Great Otway National Park

Great Otway National Park is a protected area in southwestern Victoria that conserves coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, temperate rainforest, waterfalls and the Otway Ranges; the park covers more than 100,000 hectares. It stretches along sections of the southern coastline adjacent to the Great Ocean Road and inland into forested ranges.

Tall wet eucalypt and myrtle beech rainforest with boardwalks and short walks, multiple waterfalls such as Triplet Falls, and coastal headlands with ocean lookouts. Cape Otway Lightstation, a 19th century lighthouse and heritage site, sits within the park and is a common visitor destination.

The park was formed through the consolidation and protection of various state forests and reserves to conserve representative coastal and forest ecosystems and to provide public access for recreation. It is managed for conservation, scenic amenity and low-impact recreation.

Great Otway National Park lies along Victoria’s southwest coast, roughly a two to three hour drive southwest from Melbourne depending on the chosen route; the Great Ocean Road and nearby coastal towns provide common entry points.

• Size: The park protects more than 100,000 hectares of coastline, rainforest and heathland along Victoria's southwest coast
• Access and location: Much of the park lies along or near the Great Ocean Road, making several coastal lookouts and rainforest walks accessible as day trips from coastal towns

What to See #

• Cape Otway Lightstation: Historic lighthouse established in the mid 19th century that sits on Cape Otway and is open to visitors as a heritage site
• Maits Rest Rainforest Walk: Short boardwalk through temperate rainforest featuring tall eucalyptus and myrtle beech with interpretive signage and easy access from the road
• Triplet Falls: Scenic waterfall located within the park, reached by short walking tracks through wet forest