Surf Coast Walk – Great Ocean Road Coast Committee Blog

What a way to experience our great coastline

February 28, 2020March 10, 2020greatoceanroadcoast

Fancy a first-hand look at the amazing coastline between Torquay and Aireys Inlet? Then the Guided Surf Coast Walk is for you.

There is no better way to experience the beauty of the Surf Coast than by taking part in the Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park‘s guided cultural walk.

The three-day guided tour will take you over 40 kilometres of the Surf Coast coastline, giving participants a great insight into the animals, plants and history of this rugged landscape – making this tour the only one of its kind.

You will get the opportunity to gain a special appreciation for our amazing coastline under the guidance of Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles. While for an ecological perspective, walkers will also be joined by Ranger Pete Crowcroft from the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee’s passionate environmental education team.

Guests take part in the Guided Surf Coast Walk.

Day one sees the group begin their journey at the Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park, before being transferred to Point Impossible where a Welcome to Country ceremony will take place before walking back along the coastline to the caravan park. Upon returning to the park, drinks and canapes will be on offer as well as a discount voucher to a local restaurant for dinner.

Day two is the biggest of the three days, with the group traversing a 22 kilometre stretch of coastline. The walk will commence in the morning with guests provided with a packed lunch and snacks.

Corrina leads the walk along many interesting points, sharing her culture and way of life on Wadawurrung Country. Explore midden and ochre sites and immerse yourself in the Aboriginal culture of the area. The group will experience a range of indigenous flora and fauna unique to this area, eventually arriving at Anglesea Family Caravan Park in the late afternoon where you will stay overnight. Dinner is provided at one of Anglesea’s well-known eateries.

Guided Surf Coast Walk participants learn about Wadawurrung Country with guide Corrina Eccles.

The third and final day sees guests walk from Anglesea to Aireys Inlet with Anglesea local Ranger Pete. Once again, breakfast and coffee are provided before hitting the trail.

Guests will receive a tour of the Split Point Lighthouse, made famous by featuring in the popular 90s TV show ‘Round the Twist’. The tour ends with a delicious lunch and Devonshire tea at The Lighthouse Tea Rooms, before guests are transported back to their car in Torquay.

The Guided Surf Coast Walk will take place from 1-3 May this year, with a single ticket costing $800 while a triple share is $450 per person.

Overall inclusions:

One nights’ accommodation in a Surfside cabin at Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park
One nights’ accommodation in a Superior or Cedar cabin at Anglesea Family Caravan Park
Meet and greet including drinks and canapes
Local restaurant discount voucher
Two continental breakfast hampers
Coffee vouchers each morning
One packed lunch and trail mix
Vouchers for the heated spa at Anglesea Family Caravan Park
A well-earned group dinner at a local eatery
Lunch and Devonshire tea at The Lighthouse Tea Rooms
Tour of Split Point Lighthouse.

One of the many stunning views you will see along the Guided Surf Coast Walk.

This tour is unlike any other and is perfect for those wishing to experience some of the wonderful features this coastline has to offer, while extending their knowledge of the land and its history.

The walk is limited to 25 participants so be sure to book your spot early. Book online now or call Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park to make your booking on 03) 5261 2496.

Anglesea boardwalk borders on completion

March 16, 2018May 10, 2018greatoceanroadcoast

Works are well underway for the brand new Anglesea boardwalk at Demons Bluff. Coursing over the unique Anglesea heathland, the boardwalk will make up a 180m section of the 44km Surf Coast Walk, which stretches from Fairhaven to Point Impossible.

Following an engineer’s report, which revealed that cracks in the side of the cliff represented a risk to visitors, the track was re-routed in the interests of visitor safety. The boardwalk will jointly protect the fragile heathland, as well as enhance the visitor experience.

Fresh Air Kids – Term 2 | Week 3

June 2, 2017June 2, 2017greatoceanroadcoast

The Fresh Air Kids is a group of local families that want their children to spend time in the great outdoors, learning through playing in nature.

