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Walking

Walking is both an excellent form of exercise and a great way to see some of the spectacular scenery that Victoria has to offer. There are myriad trails throughout the state, which can be walked in anything from half an hour or less, to several days, or even weeks.

Great South West Walk

The Great South West Walk is a 250 kilometre loop, which stretches west from the Portland Visitor Information Centre to Nelson, near the South Australian border, and return. The route takes in both coast and forest areas, including four national parks. It can be walked in short sections for a couple of hours or a day, or for the more energetic, the entire length can be covered in 10 to 14 days. There are 16 campsites spread along the route, each with a pit toilet, tank water, fireplace and table.

Some of the natural features to be seen include sandy beaches, stunning views across the Southern Ocean, rock formations, forests, and the picturesque Glenelg River, with its gorges and limestone cliffs. Animal highlights include koalas, which can sometimes be seen in the Mount Richmond area, a seal colony at Cape Bridgewater, and an Australasian gannet rookery at Point Danger. In spring, wildflowers are an added attraction.

Further information:
- Great South West Walk: www.greatsouthwestwalk.com

Great Ocean Walk

The Great Ocean Walk extends for a distance of around 100 kilometres between Apollo Bay and the Glenample Homestead, near the Twelve Apostles which is east of Port Campbell. It takes in both national parks and beaches. The entire route can be covered in around 8 days, however short day walks can also be undertaken.

Features of the walk include the spectacular coastline with its sandy beaches and tall cliffs, the Cape Otway lighthouse, forests, rivers, waterfalls, wetlands, and animals such as koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, echidnas and a diverse range of bird species.

For those hiking overnight, there are 7 walk-in campsites along the trail, each with tent pads, water, toilets, shelters and tables. A permit to use these sites must be obtained from Parks Victoria at least two weeks before commencing your walk. There are also a further 5 campsites in the area that can be accessed by car. Permits are not required for these sites.

If camping is not your thing, there are many other accommodation options in the area for those wanting to do day walks.

Further information:
- Great Ocean Walk: www.greatoceanwalk.com.au

	Both Feet	Experience some wonderful walking in Victoria with a range of vehicle assisted guided walks along the spectacular coastal route of the Great Ocean Walk
	Otway Eco Tours	Operating fully guided tours through the Great Otway National Park and along the Great Ocean Walk. Discover Australia's most elusive animal on a guided platypus canoe tour departing from the Otway's town of Forrest. Take a mountain bike trail tour or simply hire a bike.
	Soulfree Adventures	Offering guided Great Ocean Walks for both the budget minded and boutique traveller. All our tours include transport, accommodation and guides and are fully listed on our website. Check out our new Otway Backpacker Tours.
	Walk 91	Providing walkers with services for the popular "Great Ocean Walk" between Apollo Bay and the 12 Apostles, including transport to different sections of the walk, accommodation packages, delivery of food and supplies to your camping spot, camping equipment hire, and educational guided walks through rainforest, bush and along beaches ranging from one hour to a full day

Walks near Melbourne

In the Dandenong Ranges, the Sherbrooke Falls Trail is a short walk through forest of mountain ash, sassafras and tree ferns, while the Lake Mountain Summit Walk in the Yarra Ranges National Park near Marysville provides views of Melbourne and the mountains.

The Mornington Peninsula has numerous trails. Its longest is the Two Bays Trail, which extends from Dromana to Bushrangers Bay, near Cape Schanck. It takes around 10 hours to complete the 26 kilometre trail, which passes through Greens Bush, an area inhabited by a variety of birdlife and where kangaroos and wallabies are sometimes seen. The Fort Nepean Walk goes to the tip of the peninsula, with views of The Rip, the entrance to Port Phillip Bay.

