Great Ocean Walk - Day 8 - Devils Kitchen to Twelve Apostles (Great Otway National Park, Port Campbell National Park)

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Great Ocean Walk - Day 8 - Devils Kitchen to Twelve Apostles (Great Otway National Park, Port Campbell National Park)

Traverse weathered limestone cliffs and meander across sand dunes to the beautiful Gellibrand River. See Gibson Steps and the Twelve Apostles come into view. The perfect ending to your adventure is a sunset arrival at the Twelve Apostles amidst the rugged splendour of the stained limestone stacks.

How to get there

Great Ocean Walk - Day 8 - Devils Kitchen to Twelve Apostles (Great Otway National Park, Port Campbell National Park)

Great Ocean Walk - Day 8 - Devils Kitchen to Twelve Apostles (Great Otway National Park, Port Campbell National Park)

Facilities

Visitor Centre
Carpark

Need to know

Great Ocean Walk - Day 8 - Devils Kitchen to Twelve Apostles (Great Otway National Park, Port Campbell National Park)

Safety in nature

You can benefit both mind and body when you get outdoors to explore and experience Victoria's natural places. Before you go, take a look at our safety tips and check our changed conditions and closures information for a great visit.

Accessibility

Visiting a park can be more of a challenge for people with disabilities, however, in Victoria there are a wide range of facilities to help people of all abilities enjoy our wonderful parks around the state. Parks Victoria provides a range of a equipment, including all-terrain and beach wheelchairs, facilities, accommodation and accessibility information and programs to help you plan and enjoy your visit to Victoria's parks.

Assistance dogs are welcome in Parks Victoria parks and reserves. Entry requirements apply for parks and reserves that are usually dog prohibited, such as national parks.

Warnings & Restrictions

Dogs

Dogs are not allowed

Restrictions

  • No drones without a permit
  • No fires permitted
  • No vehicles
  • No bicycles
  • No generators
  • No camping
  • No dogs allowed
  • No firearms allowed
  • No horses

Warnings

  • Other warnings
    • Trees may fall take care
    • Unpatrolled area
    • Vehicles
    • Limbs may fall take care
  • Water hazards
    • Rough Surf
    • Strong currents
  • Terrain hazards
    • Slippery surface
    • Uneven ground
    • Slippery rocks
  • Animals and pests
    • Beware European wasps

Be Prepared

Stay safe and get the most out of your park visit by preparing for natural hazards and other outdoor risks in Victoria’s parks. You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of those in your care. Find out more.

Change of Conditions

Nature being nature, sometimes conditions can change at short notice. It’s a good idea to check this page ahead of your visit for any updates.

Saddle Lookout - access change

From mid-September 2021 there will be no access to the Saddle and Castle Rock viewing areas while a new lookout is being built. 

Visitors can continue to enjoy the other lookouts, boardwalks and visitor areas at the Twelve Apostles and the other spectacular visitor sites in the Port Campbell National Park.

Seasonal road closures 2023

Seasonal road closures apply to areas within and tracks bordering this park from 15 June 2023. See MapshareVic for locations of the closures. Visit the seasonal road closures page for more information

Loch Ard Gorge beach access closure

Beach access is closed due to dangerous cliff movement near the Upper Lookout, which could cause a collapse.
Geotechnical specialists have assessed the site and we will work with a contractor to make the steps safe again.
We aim to re-open access to Loch Ard Gorge in spring 2023.

Other walks in this area remain open. 

Aire River East campground Temporary closure

Aire River east campground is temporarily closed due to wet conditions making the area unsuitable for camping.

Cora Lynn Campground Closed

Due to environmental and safety risks, Cora Lynn campground is permanently closed. 

Sharps Campground Permanently Closed

Due to environmental and safety risks, Sharps campground will be permanently closed from Thursday 22nd December 2022.

For more information please see attached fact sheet.

Delayneys Track Closed

Delayneys Track is closed until further notice.

Erskine Falls Lower Lookout Closed

Erskine Falls lower lookout is closed until further notice. Access to the base of the waterfall is no longer open due to unsafe conditions. Erskine Falls can be viewed from the top lookout which looks across to the top of the falls. Straw Falls is also inaccessible from the Erskine Falls carpark due to this closure. Erskine Falls walking track is still open from the Lorne township up to the base of Erskine Falls. 

Seasonal road closures 2023

Seasonal road closures apply to areas within and tracks bordering this park from 15 June 2023. See MapshareVic for locations of the closures. Visit the seasonal road closures page for more information.

Maits Rest Carpark- bus access

Maits Rest Carpark is suitable for small coaster buses only. Large buses or coaches are advised to use Melba Gully walk track near Lavers Hill.

Melba Gully - Large bus access

Melba Gully Walk Track and picnic area is accessible for large coaches. Toilet facilities are available on site

Blanket Bay - Bush Rats

Following the success of our fox and feral cat management programmes population numbers of Rattus fuscipes have grown again in the Blanket Bay campground area of the Great Otway National Park.  
 
The combination of less predators and conducive weather conditions has allowed a population to return that campers at Blanket Bay should be cautious of.
 
The Bush rat has some specific features that can help you distinguish it from similar rats.
·         It has pointed head and rounded ears.
·         Its tail is smaller than the rat's body.
·         Another key feature is their front teeth - they are chisel-shaped with hard yellow enamel.
 
These native rodents are known to scavenge on campers’ food, gnawing through tents to get to uncontained foodstuffs.
 
Native bush Rats are protected wildlife in the National Park and may form part of your camping  experience while camping at Blanket Bay. 

Attachments: Native vs Non-Native FS (779KB)

Lifejackets Required For Rock Fishers from March 1, 2022

A two-year trial of new laws that require rock fishers to wear a lifejacket at high-risk locations will commence on 1 March 2022.
 
For Great Otway National Park this includes:
  • Artillery Rocks, west of Lorne
  • The rock platform opposite Sheoak Falls, south of Lorne
This factsheet includes maps of the affected areas.
 
Fines apply if you don’t wear a lifejacket at these sites.
 
To find out more, visit Victorian Fisheries Authority 

Great Ocean Walk - Wet and Muddy conditions

As a result of ongoing rain in the Great Otway National Park over autumn and through winter 2023, conditions of the track on  the day 1 and day 2 sections of the Great Ocean Walk are advised to be very wet and muddy. 

The Elliot Road section of walk is particularly unfavourable, and heavy conditions are anticipated to be ongoing until late Spring 2023.

South West District Weather forecast

Attachments: GOW May 2023 (540KB)

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