OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
The Great South West track has got to be Victoria’s best kept secret – a 250km continuous loop of untouched environment, from dramatic isolated coast with massive limestone cliffs and pristine beaches, to meandering rivers and remote bushland teaming with wildlife. Aboriginal heritage sites, the mighty Southern Ocean and freshwater lakes make this one of the most varied walks in Australia. This walk is a “Symphony in Four Movements”, depicted beautifully in this video.
The first stage is the picturesque Glenelg River, which stretches out as it nears the coast then carves its way through a spectacular limestone gorge. Then it is onto the pristine sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and freshwater lakes of Discovery Bay Coastal Park. The grand finale is the Three Capes and Bays section where the track hugs the clifftop all the way.
Highlights
- Remote pack free walking
- Your likely to have this outback paradise all to yourself
- Rugged, wave-bashed headlands are the highest in Victoria
- Whale spotting in season & colony of Australian fur seals at Cape Bridgewater year-round
- Huge variety of landscapes and habitats making this an easy place to spot kangaroos, echidnas, koalas, emus and much more
- Small family run accommodations and country hospitality
WALK OVERVIEW
TYPE OF WALK
SELF GUIDED
TRIP LENGTH
8 DAYS
WALK GRADE
Moderate 
Grade 3 – Moderate
Short, steep hill sections. Moderate active lifestyle and some walking experience recommended.PRICE FROM
$ 2295
per person twin/double share
SINGLE OCCUPANCY
$ 375
Accommodations charge the same price per room regardless of whether there are one or two people occupying it. To cover the cost of the accommodation when occupied by one person we need to charge the single occupancy fee.
per person
ITINERARY
WHAT’S INCLUDED
-
Pack-free walking
-
25+ years experience
-
Customised
-
Eco Travel
- 8 day pack free walking holiday
- The Great South West Walk highlights
- 7 nights’ accommodation with ensuite (except at Nelson)
- Cooked breakfasts, two course dinners and substantial Walkers Lunches
- Luggage transport and vehicle transfers
- We shift you along the track from accommodation to accommodation to limit time in a vehicle, creating more time to relax and enjoy the region
- National Park admission
- Enjoy worry free navigation with Auswalk’s comprehensive track notes, maps, map case , insulated lunch bag & info pack
- 24/7 support from Auswalk’s transfer company and representatives on the ground
ACCOMMODATION & DINING
OVERVIEW
This supported hike has you walk in and out of remote towns and stay at small bed and breakfasts and lodges. Your hosts Denis, John, Trish and Roger have been part of our team for nearly twenty years and love accommodating and feeding our walkers. The rooms all have ensuites except at Nelson Lodge. Nelson Lodge was an old police station and has real character and it is most likely that you will have the place to yourself. The views from Sea View Lodge at Bridgewater make you feel like you never left the track.
The food is prepared by your hosts and the local restaurant at Bridgewater where the food is prepared by a chef.
Each day whilst you’re walking you’ll be provided with a substantial Walkers Lunch and get to eat it at a fabulous location on the track. A Walkers Lunch is varied and may include a high protein type salad, roll or a wrap, muesli bar, cake or muffin and a piece of fruit.
Alcohol or drinks with meals are not included (except tea/coffee and juice with breakfast).
GENERAL INFO
This trip starts and finishes in Portland, which is a 5-hour drive from Melbourne. If you prefer, you can fly to Portland from either Melbourne or Adelaide. There are also public transport services from Melbourne. 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 with 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 the 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 strongly recommend purchasing a travel insurance policy as we charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your Auswalk holiday after we have confirmed it. We want to help make insurance more affordable by offering you a discount on policies purchased through NIB Insurance. This applies to any NIB policies issued via this link. Get an instant quote and purchase online now.
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.