A community partnership with the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, Fresh Air Kids aims to encourage local coastal kids to grow up observing the environment in more detail than even most adults do. Find out more about their latest adventures from Possum Pete below. Read more →

Coastal team gears up for summer

October 8, 2015October 14, 2015greatoceanroadcoast

The Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) coastal reserves team is working to prepare for the busy peak summer season.

Several major projects have recently completed, while intensive maintenance is underway. From re-gravelling and re-grading carparks to pruning and cleaning, the coast is almost ready for the annual influx of holiday makers and beachgoers.

Recent works at Elephant Walk in Torquay included extensive car park upgrades.

GORCC Coastal Reserves Manager Rod Goring said ongoing maintenance is an important component of GORCC’s work along the coast to ensure the foreshore areas are at a high standard.

“The coastal reserves team has been undertaking maintenance and upgrades in preparation for the busy Christmas and New Year period,” he said.

2015-09-11 08.28.44 — Completion of upgrades at Voss’s carpark along the Surf Coast Walk has improved coastal users access and safety.

Recent work has included:

Voss Carpark pathway (Surf Coast Walk) upgrade.
Elephant Walk precinct works (playground and car park upgrades).
Whites Beach Toilet block completion.
Jan Juc Toilet Block completion.
New seating for Taylor Park, Torquay.
Re-gravelling tracks along Spring Creek.
Trimming and pruning trees along the Surf Coast Walk

whites beach toilet small — The new amenities block at Whites Beach.

What are some of your favourite summer, coastal activities? Let us know in the comments below.

New trail marathon for Surf Coast Walk

April 10, 2014August 7, 2014greatoceanroadcoast

A new trail marathon event is set to shine the spotlight on the Surf Coast Walk.

The inaugural Surf Coast Trail Marathon will take place on Saturday, 28 June, 2014, with marathon runners starting at Torquay, an hour south west of Melbourne, and finishing 42.2km further west on the beaches of Fairhaven, located on the world-renowned Great Ocean Road.

A new marathon event is set to hit the stunning Surf Coast Walk.

Runners will be enticed off road by a course that takes in impressive coastal scenery, including a short run along world-famous Bells Beach.

There is also a half marathon course being offered, beginning from Point Addis, and a relay team option allowing two runners to complete half of the marathon course each.

The Surf Coast Trail Marathon will benefit local organisations with a percentage of each entry fee going towards three Surf Coast beneficiaries, including the Fairhaven Surf Lifesaving Club, where the event finishes, and the Anglesea Primary School.

Some funds will also go back into supporting the trail and environs via the Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee.

Participants will pass by some iconic coastal landmarks.

There has been a marked increase in the popularity of ‘adventure racing’ and nature based tourism and sports on the coast, with many opportunities to get inv0lved and active in the great outdoors.

Are you entering for the marathon?

Entries have opened for the Surf Coast Trail Marathon and runners can stay in touch on Facebook at www.facebook.com/surfcoasttrailmarathon

Learn more about the Surf Coast Walk here

Take care, be aware and share on the Surf Coast Walk

June 3, 2013August 7, 2014greatoceanroadcoast

Offering natural beauty and easy access, the recently redeveloped Surf Coast Walk along the edge of the Great Ocean Road offers a world-class walking destination for all to enjoy.

The track has proved popular since its official reopening last year and from dogs to bicycles to pram to runners, everyone is out and about enjoying different sections at different paces.

In recognition of the multiple uses of the track and in response to some community concern around safety, GORCC has installed some signs in high use areas around Torquay and Jan Juc, to promote safe shared use.

One of the four signs located in Torquay and Jan Juc

The Take care- Be aware- Share campaign encourages those who are cycling along the path to:

Give way to pedestrians
Travel at safe speeds
sSlow down and use their bell when passin

The signs also remind dog owners to clean up after their pets and to keep appropriate control over them at all times. Additionally, all users are asked to be vigilant of vegetation and wildlife and to keep to the left of the paths.

