This trek is a great long weekender, particularly if you live in or around Melbourne. Our start and end point is only 120kms from Victoria's capital city and this trek is a wonderful introduction to the first time 4WDer with a good combination of tar and gravel roads. It is a 4WDer's dream - close to the city with plenty of tracks to explore.
The Gentle Annie Track has recently been resurfaced with a flat groomed gravel track and no 4WDriving is required. If you're after a more challenging 4WD adventure this is not the route to take - but there are tons of marked 4WD tracks on our map for you to explore (many are deeply rutted and steep but accessible by high clearance 4WD and experienced drivers).
The trek begins at Aireys Inlet on the famous Great Ocean Road and finishes in the township of Forrest. The Great Ocean Road follows the coast and there are numerous coastal towns, fantastic scenery and excellent fishing and surfing opportunities. At Aireys Inlet, there are a number of great walks and a particular favourite is before Lorne at the Cumberland River Reserve with walks to Jebbs Pool and Cumberland Falls. This is a great spot for camping.
How to Use this Trek Note
- To download this information and the route file for offline use on a phone, tablet, headunit or laptop, go to the app store and purchase ExplorOz Traveller. This app enables offline navigation and mapping and will show where you are as you travel along the route. For more info see the ExplorOz Traveller webpage and the EOTopo webpage.
Environment
There is a great variety of landscape in this region. The coastal heathlands and open woodlands contrast greatly with the rainforests which are hundreds of years old. There is a large amount of wild life that may be seen throughout your trip to the Otways.
History
At the turn of the century most of the villages along the coast such as Lorne were cut off by the Otway Ranges and the only way of communicating easily with the outside world was by sea. In 1916, during the middle of the war, it was suggested that returned servicemen be employed to build roads to cut off areas.
From this initiative the Great Ocean Road trust was founded to provide employment for returned service men, and to create the road as a memorial to those who had served in the war. The road was mainly hacked out of the earth by manual labour and was completed in 1932. It is a long and winding road that starts officially at Torquay and finishes at Warrnambool.
The Otways or Otway Ranges were formed 150 million years ago when Gondwana began to break up. Home to the Katabanut Aboriginal people, the steepness and tall forests of the ranges prevented European settlement until the 1870's when some land was cleared. The Otways National Park was created in the mid-1980's. The Angahook-Lorne State Park comprises the Eastern Otways.
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