The Great South West Walk is a / 262-kilometer (163mi)

walking track A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

, established in 1981, located in South West

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The track passes through the

Lower Glenelg National Park The Lower Glenelg National Park is a national park in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The national park is situated approximately west of Melbourne. The major features of the park are the Glenelg River gorge and the Princess M ...

, the Cobboboonee National Park, the Discovery Bay Coastal Park, the Mount Richmond National Park and the Cape Nelson State Park, and may be explored through shorter or overnight hikes, or the entire 12- to 14-day circular hike, starting and finishing in either or . A short portion of the track is located with the

Lower Glenelg River Conservation Park Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Gloucestershire, England See also *Nizhny Nizhny (russian: Ни́жний; masculine), Nizhnyaya (; feminine), or Nizhneye (russian: Ни́� ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

, near . The track is administered, maintained and promoted by The Friends of the Great South West Walk Inc., a volunteer organisation, in partnership with

Parks Victoria Parks Victoria is a government agency of the state of Victoria, Australia. Parks Victoria was established in December 1996 as a statutory authority, reporting to the Victorian Minister for Environment and Climate Change. The ''Parks Victoria Ac ...

Track

The Great South West Walk track, which notionally begins and ends at the Visitor Information Centre in Portland, traverses forest, river gorge, high cliff tops and bays. It was designed as a long-distance walking track, with the option for short and day walks. It is accessed from roads in and near the towns of Portland and Nelson. The walk's difficulty is rated as moderate, and consists of fifteen sections of varying lengths. The walk contains 14 camp sites along the track; all supplied with fresh water, cleared tent sites and bush toilets. All overnight stays at 14 campsites require an online booking and a fee. Links to the online booking site can be accessed via the walk's website: www.greatsouthwestwalk.com The entire length of the circuit is 251-kilometers if you proceed direct along the beach from Swan Lake Camp, or 262-kilometers (and an extra day) if you head inland from Swan Lake Camp to Tarragal Camp. After Tarragal Camp the inland route returns to the coast near the Bridgewater Lakes. Part of the track follows the course of the Glenelg River, with other parts located adjacent to the

Southern Ocean The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...

Sections

The track consists of the following sections and points:

References

External links

* * * Hiking and bushwalking tracks in Victoria (Australia) Barwon South West Western District (Victoria) Limestone Coast Hiking and bushwalking tracks in South Australia {{trail-stub