TACKLE THE TRACKS

ADVENTURE TRAILS APLENTY …

Give yourself the gift of real adventure in the big, wild outdoors. The Great Ocean Road Region boasts hundreds of tracks and trails for walking or cycling. From a familypleasing stroll in nature, to a life-affirming multi-day hike or an exhilarating mountain bike expedition, you can connect with nature however you fancy.

Choose your own adventure. Pull on your runners, polish up your bike bell or cram your camping gear into a mega backpack – the choice is yours. Every ability, fitness level and age will find a track or trail that promises adventure and delight around every corner.

Great Ocean Walk – 104 inspiring kilometres

Take the journey of your lifetime on Victoria’s premier long distance walk. Gain new perspectives, far from the road and the people, on a walk hugging the dramatic coastline from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles.

With the vast Southern Ocean on one side and ancient rainforests on the other, you’ll traverse towering clifftops, remote bush tracks, fern-filled glades, wild rocky coastlines and isolated beaches. Contrasting habitats, abundant wildlife and scenic beauty galore. It’s the stuff of dreams – wide open spaces, solitude, a sense of treading new ground and incredible vistas always taking you by surprise.

Choose to tackle the full 7-8 days as an extended trip, or break it down to a shorter section or two as a day hike. Sleep beneath starry skies in remote campsites or opt for the comfort of off-walk digs using a shuttle service or on a guided tour with 12 Apostles Lodge Walk

However you choose to experience the Great Ocean Walk, you’ll find ever-changing scenery and unbeatable connection to this remarkable natural world.

• The Forrest mountain bike trails are worldfamous. Over 16 MTB trails snake through tall eucalypt forest, dry heathy scrub and lush fern gullies, showcasing the natural beauty of the Otways. Choose easy loops or breathtaking hardcore single tracks. For starters, ride the famous Red Carpet trail’s challenging descents and tight technical climbs leading from Lake Elizabeth to the start of the Barwon River.

• Great South West Walk is a stunning 250km loop walk from Portland through Gunditjmara Country. Tackle it one intrepid effort or slice and dice it to suit your time frame and fitness. There are 15 shorter sections and you can start and finish anywhere you like. Get to know the pristine Glenelg River, remote untamed forests, not one but four national parks, and the charming communities of Nelson and Cape Bridgewater. A walk for the ages.

• Immerse yourself in an adventure in nature and the sanctuary of coastal villages on the Surf Coast Walk. Twelve trailheads along the 44km route from Torquay to Aireys Inlet mean you can hop on and off as you please. Take an hour, a day or a week and enjoy the trail on foot or bike, at your own pace. Stop for a coffee in Anglesea, strut the clifftops above famous surf breaks, go deep into eucalypt forests or get wildlife spotting with the kids.

• Grab a map from the visitor information centre or a local bike shop and hit the Anglesea

Mountain Bike Trails. The zone takes in several precincts including the Anglesea Bike Park and around 30km of trails in the Eumeralla Track Network. Something to suit all ages and abilities – downhill, uphill, jumps, trials, technical and just for fun.