Walking & Waterfalls

Articles

Coastal walking trails to lure tourists - Colac Herald (Apr. 2011)

Trekkers find lost waterfalls - The Age (Oct. 2003)

Sabine Falls win a reprieve - OREN reprint from The Age (Jan. 2001)

Local Groups

Apollo Bay Walking Group

Calling all walkers! If you're interested in walking with like minded people (including our Allied Health staff) in the great outdoors, finished with a coffee at the local cafe, then join our walking group located in Apollo Bay.

All fitness levels welcome. No need to book in, simply turn up on the day wearing a good pair of walking shoes and money in your back pocket for your well deserved coffee.

Where: Apollo Bay Info Centre
When: Every Tuesday at 9.30am
Who: All Walkers Welcome
Distance: 45 Minute walks at your own pace finishing with a delicious coffee.

Bushwalking Group

Contact: (03) 5237 8500 or (03) 5237 6064

Friends of Apollo Bay Skenes Creek Trail

Otway Ranges Walking Track Association

Contact - Alan Dow 0400 404 046

Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study

Colac Otway Shire in partnership with Parks Victoria and the Otway Ranges Walking Track Association (ORWTA) during 2011-12 has developed the Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study. The Study aims were:

To investigate the feasibility of a number of loop walks, or one-day walks, radiating from and linking to Apollo Bay.
To prioritise and undertake detailed planning for those walks determined feasible.

The Feasibility Study has considered the following walks:

Highview Trail, Wild Dog Trail, Wild Dog Falls Trail, Wild Dog Loop Trail, Wild Dog/Marriners Falls Link Trail and Barham River Shared Pathway

The following issues have been considered:

Potential routes.
Environmental impacts (including vegetation offsets).
Non-European cultural impacts.
European cultural impacts.
Implication of potential routes on land tenure.
Estimated costs for each walk.
Possible funding sources for the future development of the walks.
Governance arrangements for future management and maintenance including the role of each organisation as well as community volunteer groups and individuals.

At its January 2012 meeting, Council endorsed that the draft Apollo Bay Trails Feasibility Study be placed on public exhibition for a minimum period of six weeks.

At Council’s March 2012 meeting the Feasibility Study was adopted unanimously. The steering committee has launched a video which will assist with the next stage of raising funds and then promoting walking in the Otways.

The two walks recommended in the study for priority are:

The Highview Walk, a 9 km track from the Apollo Bay Information Centre along the beach walk to Tuxion Rd, up Tuxion and Old Tuxion Rds to Crows Nest, then along the ridge through farmland and down Montrose Ave back to the Information Centre.
The Wild Dog Trail, a 16 km walk from Turtons Track, through rainforest along Wild Dog Ridge (with a short detour to Sharp’s No 3 Mill), to Crows Nest then down to the Information Centre.

For more information contact - Ian Seuren, Colac Otway Shire, (03) 5232 9400.