A GUIDE TO WALKING VICTORIA’S SHIPWRECK COAST

‘The Great Ocean Walk on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast is a favourite for Australians who like walking. No matter what your fitness level, you will find something to enjoy here.’
Don’t let the word ‘shipwreck’ fool you, and don’t let the word ‘walking’ scare you away. Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast, which hosts the Great Ocean Walk, is an activity you can complete in style and comfort. It does not require you to be extra fit like an athlete; it has been completed by people of all ages and fitness levels. At Grade 3, it is one of the more comfortable walking trails around. What you will need, though, is a pair of shoes that is nice and easy on your ankles, because blisters on the feet will keep you from enjoying the real pleasures of the walk.
Here’s a quick guide to shipwreck coast from Melbourne’s CBD.
1. Sign up with a travel company that is headquartered in Melbourne CBD. Most of these will have minibus transportation available from the city to Shipwreck coast. If you’re like everyone else and have work commitments for five days of the week, your best bet is to take the three-day walk on a Friday that ends on Sunday evening. This way you will be back at work nice and fresh on Monday morning.
2. Ensure that your accommodation is nice and plush – we recommend at least a four-star suite – and that your meals are all taken care of. This way you can focus all your energies on the walk itself without having to worry about housekeeping things such as food and the quality of your bed. Also, a comfortable stay ensures that you’re well rested for the morning after.
3. Keep a light daypack for basics such as sunscreen, wet-weather jacket and water.
4. Drive from Melbourne on Day 1 in the minibus, and three hours later you will find yourself in Apollo Bay. After lunch, wear your boots and begin walking along the eight or nine kilometre section between Blanket Bay and Cape Otway. You will find yourself in a group of walkers, so treat this as a social occasion and an opportunity to make friends. (Warning: friendships build faster on long walks than they do in cities.)
5. Day two will be your most gruelling day of the walk, with 17 kilometres to cover from Cape Otway to Johanna Beach. Stroll down to the Cape Otway Lighthouse Station and buy a cup of coffee to gee you up for the day ahead. If you wish, you can explore the station a bit more before you embark upon your serious walk for the day. The track follows cliff tops offering beautiful views over beaches and rocky headlands. If the tide is favourable, you can even try walking the beaches.
6. Once you get to Johanna Beach and kick back your legs for a while, a minibus will take you back to the hotel. So don’t worry about having to walk all the way back.
7. On Day 3, you will go to the Twelve Apostles, a world renowned collection of limestone rocks off the shore of the Port Campbell National park. You can discover many hidden beaches and cliffs and caves, and enjoy wonderful views of nature both in front of and behind you.
8. And then at the end of the day, after you’ve taken your fill of the Twelve Apostles, get back on your minibus and find yourself back in Melbourne in as little as four hours. Your feet will be aching, but after a good night’s sleep, you will be ready to tackle your day once again.