What is Great Otway National Park?
Great Otway National Park is a large park in southwest Victoria, along and behind the Great Ocean Road. It protects tall forests, waterfalls, rugged coast and Cape Otway Lightstation.
The park stretches from Torquay toward Princetown, covering more than 100,000 hectares. Its rainforest gullies receive some of Victoria's highest rainfall, supporting giant mountain ash and myrtle beech.
Waterfalls such as Hopetoun Falls, Triplet Falls, Erskine Falls and Beauchamp Falls are popular stops. The Otway Fly Treetop Adventures offers a steel walkway high in the forest canopy.
Coast and wildlife
Cape Otway Lightstation, completed in 1848, is mainland Australia's oldest surviving lighthouse. Koalas are often seen in trees along the road to the cape.
Glow-worms light up Melba Gully at night.
The Great Ocean Walk passes through the park.
The Otways are the traditional country of the Gadubanud and Gulidjan peoples. Campgrounds such as Blanket Bay and Johanna Beach let visitors stay near the coast, while towns like Lorne, Apollo Bay and Forrest act as bases. Forrest is known for mountain bike trails, and the park's beaches are popular with surfers.
Did You Know?
Great Otway National Park was created in the mid-2000s by combining several earlier parks and forest reserves.