The park contains the Maits Rest Rainforest Walk, which features Myrtle Beech trees that can live for hundreds of years.
The Gadubanud people traditionally inhabited the coastal region between present-day Moonlight Head and the Kennett River.
The Cape Otway Lightstation, built in 1848, was the first landfall for thousands of 19th-century migrants arriving by ship from Europe.
The park's temperate rainforest receives some of the highest annual rainfall in the state of Victoria.
The endemic Otway black snail is a carnivorous land snail found only in this specific region.
The park serves as a habitat for the threatened Tiger Quoll, a large carnivorous marsupial.
Mount Cowley is the highest point in the Otway Ranges, reaching 670 meters above sea level.
The Great Ocean Walk intentionally traverses sections of the park to showcase both inland forest and coastal geology.
Great Otway National Park encompasses a diverse landscape ranging from rugged coastlines and sandy beaches to temperate rainforests filled with ancient ferns and towering mountain ash trees. The park holds deep cultural significance for the Gadubanud people, who are the Traditional Owners of the land. It stretches along the southern coast of Victoria, incorporating parts of the Great Ocean Road. Notable features include the Cape Otway Lightstation, which is the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Australian mainland. The park contains a section of the Great Ocean Walk, a multi-day hiking trail spanning 104 kilometers. Wildlife enthusiasts frequent the area to spot wild koalas in the eucalyptus canopy, particularly along the Cape Otway Road. Waterfalls such as Hopetoun Falls and Beauchamp Falls are situated within the park's dense forest interior. The coastline is characterized by dramatic rock formations, including those found near the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park border.
The viewing platform at the base of Hopetoun Falls for the waterfall, or the cliff edge at Cape Otway for the coastline.
Wear sturdy, waterproof hiking boots, as rainforest trails remain muddy year-round.
Check the official Parks Victoria website for current fire danger ratings and track closures before departing.
Carry layers, as temperatures drop significantly when moving from the coast into the sheltered forest canopy.
Attempting to see both the coast and the deep rainforest waterfalls in a single afternoon, which underestimates the travel time between trailheads.
Specific walking tracks may close during periods of extreme weather or high fire risk.
Stay on marked trails to protect sensitive root systems and leave no trace; do not disturb or feed wild koalas.