To stay safe and ensure you have an enjoyable Surf Coast Walk experience you should also:

Wearing sturdy, non-slip footwear
Carry plenty of drinking water and a well-charged mobile phone
Take care when walking near the edge or base of cliffs
Beware of snakes in late spring and summer
On days of extreme fire to seek information from Visitor Information Centres or the Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667, as some walks may be closed to the public.

Angela Norris and her two dogs Ollie & Shegi enjoying the Surf Coast Walk

More information including detailed maps are available at http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/surfcoastwalk.

More tips on staying safe on the coast are available here.

Did you know the Surf Coast Walk also has an official volunteer group, the Friends of the Surf Coast Walk?

Have you been out and about on the Surf Coast Walk lately? Let us know below or join in the conversation on the official Surf Coast Walk Facebook page.

Carers sought for coast walk

November 1, 2012August 6, 2014greatoceanroadcoast

RHosking_GORCC_SCW-1 — New friends of the Surf Coast Walk (L-R) Sophie Small and Lachlan Richardson with GORCC Coastal Projects Manager Mike Bodsworth on the Surf Coast Walk. Photo: Rebecca Hosking

As the Surf Coast Walk redevelopment nears completion, volunteers are being sought to become official guardians of the track.

The new ‘Friends of the Surf Coast Walk’ group will become stewards of the 44km walk, which is set to be a world-class walking destination and a valuable recreational and community resource.

Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) Coastal Projects Manager Mike Bodsworth said the group would play an active role in the ongoing life of the track.

“The Surf Coast Walk is almost ready for launch and group will become a vital ingredient in the track’s long term success.

“We would love to hear from anyone interested in assisting us to protect, monitor, maintain and enhance it into the future,” he said.

Volunteers can contribute in a variety of ways depending on their interests and skills, and choose a section of track they are most interested in.

“Friends can monitor the track as part of their normal, regular, recreational use of it and report back on any issues – for example degraded sections or any overgrown areas or weeds.

“More active options will include minor track maintenance work, litter collection, trimming overgrowth or trackside planting and rehabilitation,” Mr Bodsworth said.

Volunteers will work with the three land managers involved in the Surf Coast Walk’s maintenance and upkeep – GORCC, Parks Victoria and Surf Coast Shire.

“The three agencies together with the friends group will care for and extend the lifespan of this coastal asset for the benefit of the community,” Mr Bodsworth said.

The Surf Coast Walk will be officially launched on 4 November 2012 in Anglesea at a free community event suitable for the whole family. The official opening will take place at 10am and be followed by free activities from 10.30am – 12.30pm.

“Those interested in learning more about or registering their interest for the Friends of the Surf Coast Walk group are invited to either contact us or come along to the launch event where there will be plenty of information and opportunities to register on the day,” Mr Bodsworth said.

The redevelopment of the Surf Coast Walk has been made possible thanks to funding from Regional Development Victoria GORCC and the Surf Coast Shire and support from a range of partners, including Parks Victoria.

Want to know more or get involved?

More information about the Friends of the Surf Coast Walk

Like the new Surf Coast Walk Facebook page!

Looking to explore the Surf Coast Walk? Excursion maps can be found here.

Next steps to realising our future

November 12, 2010August 4, 2014greatoceanroadcoast

The forum generated various ideas for the next steps that could be taken towards realising our future aspirations as coast carers. These ideas could be grouped into four key themes.

In the conversations we have from now onwards, we need to:

continue to talk about the BIG questions that we hold and find ways of communicating the key messages simply – with each other and with others (e.g. Why is our work important? What does it matter?)
create opportunities for more conversations between our community and the various agencies involved in coast care
look for opportunities where people are gathering to talk about related topics (e.g. fire management) and draw links to our purpose and activities, and
reframe the language we use when communicating with others (e.g. refer to ‘vegetation’ as ‘habitat’ – see Birds Australia publications for good examples of simple, accessible language).