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REVIEWS
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Overview
SELF GUIDED
8 DAYS
Moderate
Book now
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
The Great South West track has got to be Victoria’s best kept secret – a 250km continuous loop of untouched environment, from dramatic isolated coast with massive limestone cliffs and pristine beaches, to meandering rivers and remote bushland teaming with wildlife. Aboriginal heritage sites, the mighty Southern Ocean and freshwater lakes make this one of the most varied walks in Australia. This walk is a “Symphony in Four Movements”, depicted beautifully in this video.
The first stage is the picturesque Glenelg River, which stretches out as it nears the coast then carves its way through a spectacular limestone gorge. Then it is onto the pristine sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and freshwater lakes of Discovery Bay Coastal Park. The grand finale is the Three Capes and Bays section where the track hugs the clifftop all the way.
Highlights
- Remote pack free walking
- Your likely to have this outback paradise all to yourself
- Rugged, wave-bashed headlands are the highest in Victoria
- Whale spotting in season & colony of Australian fur seals at Cape Bridgewater year-round
- Huge variety of landscapes and habitats making this an easy place to spot kangaroos, echidnas, koalas, emus and much more
- Small family run accommodations and country hospitality
WALK OVERVIEW
TYPE OF WALK
SELF GUIDED
TRIP LENGTH
8 DAYS
WALK GRADE
Moderate
Grade 3 – Moderate
Short, steep hill sections. Moderate active lifestyle and some walking experience recommended.PRICE FROM
$ 2295
per person twin/double share
SINGLE OCCUPANCY
$ 375
Accommodations charge the same price per room regardless of whether there are one or two people occupying it. To cover the cost of the accommodation when occupied by one person we need to charge the single occupancy fee.
per person
Itinerary
ITINERARY
What’s Included
WHAT’S INCLUDED
-
Pack-free walking
-
25+ years experience
-
Customised
-
Eco Travel
- 8 day pack free walking holiday
- The Great South West Walk highlights
- 7 nights’ accommodation with ensuite (except at Nelson)
- Cooked breakfasts, two course dinners and substantial Walkers Lunches
- Luggage transport and vehicle transfers
- We shift you along the track from accommodation to accommodation to limit time in a vehicle, creating more time to relax and enjoy the region
- National Park admission
- Enjoy worry free navigation with Auswalk’s comprehensive track notes, maps, map case , insulated lunch bag & info pack
- 24/7 support from Auswalk’s transfer company and representatives on the ground
Accommodation & Dining
ACCOMMODATION & DINING
OVERVIEW
This supported hike has you walk in and out of remote towns and stay at small bed and breakfasts and lodges. Your hosts Denis, John, Trish and Roger have been part of our team for nearly twenty years and love accommodating and feeding our walkers. The rooms all have ensuites except at Nelson Lodge. Nelson Lodge was an old police station and has real character and it is most likely that you will have the place to yourself. The views from Sea View Lodge at Bridgewater make you feel like you never left the track.
The food is prepared by your hosts and the local restaurant at Bridgewater where the food is prepared by a chef.
Each day whilst you’re walking you’ll be provided with a substantial Walkers Lunch and get to eat it at a fabulous location on the track. A Walkers Lunch is varied and may include a high protein type salad, roll or a wrap, muesli bar, cake or muffin and a piece of fruit.
Alcohol or drinks with meals are not included (except tea/coffee and juice with breakfast).
General Info
GENERAL INFO
This trip starts and finishes in Portland, which is a 5-hour drive from Melbourne. If you prefer, you can fly to Portland from either Melbourne or Adelaide. There are also public transport services from Melbourne. 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 with 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 the 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 strongly recommend purchasing a travel insurance policy as we charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your Auswalk holiday after we have confirmed it. We want to help make insurance more affordable by offering you a discount on policies purchased through NIB Insurance. This applies to any NIB policies issued via this link. Get an instant quote and purchase online now.
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.
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ENQUIRE NOW
If you’re looking for further information on any of our walking holidays please fill out the enquiry form and we’ll be in touch.
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.
leonies700
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.
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)
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.