If you are looking for a hiking trip in Victoria , Australia that combines unspoiled nature, majestic cliffs, lush forests and stunning deserted beaches – then the Great Ocean Walk is an experience not to be missed.
The Great Ocean Walk is a 110km hiking route, connecting Apollo Bay to the famous Twelve Apostles . But since I want to do it in a day, I will hike from Princetown to Twelve Apostles , then drive to Apollo Bay and continue hiking.
The Two Trails I Explored Today
My starting point is at Apostles Camping Park & Cabins (Address: Google Map ).
After 30 minutes to an hour of walking through the forest, the trail opens up to a rocky outcrop offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the beach stretching out before you.
This is one of the rare spots along the trail where drone flying is permitted. Most of the following areas fall within no-fly zones, so if you’re bringing a drone, make sure to take advantage of this opportunity.
Check out the drone footage from this stunning spot:
After 15 minutes of taking pictures, I continued to move to the 12 Apostles , the main location of today.
The Twelve Apostles are a group of giant limestone pillars that rise out of the sea along the southern coast of Australia. Although they are known as the “ 12 Apostles ”, only seven of them remain standing due to erosion.
Although the name is 12 Apostles , this is just a name given to attract tourists. There have never been 12 stone pillars standing together here. In reality, The Twelve Apostles only had 9 stone pillars, in 2005, one stone pillar collapsed due to the impact of erosion, after that, some other small stone blocks also collapsed, and now only 7 main stone pillars are still standing.
Hiking on the Great Ocean Walk gives you many different perspectives of the 12 Apostles , from panoramic to close-up. If you have the chance, take a walk on this beautiful path once.
After more than 2 hours of walking, I reached the next lookout point, looking straight out at the first stone pillar of the 12 Apostles.
From the lookout, it is just a 10-minute walk to Gibson Steps and Gibson Beach , an ideal stop for those who want to experience the view from the beach to the giant cliffs – a different experience from the view from above at The Twelve Apostles .
Gibson Step Address: Google Map.
Đây cũng là một trong những điểm dừng mà các Tour tham quan 12 Apostles dẫn bạn tới. Nếu không có xe cá nhân thì bạn có thể tham khảo thêm Tour tham quan The Twelve Apostles tại ĐÂY nhé.
Twelve Apostles Viewpoint Address: Google Map.
The next place I went to was Loch Ard Gorge , a small bay surrounded by high cliffs, with clear blue water, fine golden sand, and only about 5 minutes drive west of the 12 Apostles .
The bay is named after the ship Loch Ard , which sank here in 1878 after a long journey from England to Melbourne .
When I visited (April 2025), the path down to the beach at Loch Ard Gorge was closed due to concerns that the cliffs there were at risk of falling. So I could only take photos around the lookouts around Loch Ard Gorge .
And my final destination for the day was Apollo Bay , a beautiful coastal town located on the Great Ocean Road , about 90km from Loch Ard Gorge.
Apollo Bay is famous for its Scallop Pie, and is especially popular at Apollo Bay Bakery – the bakery dubbed “Home of the Scallop Pie on the Great Ocean Road”.
Apollo Bay Bakery address: Google Map
The Scallop Pie – a must-try specialty of Apollo Bay.
After eating and resting, I continued to climb up to Marriners Lookout to see the whole view of Apollo Bay from above .
Though the distance was short — only about 2.5 km — the trail was quite steep, and I struggled to make my way to the top with my camera backpack weighing me down.
After about 30 – 45 minutes, I finally climbed to Marriners lookout , and here is the panoramic view of Apollo Bay from the top:
I stayed here until sunset, then returned to Melbourne . The road from Apollo Bay to Melbourne city center is very dark, winding and foggy, quite difficult to drive if you are not a good driver. You should choose the coastal road (go through Lorne Beach , longer than 30 minutes) if you feel that your driving is not good.
And above is my entire Great Ocean Walk One Day Itinerary . Hopefully this article will help you get an overview of one of the most beautiful coastal routes in Australia. Thank you for reading to the end of the article.
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