The Great Ocean Road vs. the Great Ocean Walk: What’s the difference, anyway?
The Great Ocean Road vs. the Great Ocean Walk: What’s the difference, anyway?
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Not familiar with the Great Ocean Road region?
Then it’s completely understandable that you might be confused about the difference between the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk.
A quick bit of research tells me that you’re definitely not the only one. One of the most searched for (relevant) phrases on Google is “Great Ocean Road walk”, and other similar terms are “Walk Great Ocean Road”, “Hiking the Great Ocean Road”, “Great Ocean Road trek”, and “Great Ocean Road walking trail”.
There must be some confusion here, so let’s get that cleared up.
The Great Ocean Road
Firstly, it’s definitely not recommended to try and walk along the Great Ocean Road. There isn’t even a walking track or footpath that directly follows it. In many places, you’d be forced to walk along narrow road shoulders and even along cliff tops.
Walking wouldn’t be recommended on any major tourist road, but especially not on this one… Oh my god. Don’t even think about it. You wouldn’t believe the level of stupidity of some of the drivers on this road. To say it’d be dangerous would be an understatement.
What the Great Ocean Road is good for, though, is a good old fashioned road trip.
Stretching for around 240 kilometres between the south-west Victorian towns of Torquay and Allansford (about 60 km past the Twelve Apostles), the Great Ocean Road hugs the coastline, taking in some gorgeous little towns like Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell.
Accommodation and activities abound on in this region, so it’s definitely worth a visit. There’s water sports, wildlife spotting, mountain biking, ziplining, or you can stop along the way to hike for an hour or a day. You’ll be rewarded with coastal views, stunning cool temperate rainforests, and the most stunning waterfalls.
But there’s a very different and, in my opinion, much more rewarding way to see this coastline. It’s called the Great Ocean Walk.
The Great Ocean Walk
The best thing about hiking trails is that they’re unconstrained by the same rules as roads for cars. The Great Ocean Walk takes full advantage of this freedom.
Stretching for 104 kilometres between Apollo Bay and the Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Walk takes you to places you’d generally never see when road tripping the Great Ocean Road.
It’s recommended to spend 6 days walking the trail from end to end. Camping facilities along the route are well set up, but there are also a range of lodge options and various shuttle services available. If you’re not into planning the whole trip for yourself, a guided tour might be your best option.
Each day, you’ll be shuttled between trailheads and your comfortable bed. You’ll be well fed and you obviously won’t have to carry all your gear, either. Just a day pack with the bare essentials. Even the most seasoned hikers will tell you that this inevitably means you’ll take in so many more of the finer details of the trail and its scenery. On this trail, there’s a heck of a lot to take in.
Aside from the cool temperate rainforests and stunning coastal views, the Great Ocean Walk features so much indigenous and European history. A keen eye will find shell middens and scar trees, and if you have the opportunity to stop at Cape Otway (which you also do from the Great Ocean Road with a 20 min each way diversion) you’ll be able to do a native bush foods tour with a descendent of the local indigenous people.
So, as you can see, there’s a very big difference between the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk. If you’re into walking in nature and seeing a different side of a popular tourist route, the Great Ocean Walk is a clear winner.
Either way, I hope you enjoy and respect one of the most special places in Victoria.
For more information on the Great Ocean Walk please see: www.thegreatoceanwalk.com
-Neil Fahey
Guest Blogger
