Surf Coast Walk
Offering natural beauty and easy access, the Surf Coast Walking track on the Great Ocean Road lets you relax and enjoy a world-class walking destination at your own pace. Explore inspiring landscapes on foot or bike on the edge of Victoria’s beautiful Great Ocean Road.
The Surf Coast Walk is a 44.3 km point-to-point trail that runs from Torquay to Fairhaven along Victoria’s Surf Coast. the 12 sections offer a mix of coastal views, forest landscapes, and surf culture, it’s popular with hikers, birdwatchers, and campers.
With 718 metres of elevation gain, the trail is considered moderately challenging and takes about 10 hours and 17 minutes to complete in full. However, it’s divided into 12 sections, making it easy to enjoy shorter walks or spread the journey across several days.
The trail is dog-friendly (with dogs required to be on a leash) and open year-round, showcasing stunning scenery in every season. Whether you’re after a quick stroll or a full-day trek, the Surf Coast Walk offers a great way to experience nature, surf culture, and local heritage.
Day & Short Walk
Walkers of almost any ability can explore sections of the Great Ocean Walk, with shuttle services available to transport you between your parked car or accommodation and key points along the Great Ocean Road. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned hiker, there’s a walk suited for you.
Relaxed Explorer? Opt for the Shelly Beach to Blanket Bay walk—an easy, scenic section perfect for a half-day adventure along the coastline. Challenge Seeker? The Ryans Den to Devils Kitchen stretch, with its steep climbs and stunning clifftop views, offers a rewarding challenge for those seeking more rugged terrain.
Multi-Day Walk Itineraries
There are a number of itineraries to choose from to plan your hiking adventure according to how much time you have, and how frequently you would like to stop and camp overnight, in the Great Ocean Walk purpose built campsites.
Official Great Ocean Walk Maps and Brochures are available for purchase at surrounding certified Visitor Information Centres. Certified Visitor Information Centres are indicated by the yellow and blue ‘i’ signs and are located in Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell.
Trails of the Surf Coast Walk
The Surf Coast Trail is designed for flexibility, allowing you to take it in over an hour, a day, or even a week. The walk is conveniently segmented into 12 parts, each spanning about 2-3 km, making it manageable and enjoyable for everyone. Let’s dig into the various trails and some of our favourite spots to stop so you can plan your perfect walk.
Wadawurrung Country
Point Impossible – Yellow Bluff
Explore traditional Wadawurrung Aboriginal country, windswept dunes and coastal vegetation on this easy walk. Tread where the Wadawurrung people camped each season for thousands of years, leaving behind clues to their culture and lifestyle.
Distance: 5.70km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Mostly flat, no steps, well-formed path. Suitable for cycling. Access to the Pt. Impossible car park is possible by car from Blackgate Road.
Torquay Promenade
Yellow Bluff – Point Danger
Enjoy the perfect Torquay promenade on this flat, kid-friendly, easy shared path. Contrast the creature comforts of Torquay with the wildness of treacherous offshore reefs and the ships’ graveyard off Point Danger. Connect to the history of this vibrant holiday town via the Torquay Historical Walk.
Distance: 1.60km
Walk Grade: 1
Good To Know:
Flat, no steps, concrete path. Suitable for cycling, prams and wheelchairs. Starting at Yellow Bluff.
Surf Coasting
Point Danger - Bird Rock
See how the Surf Coast got its name on this clifftop trail linking lookouts over many famous surf breaks.
Explore surfing evolution and surf culture origins on this walk or cycle past Torquay and Jan Juc surf beaches. This is the ‘classroom’ for the next generation of surfers. Get a 360 degree view of the coastline from Rocky Point and stop for a coffee at the Jan Juc shops.
Distance: 3.30km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Mostly flat, some steps, well formed track, some sand.
Suitable for cycling. But turn after crossing Spring Creek, take the track to the right along the golf course to the Jan Juc Surf Club. The clifftop track is sandy.
The Bells Track
Bird Rock – Bells Beach
Tread the track that daring pioneer surfers carved through coastal scrub to reach the fearsome waves of Bells Beach. Walk or cycle high along clifftops where peregrine falcons glide. At every lookout a stunning panorama: the “golden mile” of surfing with its reef breaks and brilliant surf relentlessly rolling in.
Distance: 3.20km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Gentle hills, no steps, well formed track. Suitable for cycling.
Ironbark Basin
Bells Beach – Point Addis
Venture inland through the sheltered forest of the Ironbark Basin in the Great Otway National Park. Tramp past grasstrees and search for hidden treasures like rare orchids, echidnas and reptiles. Discover more about traditional Aboriginal lifestyle on the Koorie Cultural Walk and check out the spectacular views from one of three Point Addis lookouts.
