The magnificent Otways covers some 103,000 hectares of bushland and forest and is one of the most diverse areas in Australia with a wealth of plant and animal life both on land and in the sea.
Within a couple of hours drive you can see the bushland with grasses, tea tree and eucalypt towards the North West end and then visit the rainforests with the huge tree ferns, waterfalls and magnificent tall timber all hugging the rugged rocky coastline of the Great Ocean Road.
All of the townships are different, there are the quaint little farming and forestry communities inland and the seaside towns of the coast, some merely a fishing village while others thriving cosmopolitan resort towns like Lorne and Anglesea. Many of the coastal towns are close to some of the country’s best beaches and then there are the world class natural wonders like the 12 Apostles and Cape Otway. The Otway s will amaze even the most travelled person with its diversity and its beauty.
If you are a food lover, well the Otways has some of the finest food with the freshest of seafood, best dairy and some of the most beautiful organic grown produce. The Otways are a food lovers paradise.
There are accommodation options to suit everyone, from the luxury hotels of Lorne, through to farm stays, camping grounds, apartments, holiday houses you name it, the region has something to suit every taste and budget.
But its not just natural beauty, food and lodging that makes the Otways one of Australia’s best holiday destinations, it’s the adventure, there’s just so much to do in the great outdoors, cycling, birdwatching, bushwalking, 4 wheel driving, fishing, horse trail riding, kyacking, trial bike riding, rock climbing and plenty of watersports, fishing, swimming, diving, snorkeling..the list just goes on.
Some of our favorite spots along the Otways are Maits Rest, Erskine Falls and the amazing Otway Fly elevated walkway.
Maits Rest is a beautiful spot to view the magnificent tall timber of the Otways. Huge eucalypts, myrtle and ancient tree ferns all reach towards the light above the canopy. The walking tracks have very interesting and informative information and the track is a fairly easy walk. Maits Rest can be found outside of Apollo Bay.
Erskine Falls is to the back of Lorne, it is famous for its New Years Eve music festival in the nearby farms. Erskine Falls is a beautiful walk of about 2 kilometres from the Blanket Leaf Picnic Area just out of Lorne. The scenery is just amazing and there are usually a few sightings of wildlife along the way, last time we took the trip there were kangaroos and an echidna all happily going about their business.
The Otway Fly can be found about 45 minutes inland from Apollo Bay and is a new $6.5 million dollar attraction which takes visitors on a journey way above the tree tops right in the heart of the old growth forest. The walk is 25 metres above the forest floor and it is amazing the things you can see that high up. The orchids and ferns growing out of the tall timber, then there’s the birdlife and sometimes some fury friends like small possums or gliders. The more still you are and the more you look the more things you see. It is very special. The experience finishes with a 45 metre spiral staircase taking you even higher above the tree tops for an incredible view and an experience to remember.
