On this page you can read information and updates about the Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail and find out about opportunities to Have Your Say.

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Gadubanud Country

The Trail is on the lands of the Gadubanud People, part of Eastern Maar Nation.

The Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail is located on the land of the Gadubanud people of the Eastern Maar Nation.

Gadubanud lands include the rugged coastline, dense rainforests, Eucalypt woodlands, wetlands and river estuaries of the Otway Ranges, providing ecosystems rich in food sources across the six seasons recognised by Eastern Maar.

With much of the trail replicating the regular trade routes and traditional walks of the Gadubanud people, the trail provides an important opportunity to educate the broader community about Gadubanud Country and history.

Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail

The Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail (the Trail) will become a nationally significant multi-day walk where visitors will experience sweeping coastal views, towering eucalypt forest, waterfalls, and hidden gorges.

The Trail traverses Gadubanud Country along the Otway coast, boasting breathtaking views from suspension bridges and lookouts, as well as a new camp site, boardwalks, river crossings, and day visitor areas.

Consisting of both new and existing trails, the proposed 76km route covers coastal locations from Fairhaven through to Grey River.

The trail will provide a diverse range of walking options and experiences from short loops, day walks to multi-day experiences. It is expected to attract more than 70,000 visitors each year and extend the length of stay of more than 200,000 people in its first five years, delivering an extra $38 million in visitor expenditure.

How the Trail is being delivered

To deliver the Trail, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority is working with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Parks Victoria and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation.

Throughout 2021 and 2022 the community provided significant input into developing a Master Plan for the Trail, which provides strategic direction for the Trail's development.

Since then, the project team have been working away in the background and we're now excited to be progressing the first stage of planning, design and construction, which will deliver a significant section of the Trail. You can read about this below.

The Master Plan

The 2022 Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail Master Plan provides strategic direction for the development of the Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail.

The creation of the Master Plan followed a feasibility study in 2019, which assessed the potential of providing a walking trail that would link existing trails, The Surf Coast Walk and The Great Ocean Walk.

In September 2022, Minister for Environment and Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio launched the Master Plan.

You can view the Master Plan here: Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail Master Plan

How the Master Plan was developed

Online surveys and engagement events in October-November 2021 and March-April 2022 provided valuable feedback to the creation of the Master Plan. More than 3000 responses were received during this engagement process and as a result of the community feedback, more than 110 revisions were made to the trail's route.

You can view the Engagement Report here: Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail Engagement Report

Changes since the Master Plan's release

We want visitors to tread lightly and safely, as they connect with this environmentally and culturally significant landscape.

Since the development of the Master Plan, some of the features and infrastructure of the trail have been revised. These changes reflect a move towards a ‘lighter’ touch, which help to minimise the built impacts on the environment.

  • The infrastructure at some lookouts have reduced in size, although they will still add to the visitor experience of the iconic and dramatic locations.
  • The Kennett River Nature Loop Walk, identified in the Master Plan, will not be developed during this stage of the project. It was found that the loop walk could not proceed on its proposed alignment. Changes to the loop’s alignment would create cost implications and delays to the broader project.
  • A proposed inland section, from Grey River to Skenes Creek, is not being pursued due to multiple factors and has been removed from the overall project, at this time.

There have also been minor changes to the Trail route since the Master Plan's development. This has been influenced by a significant number of site investigations and expert assessments, which have helped to protect cultural heritage, the environment and increase public safety.

These assessments have focused on:

  • cultural heritage
  • flora and fauna
  • visual impact
  • Phytophthora cinnamomi (cinnamon fungus); and
  • risk management

You can view the current trail route here.

We’re excited to be progressing the first stage of the overall project, which will deliver a significant section of the spectacular new trail.

Stage one

The Victorian Government has provided $25.5 million to plan and gain approvals to link the Surf Coast Walk from Fairhaven to Grey River.

This funding will cover stage one of construction which focuses on building new trails and upgrading existing trails over an approximate 55km stretch from Fairhaven to Jamieson Creek.

This 55km network will connect to existing trails, allowing visitors to travel through to the beautiful Kennett River hamlet.

Works began in May 2024 on upgrading some of the existing trail along the route, including:

  • Resurfacing and drainage improvements at sections of the trail around Moggs Creek, Sheoak Creek and Lorne.
  • Improved access to the Ocean View lookout from the Moggs Creek Picnic Ground; and the Sheoak Falls and Swallow Caves lookout from the Sheoak Falls Picnic Ground near Lorne.

Stage 1 of the trail’s design and construction features exciting elements for trail users, including:

  • Four new major lookouts at Mount Defiance, Langdale Pike, Cathedral Rock, and Kelsall’s Rock as well as nine minor lookouts.
  • A new hiker campground at Big Hill.
  • Upgrades to three car parks/trailheads and one new car park at Big Hill.
  • Two suspension bridges, located at Reedy Creek and Mount Defiance, as well as a concept design for a third suspension bridge to be located at Cumberland Winterbrook.

Construction of the trail’s first stage, is likely to commence in 2025, subject to planning approvals.

Explore the Trail

Featuring breathtaking views from suspension bridges and lookouts, access to boardwalks, river crossings, camp sites and day visitor areas.

Have Your Say

Later this year we want to hear from you on the design of elements for the trail. For now, tell us how we can best connect with you.

Most of the planned trail will be in the Great Otway National Park (Crown land) currently managed by Parks Victoria. Planning of the Great Ocean Road Coastal Trail is led by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), with ongoing management of some or all of the trail transferring to the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority in the future.

The Victorian Government has provided $25.5 million to plan and gain approvals for stage one of the Trails design and construction. The Australian Government has also contributed $350,000 for planning and feasibility studies through the Geelong City Deal.