Explore the Great Ocean Walk in Victoria, Australia

Cerulean waves crash into limestone cliffs, and plump koalas doze in ghostly white gum trees on the wild southwestern coast of Victoria, a rugged natural wilderness within easy reach of Melbourne.

This windswept stretch of the Australian coastline is best known as the home of the Great Ocean Road. One of Australia’s most iconic road trips, the scenic 243 km (151 mile) coastal route weaves through a patchwork of national parks and kangaroo-dotted farmlands towards the surreal limestone stacks known as the Twelve Apostles.

However, that’s not the only way to soak up the sublime views: the region is also home to the Great Ocean Walk (GOW), a 110 km (68-mile) one-way hiking trail that links Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles.

Despite its close proximity to the Great Ocean Road in some sections, the GOW is a wonderfully wild walk that feels further removed from civilization (and traffic on the driving route) than it actually is. Hugging the coastline more closely than the Great Ocean Road, the GOW rewards hikers with more dramatic vistas and a deeper immersion into the region’s beauty.

The good news is that you don’t need to have camping gear or a full week set aside to experience it. While the GOW takes six to eight days in its entirety, it’s possible to tackle much shorter sections, making it accessible to those with limited time, fitness, or mobility. With the help of a hire car and local shuttle services that cater to hikers, it’s even feasible to enjoy a section of the GOW and be back in Melbourne in time for dinner.

Here’s our pick of the best day and half-day hikes along the Great Ocean Road from east to west.

1. Marengo to Shelly Beach

Best for an easy ramble
4.4 km / 2.7 miles, 2 hours, easy to moderate

This relatively gentle hike offers a great taste of the Great Ocean Walk for travelers staying in Apollo Bay, where the GOW officially begins. There are three beach walking sections on this trail ending at the Shelly Beach picnic area, tucked up in the coastal forest behind the beach, making it essential to embark at low tide. If conditions allow, several additional spots are available to walk along the sand and rock platforms instead of sticking to the main trail tracing the low cliffs. Swimming is possible in calm conditions.

How to do it: If you don’t have time or energy to do the walk both ways, leave your car at Shelly Beach picnic area and arrange for a shuttle to Marengo (3 km / 1.9 miles from Apollo Bay), where you’ll begin your walk.

2. Blanket Bay to Cape Otway

Best for wild swims and history
11 km / 6.8 miles, 3-4 hours, moderate

This writer’s favorite section of the GOW takes you deep (or at least it feels like it) into the lush coastal forest of Great Otway National Park before popping out onto the beach at pretty Parker Inlet – a perfect spot for a swim. After crossing the inlet and rounding Point Franklin, the trail hugs the cliffs, offering stirring Southern Ocean views en route to Cape Otway, with another swimming option at Crayfish Bay.

Aim to arrive at Cape Otway well before 4 pm to explore the Lightstation precinct (AU$10/adult), where you can learn the stories of the Cape and visit heritage buildings including the striking 1848 lighthouse once known to seafarers as the “Beacon of Hope”.

How to do it: If you don’t have a car (or two) to leave at either end of this trail (Blanket Bay is 36 km / 22 miles from Apollo Bay), prebook a shuttle drop-off/pick-up.

3. Cape Otway to Aire River

Best for chasing waterfalls
9.8 km / 6 miles, 3-4 hours, moderate to difficult

The power of the Southern Ocean comes into dramatic focus when this trail opens up on the eroded cliff tops after about 2 km (1.2 miles). If the sea is calm and the tide is low, you can opt to drop down to sea level and walk along the soft (read: challenging) sand of Station Beach for 2 km (1.2 miles) before rejoining the main trail. There’s also an optional 2 km (1.2-mile) return detour to Rainbow Falls, where colorful algae blooms along the vertical path of a spring-fed waterfall. Don’t miss the 19th-century Lightstation cemetery at the beginning of the trail.

How to do it: Prebook a shuttle drop-off/pick-up, or leave a car at either end of the trail. Cape Otway is 27 km / 16.8 miles from Apollo Bay.

