
I have just completed a 7 day guided walking trip, including 4 days on the Great South West Walk. Auswalk guided tour has selected 4 sections (from the 250 km walking track) to walk on this tour and they were outstanding. Two days walking along near Glenelg River and two days along the tops of the cliffs looking out over the Southern Ocean. Three travel days over the week provided opportunities to visit and walk around local destinations, attractions and wildlife colonies in the south west corner of Victoria and into South Australia. All the details and logistics were handled by Auswalk, leaving the walkers to thoroughly enjoy each day. Good company with like-minded people, good food, very comfortable accommodation and great guides made for a sensational trip ( my 10th with this company)
Leonie S
My sister-in-law and I completed the Auswalk 8 day self-guided Great South West Walk on Tuesday.
Tucked away on the Victorian/SA coastal border, this beautiful walk is like a well-kept secret. Spectacular cliffs, quiet forest, deserted beaches, clear lakes, abundant wildlife and stately river.
Photos advertising this walk do not represent a rare highlight or two. The scenery constantly changes and is consistently magnificent.
Auswalk are friendly to deal with and very well organized. We could tell there are years of experience behind the planning of our walk. Our comfortable accommodations at Portland, Nelson and Bridgewater each had their own unique charm. The owners have longstanding relationships with Auswalk and that knowledge and experience shows.
The meals were great; when you are walking you especially look forward to what is in that insulated lunch-bag! The walk notes and kit were also excellent.
This is a great way of having a comfortable hiking holiday with someone else doing the planning. You really do unwind. Life becomes simple. Rest, Eat, Walk (with beautiful scenery all around you), Rest, Eat, Sleep. All the hard stuff has been done by Auswalk.
Many thanks for a wonderful experience.
JmRToM
We have just completed the GSWW self guided walking holiday staying at B & B’s each night. Auswalk staff before and during the walk were so helpful, supportive and generous with their time. There were some ‘interesting’ moments due to significant weather patterns that had caused flooding in some areas and the staff at Auswalk kept us up to date with information and other options. We always felt so safe and supported that no matter what the weather threw at us we knew Auswalk had an eye out for us. This holiday was amazing plus awe inspiring experience on so many levels and Auswalk were the key part in bringing it all together. We will certainly be doing more walks with Auswalk and would highly recommend them to anyone considering this type of holiday. Thanks so much to everyone at Auswalk.