Great Otway National Park National Park

Address: Great Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia (multiple access points)

Website: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/great-otway-national-park

Hours: Open daily (daylight hours)

Admission: Free entry (no park admission fee)

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

Great Otway National Park is accessed by road from the Great Ocean Road (B100) and the Princes Highway. From Melbourne the park’s main western and coastal entrances (around Lorne and Apollo Bay) are roughly a 2.5-3 hour drive - about 200 km depending on the route - via the M1/Princes Highway and then the Great Ocean Road. There is limited public transport: V/Line services and regional coaches reach some nearby towns (e.g., Geelong, Apollo Bay) from which local buses or walking will reach park trailheads; many visitors arrive by car and use the park car parks and short trailhead walks.

• Start early on popular trails (for example the Maits Rest rainforest walk and routes toward Cape Otway) to avoid afternoon cloud and to increase chances of wildlife sightings along the Great Ocean Road.
• Use coastal towns such as Apollo Bay or Lorne as gateways and check Parks Victoria for current track closures and fire-season alerts-some forest roads and walking tracks close seasonally.
• Allow extra time for single-lane park roads and for encountering wildlife at dawn/dusk; if you plan on visiting the Cape Otway Lightstation, factor in the unsealed access and possible separate admission.