Great Ocean Walk April 2012

4 Days: Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th April 2012

3 Nights: twin share accommodation at the Cape Otway Lighthouse

Park Treks four-day walking holiday along the Great Ocean Walk is such an easy way to engage in the great outdoors and leave the workaday world behind. On this trip we have chosen the most memorable moments of the Great Ocean Walk and put together a highlights package that will expose you to the best that this beautiful walk has to offer. Our experienced team will look after you in every way from the moment you board our luxury mini-coach in Melbourne. Safe driving, safe guiding, loads of the best and freshest organic produce at every meal and an attention to the finer points that makes for not only a great physical experience but also a grand social occasion. And we stay in the heritage listed location of the Cape Otway Lightstation, a place where you will find the best ocean views along the Great Ocean Road.

DAY 1

We depart Melbourne by 8.30am from the Victorian Arts Centre. Our first port of call is in the Winchelsea Tea Rooms where plenty of hot draughts of tea, coffee and fresh scones await to satisfy any morning cravings and set you up for a great day ahead. Then we depart with our lunches sorted and head for the start very start of the Great Ocean Walk at Marengo where the walk takes us through to the lovely surrounds of Elliot River. This section of the Great Ocean Walk sees us walking over exposed headlands, along wild beaches and through lush rainforest. It sets the tone for what is to come over the next few days.

We plan to arrive into the Cape Otway Lightstation shortly before 5.00pm. There is usually time for a tour of the lightstation.The accommodation arrangements here are strictly twin share and bathroom amenities are shared. This historic location is simply the best you’ll find along Victoria’s coast with superb views as well as being the most beautiful place for a sunrise and a sunset. Once we have you settled it’s time for us to get the evening meal under way while you enjoy a glass of wine and a market sourced platter of nibbles.

7 kilometres walking

DAY 2

This morning we depart for our days walk along the Great Ocean Walk from our front door and out along the clifflines above Station Beach. The views here are superb and this section of the walk is all recently constructed and surprisingly gentle. It is why this section of the walk is called the "mild side". We lunch at the camp ground along the Aire River where you’ll find toilets and a lovely tidal river with the green rolling hills of the Otways as our backdrop. After lunch it’s a delightful continuation of the cliffline walking as we complete the final short section of today’s walk taking us under the wind chiseled cliffs at Castle Cove where we reconvene with the coach. Time to return to our abode at Cape Otway Lightstation.

You do have the option of foregoing the walk after lunch if you feel you've walked far enough. We can drive you back to our place of stay if you prefer instead to put your feet up and relax.

10 - 16 kilometres walking

DAY 3

Today’s walking is the highlight of the Great Ocean Walk. Starting from Milanesia Beach the walk takes us to Ryans Den for lunch where the views are simply the grandest on the entire walk. You’ll be full of praise for the work done by the track makers as they have opened up one of the most amazing lengths of coastline. This section of the Great Ocean walk is regarded as the wild side and while the walking is more challenging than previously encountered you’ll be filled with the best memories, as the views are simply amazing. After lunch we trek onwards to Moonlight Head where the coach awaits to take us, time permitting, to a cuppa at the Lavers Hill Tea Rooms (OE) before we arrive back to our abode for a final night barbecue and high spirits.

Just before lunch one of our guides will "drop-in" on the walk offering those who feel they've walked far enough the chance to opt-out. It means that you can do as least some of this section.

This evening as your meal sizzles on the BBQ you may care to sit out on the front lawn watching the sun setting.

12 kilometres walking

DAY 4

It’s time to round off the trip with a couple of sensational walks so that you return to Melbourne later this evening with a satisfied smile. First we have an hours drive to The Gables Lookout where a short link track connects us with the lookout over Wreck Beach. Then it’s back onto the coach and on to Princetown where we walk the final section of the Great Ocean Walk finishing at Glenample Homestead with superb close-up views of the iconic Twelve Apostles. We finish with a coffee in Colac (OE) and a 5.30pm return to Melbourne.