My Great Ocean Walk Experience by Jaeya Hough

Great Ocean Walk, Devil's Kitchen Campsite - Photo by Jaeya Hough

I did the Great Ocean Walk April 29- May 4 of 2023 and it was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had. I didn't know much about the trail until about a week before I did it. Seven days before I was supposed to fly to Melbourne I saw a post about it on social media and decided that the trail was something I had to do. I flew to Melbourne and rented gear and hit the trail for my first solo backpacking trip.

For me, one of the coolest parts of the experience was reaching the first part of the trail in the bush past Apollo bay. It felt like I had truly made it on the trail and like I was going to accomplish something important. I made it to Elliot ridge campground feeling confident about the rest of the hike and happy to meet other hikers at the campground. Everyone was super friendly and was happy to chat about their plans for the hike and advice for the rest of the trail. I felt safe and happy in the forest and excited for what the next day would bring. 

Day 2 and 3 were long and the very muddy and technical trail from Elliot Ridge to Blanket Bay was tedious. I decided to combine some of the hiking and hike from Elliot to Cape Otway. I have never been so excited to see a cafe in my life and the walk from the cafe to the campground felt much farther than the sign saying 500m suggested. The long days of hiking were totally worth it though. I saw beautiful forests and amazing views of the ocean. I think the end of the third day was one of my favorite moments on the trail and I would recommend to everyone to stay at Johanna beach. I’ll admit that I hate walking on sand and the two kilometer walk along Johanna beach is no exception. It felt weird to be on the beach all by myself, unable to see the end of the beach and nervous about whether I was in the right spot. But making it to the end of the beach was beautiful. The ocean was wild and when I finally reached the campground I was treated to a beautiful view of the beach that I had been on.

The next day I decided not to combine the two parts of the trail which I was very thankful for. I hiked to Ryan’s Den and had an excellent time. I spent a long time at Ryan’s Den which I really enjoyed. There is a platform with a beautiful view of the path ahead that was very peaceful. This was the first campsite that I was all alone at, it was so quiet that I felt a little weird. It gave me time to reflect on the trail and to call some of my family.  I was in my tent very early though, the rain had started and I wanted to stay dry and cozy. The night was long and I was woken up several times to the wind and rain, hoping that my tent would keep me dry and wishing the morning would come faster. When I woke up I was in a predicament. I checked my phone and there was a wind warning for the area that I was in but there was no way for me to get off the trail except hiking to the end. I decided to press on cautiously. 

My fifth day was tedious with a steep descent to a creek crossing and a lot of elevation gain and loss. The trail was very muddy too which made me scared to fall and injure myself. I made it to Devil’s Kitchen without any incidents though which was nice and met a group of women who were doing the trail in different sections. They had stopped for lunch and gave me some encouragement before heading out. Devil’s Kitchen was beautiful, the nicest view from a toilet I have ever seen. I spent my afternoon at the lookout and reading all the notes written on the shelter, they made me laugh and feel less lonely. It was cool to picture how many other people had been where I was. They had survived and so would I. 

The last day was bittersweet. I had my first view of the Twelve Apostles 15 kilometers away and it was cool to see where I was hiking too. I walked slowly towards the end, wanting to savor every moment I had on the trail until I was done. I was proud of what I had accomplished when I made it to the end. I felt like I had truly earned the beautiful view at the end of the trail.

If I were to do the trail again, there isn't much that I would do differently. I really enjoyed doing it solo, I felt safe on the trail and saw enough people to remain sane. Although I would love to experience it with someone else. My advice would be to take your time, there is so much beauty along the trail. My favorite campsites that I stayed at were Johanna beach and Devil’s Kitchen but Blanket Bay was beautiful too. I loved the Great Ocean Walk, it is an experience that I will never forget and I would love the opportunity to do it again. 

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Great Ocean Walk experience and photos by Jaeya Hough. Share your own Great Ocean Walk adventure with us and be rewarded; Find out how.

Ride With Us provide a transport shuttle service for the Great Ocean Walk for solo hikers, couples/pairs and small groups of up to 8 people. Transport operates 7 days a week by advance booking. One off transfers, multi day transport and luggage service available. Pick up and drop off locations include the Great Ocean Walk trail, train stations and airports, campgrounds, accommodation and your car.

Join the Tips for Hiking The Great Ocean Walk Facebook Group.