	Dunball's Walking Tours	Take an exhilarating and informative fully guided walk through the beautiful Mornington Peninsula and discover a diverse range of coastal landscapes
	Eco-Adventure Tours	Offering daytime nature walks and night walks in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. See and hear native animals and be lead by experienced guides who carry binoculars and have animal artifacts to show you and information leaflets to hand out.
	Secret Forest Walks	Experience freedom, discovery and seclusion in the beautiful Wombat Forest near Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. Choose from a range of specially mapped day walks that have been loaded onto a hand held GPS unit. With GPS navigation, you'll be able to walk independently and with confidence in even remote parts of the forest. Geocaching games, ideal for families and kids also available.

Walks in Gippsland

In Gippsland, Wilsons Promontory is a very popular place for bushwalking with many trails throughout the area. Walks range from short hikes of a kilometre or less to full day and overnight walks. There are nature walks to see the Prom's flora and fauna, and both bushland and coastal walks, including to the lighthouse at the southern tip.

In the eastern corner of the state, the Wilderness Coast Walk extends from Sydenham Inlet in Croajingolong National Park at Bemm River, over the border into New South Wales, a distance of around 100 kilometres. The walk takes in beaches, heathland and river estuaries but due to its remoteness, should only be tackled by experienced walkers. A permit is required from Parks Victoria before embarking on this walk. The Croajingolong National Park also has several walks in the Wingan Inlet area, including to Elusive Lake, a freshwater lake reached via a track through banksia woodland.

Further information:
- Croajingolong National Park: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
- Inspiring Gippsland Walks: www.inspiringgippslandwalks.com.au
- Wilsons Promontory National Park: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

Gippsland High Country Tours

Offering ecotours and walking tours in east Gippsland, led by experienced local guides who provide comprehensive commentary

Walks in the High Country

Victoria's High Country is a bushwalking haven with hundreds of tracks throughout the region.

For a reasonably easy, one-hour walk, try the Gorge Heritage Walk around the top of Buffalo Gorge. Features include waterfalls, granite cliffs and views of the surrounding country.

For something a little harder, trek to a mountain summit. The Staircase Spur Trail takes walkers to the top of Mount Bogong, while the Razorback Trail follows the ridgeline from Mount Hotham to the summit of Mount Feathertop. Both are rugged walks taking about four hours. To visit cattlemen huts on the Bogong High Plains, follow the 6 kilometre long Wallaces Hut to Cope Hut Trail.

A challenging walk for experienced bushwalkers is the Australian Alps Walking Track. It extends for around 650 kilometres between Walhalla in Victoria and Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, and takes around 10 weeks to cover the entire length. Much of the trail is through national parks, and traverses both mountain forests and high plains. It is possible to walk shorter sections of the track with popular areas being the Baw Baw National Park and Bogong High Plains. As the trail passes through remote areas, walkers need to be self-reliant.

The Beechworth area, in the state's north-east, has a couple of walks through the region's once-rich goldfields. The Gorge Scenic Walk and Woolshed Falls Historic Walk, both in Beechworth Historic Park, meander through country that includes woodland, granite cliffs, waterfalls, and evidence of the area's gold mining past, including a powder magazine.

5 Star Adventure Tours

Offering a wide range of tours demonstrating local knowledge, history, archaeology, bush foods and bush medicines. Explore the stunning flora and fauna of the Alpine high plains. Indulge your senses on one of our gourmet food and wine tours. Walk, climb, paddle, ski or join a 4WD driving adventure as part of fantastic outdoor tours in amazing locations. Our commitment to the High Country and Eco Tourism allows us to create unique as well as distinctive nature based adventure experiences. We are passionate in presenting the beauty of the Victorian High Country. Tours depart from Bright.

Walks in the Goldfields Region

In the central Victorian goldfields, the Great Dividing Trail covers a distance of 280 kilometres, taking in historic mining areas and a variety of natural features. It follows the top of the Great Dividing Range, connecting the towns of Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat and Bendigo via several of the areas smaller towns. It is divided into a number of smaller tracks making it easy to walk just short sections of the trail. The section between Ballarat and Bendigo is also known as the Goldfields Track.

Further information:
- Great Dividing Trail: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

Walks along the Murray River

The Murray River region has a number of interesting walks.