We also need to use the stories we share as a foundation to:

create an ‘interpretive story’ for visitors to experience on the soon-to-be-built Surf Coast Walk
set a mission that everyone shares the stories (i.e. what we do and why) with as many people as we can and then invite them to join us in taking action
capture and share the great stories that we all know about (and start to actively collect these stories in words, photos and video), and
use our broader network to create its own online space that is accessible and simple, and allows local groups to upload and share stories, photos, event details, questions and video.

In the work we do together, we can start to:

fund and prioritise ongoing monitoring programs to inform our learning and outcomes
make our activities more visible to other people, starting with working bees and other activities on the Great Ocean Road (Note: during the forum, Coast Action/Coastcare provided a sign template that groups could use to promote their activities)
start to research and document (e.g. in a story) the extent to which we are ‘winning or losing’ the battle to save key ecosystem species/the war against environmental weed species, and
begin looking to the philanthropic sector as a possible funding source for our projects (e.g. www.ourcommunity.com.au).

By networking more we could:

find a central point of contact that works across all the agencies (e.g. Coast Action/Coastcare)
update our own lists of all current volunteer groups, starting with centralised information sources (e.g. Surf Coast Shire, Great Ocean Road Coast Committee), and
make the effort to do more ‘volunteer exchanges’ when doing on-ground works.

If we focus on implementing some or all of these ideas as we talk, share, work together and network, we will move forward together and achieve more on-ground success in caring for the coast!

Change one of life’s constants

April 14, 2010greatoceanroadcoast

The wise person who once said, “the only thing that stays the same is change”, certainly hit the nail squarely on the head. Life is all about change – as is the coast, the community, GORCC (like all other organisations), and many other aspects of the world we live in.

Change has certainly been in the wind at GORCC over the past week since we announced the resignation of our Chair Peter Anderson along with my decision to finish up in June 2010 as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Peter’s decision reflects a recent change in his work circumstances. After serving voluntarily on the committee since its formation in 2004 – the past three years as voluntary Chair – his leadership and invaluable contribution to the coast, its ongoing management and care will be sorely missed.

Fortunately John Carlile has agreed to step into the role of Acting Chair until the new committee comes on board later this year. Like Peter, John is passionate about the coast and its future. So much so that three years ago he volunteered for the committee and has been an active member ever since.

John will keep a steady hand at the helm over the next few months as GORCC navigates its way towards the government’s appointment of a new committee from July 2010 and the committee’s recruitment of a new Chief Executive Officer.

All of GORCC’s important work continues as usual: looking after the coast and delivering projects such as the Surf Coast Walk, the power upgrade at Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park and the start of redevelopment works at Fishermans Beach.

My own decision to resign as CEO was made after much soul-searching. I appreciate the trust the original committee placed in my capabilities to lead and shape what was then a very new organisation when it appointed me as GORCC’s inaugural CEO almost five years ago.

I will look back on my time with GORCC with considerable pride and happiness. Whilst there have been plenty of challenges, I consider the achievements to be significant; for example:

the caravan park upgrades are now well underway
more than $10 million in local, State and Federal Government funding has been secured in recent years
we have received external awards and recognition for our coastal management efforts, which are underpinned by our Environment and Land Management Plan
our relationships with government, key stakeholders and the community are robust and mutually beneficial
communication and engagement initiatives are ongoing and increasingly leading edge
we have delivered complex projects, such as the new Lorne Pier, and have a diverse project portfolio underway in the planning and delivery stages, and
our advocacy for the coast is well-regarded and regularly called upon.

GORCC is well positioned to achieve the key goals of significantly upgraded caravan parks that provide sustainable funding to enable ongoing protection of the coast and upgrades to its facilities and infrastructure.

The input of our staff over the last five years has been immense and I thank them for their contributions.

While it will be business as usual during my last two months as GORCC’s CEO, change is in the wind. I am excited about the changes ahead in my own life and confident the committee and new CEO will continue to lead GORCC effectively for the benefit of the coast and community.

Posted by David Clarke, CEO.