4. Castle Cove to Johanna Beach

Best for koala spotting
6.3 km / 4 miles, 2 hours, moderate

It’s possible to spot koalas and other native wildlife including wallabies, kangaroos, and echidnas along the entire GOW, but sightings of Australia’s most iconic marsupial are particularly common on this leg, which begins with a superb lookout towards the cliffs of Rotten Point. The trail winds along cliffs and through prime koala habitat (don’t forget to look up!) before dropping down onto the golden sands of Johanna Beach for the final 2 km (1.2 miles), which can feel like double that length in the soft sand. Powerful waves and strong currents make swimming risky – the safest spot is generally in front of the vehicle-accessible Johanna Beach campground.

How to do it: If you don’t have a car (or two) to leave at either end of this trail (Castle Cove is 33 km / 20.5 miles from Apollo Bay), prebook a shuttle drop-off/pick-up.

5. Wreck Beach

Best for maritime relics
2 km / 1.25 miles, one hour, moderate

Nearly 700 vessels are thought to be submerged along the 130 km (81 miles) stretch of coastline between Cape Otway and Port Fairy, also known as the Shipwreck Coast. This short walk (low tide only) takes you down 350 steps to the rocky beach where the rusting anchors of the Marie Gabrielle (wrecked in 1869) and the Fiji (wrecked in 1891) serve as haunting reminders of how treacherous the Southern Ocean can be. If conditions permit, you can make this walk a circuit by scrambling over the rocks past the Fiji anchor and connecting with the GOW trail for the return walk to the car park. Leave your swimwear behind – this rocky beach isn’t ideal for a dip.

How to do it: Drive to Wreck Beach car park or arrange a return shuttle to this remote area, 38 km (23.6 miles) from Port Campbell, the closest town to the end of the GOW.

6. Princetown to Twelve Apostles

Best for admiring the Twelve Apostles
7 km / 4.3 miles, 2 hours, easy to moderate

It won’t be long before you get your first glimpse of the Twelve Apostles on this gently undulating, exposed clifftop trail. Set off as early as possible to beat the heat and the day-tripper crowds from Melbourne. While only seven of these golden limestone pillars can be seen rising from the coastal shallows today, it’s an awe-inspiring sight that gets better as you hike closer. A viewpoint just east of Gibson Steps makes for a fine place to pause for a snack. Then take a short detour down the steps to savor the sea-level views before continuing onto the main Twelve Apostles viewing platforms (including the striking new Saddle Lookout) at the end of this trail – the terminus of the GOW.

How to do it: Base yourself in Port Campbell and drive or arrange a shuttle to the trailhead near Princetown (17 km / 10.6 miles from Port Campbell).

7. Loch Ard Gorge Walks

Best for epic and accessible views
5.5 km / 3.4 miles, 2 hours, easy

It’s not technically part of the GOW (which officially ends 3 km / 1.9 miles east at the Twelve Apostles), but if time is tight or you have limited mobility, this trio of interconnecting, wheelchair-accessible trails in Port Campbell National Park takes you to some of coastal Victoria’s most memorable lookouts. The Geology Walk (900 m / 0.6 miles return) leads to the Razorback, a jagged hulk of limestone rivaling the Twelve Apostles. The Shipwreck Walk (1.4 km / 0.8 miles return) takes you along the rim of the main gorge, where the only two survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck in 1878 dragged themselves onto its beach (not currently accessible), and leads to a lookout to Mutton Bird Island, where the Loch Ard met its fate.

How to do it: Loch Ard Gorge car park is 8 km (5 miles) from Port Campbell; self-drive or get a taxi.

Tips for Day Hiking on the Great Ocean Walk

• The V/Line bus runs from Melbourne to Apollo Bay daily, but local public transport is infrequent; book shuttles in advance.
• If you’re hiring a car, ensure you can take it on unsealed roads, though a 4WD is not essential.
• All trails with unavoidable beach sections should be undertaken at low tide.
• Expect patchy mobile (cell) service on all trails.
• The GOW is remote – check the weather forecast before you go, but be prepared for all conditions.
• Bring plenty of drinking water and snacks; the only shop/café on the GOW is at the Cape Otway Lightstation.
• All one-way trails in this article can be completed as out-and-back hikes in a day.
• All three local snake species are venomous. Give these shy creatures space to move off on their own if you encounter one basking on the trail.

The writer traveled as a guest of iBestTravel, which includes day hikes on the Great Ocean Walk. Writers do not accept freebies for positive coverage.