The Barmah Lakes Loop Track near Echuca is a 4 kilometre loop that takes hikers through the river red gums of the Barmah National Park and beside the Murray River and Barmah Lakes. It also passes sites of Aboriginal heritage including middens and canoe trees. The area has abundant wildlife including many species of birds.

At Swan Hill, the 4.5 kilometre River Walk takes in a number of places of historical significance in the town, including the Customs House, Lift Bridge and paddle steamer PS Gem. Information boards along the way provide details of the area's history and Aboriginal heritage.

Closer to Mildura, the 10 kilometre long Bugle Ridge Track in the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park passes by several lakes. There's an old pumphouse that was once used to refill the boilers of steam trains, and numerous species of birds and other wildlife. In the Murray-Sunset National Park, the Pink Lakes Trail is an easy walk, taking around 90 minutes, to view some of the park's lakes that turn pink in spring due to algae in the water releasing carotene.

Walks in the Grampians

The Grampians National Park has over fifty walking tracks so there is something for everyone, from short, easy walks taking half an hour or less to harder trails requiring several hours. Some trails are suitable for wheelchairs. A popular short walk is to McKenzie Falls, with tracks to both the base of the falls and to a lookout at the nearby Bluff. For a longer hike, the Wonderland Walk is a loop track of almost 10 kilometres from Halls Gap. It passes features including the Pinnacle Lookout, a high-walled area known as the Grand Canyon, the large sandstone rock face of the Elephant Hide, and rock pools called Venus Baths.

The Little Desert National Park, near Dimboola and Nhill, is not a sandy desert devoid of vegetation but rather a semi-arid environment with a diversity of flora and fauna, including the elusive malleefowl. The Desert Discovery Walk takes hikers through woodland and heathland areas on an 84 kilometre trail. The entire length takes around four days to cover or walkers can travel just a short section. There are also other tracks in the area.

Further information:
- Grampians National Park: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
- Little Desert National Park: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

Grampians Tours & Adventures

Our local knowledge and passion allows us to create unique as well as distinctive nature based adventure experiences from our base at Halls Gap in the Grampians National Park. Choose from bushwalking, night walks, rock climbing, abseiling and 4WD tours.

Rail trails

The many rail trails throughout Victoria are excellent places for walking. In the past, Victoria had a much more extensive railway network than it has today. Many of the railway corridors that have been decommissioned have since been turned into rail trails - tracks suitable for walking, cycling or horse riding.

Amongst these are a few tramways, originally built to transport timber from the forests, which are now suitable for walking. Just east of Melbourne, the Powelltown Tramway stretches from Powelltown to East Warburton. The trail traverses a total of 43.5 kilometres, but is divided into shorter sections, most of which can be covered in a few hours. It winds through forests of stringybark, mountain ash and tree ferns.

The Mt Samaria Tramway, north of Mansfield, extends for around 3 kilometres through eucalypt regrowth forest, while east of Mansfield is the Plain Creek Tramway, another 3 kilometre trail. Remnants of old sleepers and timber bridges are visible on both trails.

For a longer walk through varied country, the Bass Coast Rail Trail in Gippsland extends for 16 kilometres from Anderson to Wonthaggi. At Kilcunda, it follows the coast for a short distance and a highlight of the trail is the trestle bridge beside the surf beach. It is the only rail trail in Victoria to run alongside the coast. It also traverses farmland and bushland. This rail trail also links up with the George Bass Coastal Walk, a 7 kilometre cliff top trail with spectacular ocean views that extends from San Remo to Kilcunda, making it possible to walk from San Remo to Wonthaggi.

View information about other rail trails.

Walking with dogs

Many national, state and metropolitan parks in Victoria don't permit dogs to be brought into them, no matter how quiet or well-behaved they are. However some of these parks do permit dogs so long as your pet is kept under your control at all times and you clean up after it.

For further information, download the guide walking your dog in Victoria's parks which lists parks where dogs are permitted and dog etiquette.