Distance: 8.20km
Walk Grade: 3
Good To Know:
Well formed track, short steep hills, steps and some sections are sand surface.
Angelsea Heath
Point Addis - Anglesea
This trail takes in the colours of the coast: vivid ochre cliffs, brilliant blue ocean and dappled green heathland. Get up close with kangaroos, wallabies and spring wildflowers among low, wind-stunted forest.
Distance: 7.30km
Walk Grade: 3
Good To Know:
Beach walking and formed track, short steep hills, rugged steps.
Angelsea Riverbank
Anglesea Riverbank - Anglesea Visitor Centre
This easy and accessible riverside stroll is close to BBQs, playgrounds and cafes.
It’s a great way to access Anglesea’s paddleboats, canoes and public art.
Distance: 1.60km
Walk Grade: 1
Good To Know:
Flat, easy paths, no steps. Suitable for cycling, prams and wheelchairs.
Point Roadknight
Anglesea Riverbank - Anglesea Visitor Centre
From the convenience of the Anglesea township, rise up to the bluff and back down to idyllic Point Roadknight Beach. Panoramic views back across the township, river and ocean make the climb worth your effort. Anglesea, at the mid-point of the Surf Coast Walk, is an ideal overnight stay.
Distance: 3.10km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Well formed track, no steps. Suitable for cycling.
Beach Combing
Point Roadknight - Urquhart Bluff
Relax, slip off your shoes and get some sand between your toes on this long, uncrowded beach walk. Keep an eye out for beach-nesting birds and curiosities washed up on the sand by relentless waves.
Distance: 4.50km
Walk Grade: 3
Good To Know:
Beach walking, best at low tide.
Sunnymead
Urquhart Bluff - Sunnymead
Take a walk on the wild side through rugged coastal bushland in Great Otway National Park. Rediscover remnants of the original Great Ocean Road and find yourself in a secluded cove at Sunnymead.
Distance: 3.00km
Walk Grade: 4
Good To Know:
Rough track, rugged steps, beach sand surfaces.
Aireys Clifftops
Sunnymead - Aireys Lighthouse
This easy walk, on a well-made track, is a favourite of locals to explore around the Lighthouse. Treat yourself to stunning land’s edge views as you transition between beach, bush and the Aireys Inlet township. Listen for the song of Rufous Bristlebirds and look for tiny marsupials as they scurry in the low coastal scrubland.
Distance: 2.80km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Well formed, narrow track, gentle hills, no steps.
Lighthouse Discovery
Aireys Lighthouse – Fairhaven
Discovery stroll from the Split Point Lighthouse and lookouts, past whale sighting spots, through traditional Wathaurung country. Cross an ancient tribal boundary to the western reach of the Surf Coast Walk. Learn as you go with the insights of the Lighthouse Discovery Trail and several well-signed viewing platforms.
Distance: 2.10km
Walk Grade: 2
Good To Know:
Well formed, narrow track, gentle hills.
Discover the Great Ocean Walk for yourself
The Great Ocean Walk reveals its magic in every season. In spring, wildflowers bloom, while autumn brings colourful fungi along the trail. Winter is the perfect time to spot waterfalls in full flow and migrating whales off the coast.
For early risers, make the first footprints of the day on a secluded beach, or watch as the sun cascades over high sea cliffs. Keep an eye out for koalas in the gum trees near Cape Otway or whales along the coast. Sheltered estuaries and towering forests provide endless opportunities for wildlife encounters, from wallabies to wedge-tailed eagles soaring above.
Some of the most remote and serene places along the walk include Station Beach, Ryans Den, Devils Kitchen, and Milanesia Beach. For those seeking the highest coastal cliffs on mainland Australia, Moonlight Head offers breathtaking views that will leave a lasting impression.
Wreck Beach features shipwreck anchors embedded in rock, a stark reminder to visitors how dangerous and powerful the Southern Ocean waves can be. Tall forests leading up to Cape Otway pass through wet fern and rainforest gullies sheltered by the world’s tallest flowering plant; the Mountain Ash Coastal heathland and sheltered estuaries of the Aire and Gellibrand rivers are home to a host of wildlife.
Tours, Transport & Services
Local knowledge can make all the difference when planning for a spectacular walk experience, dedicated Great Ocean Walk tour operators offer a range of services for walkers, including connecting with guided tours, transport connecting you to the walk to and from your start and finish points, camping equipment hire, food provision and that all important information to enhance your walk experience from tales and insights on local history to exciting seasonal events both in and out of town!
Ready to embark on your Great Ocean Walk adventure? Whether you’re planning a day trip or the full 8-day trek, make sure to visit your nearest Visitor Information Centre for maps, advice, and trail tips. The beauty and wild nature of this iconic walk await you—so lace up your boots and step into an unforgettable journey.
Planning to embark on the Great Ocean Walk?
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