Things to See & Do
The Great Otway National Park is a spectacular area of native forest, and there are plenty of opportunities to get closer to nature with walking tracks and trails in the area, many leading to spectacular crashing waterfalls.
There are seven waterfalls within the bushland surrounding Lorne, with different accessibility levels – some are a quick ten minute stroll from the carpark, others are a more strenuous rainforest hike rewarded with the majestic roar of a waterfall.
CORA LYNN CASCADES
Car park options:
- Blanket Leaf picnic ground carpark (4 km return walk to the falls)
- Cora Lynn Cascades carpark (7 km return walk to the falls)
- Allenvale Mill carpark (8 km return walk to the falls)
Walking track information:
- Start: Blanket Leaf picnic ground, off Erskine Falls Road
- Finish: Allenvale Mill car park
- Distance: 4 km return to Cora Lynn cascades, 12 km return to
Allenvale Mill
- Duration: 2 hours to Cora Lynn cascades, 5 1/2 hours to Allenvale Mill
- Difficulty: Moderate (to Cora Lynn cascades), Strenuous (to Allenvale Mill)
Details:
The Cora Lynn Cascades walk passes through fern gullies and rocky gorges to Cora Lynn Cascades (about 2 km from the picnic area). The next section (from the Cascades to the Cora Lynn carpark) is only for experienced walkers. From the carpark the track continues on to Phantom Falls to Allenvale Road. From here you can walk east along Allenvale Road then turn left onto the Green Break Track which joins up with Erskine Falls Road which leads back to the picnic area. Another option is to follow Saint George River from the Allenvale Mill site to the coast.
ERSKINE FALLS & STRAW FALLS
Car park options:
- Erskine Falls car park (300m return walk to falls 1st lookout, 700 m to 2nd lookout)
Walking track information (Erskine River Track):
- Start: Erskine Falls car park
- Finish: Lorne
- Distance: 7.5 km one way
- Duration: 3 hours
- Difficulty: Strenuous
Details:
Erskine Falls is a short drive out of Lorne on appropriately named Erskine Falls Road. It is one of the most popular falls in the Otways and easily accessible. A five-minute walk from the car park brings you to a lookout of the falls, cascading 30 metres into a beautiful tree fern gullyYou also can take steps down to the Erskine River to view the falls from below. . Straw Falls are a 15m cascade on the Erskine River and are a further 400m downstreams of Erskine Falls. Experienced walkers can follow the river from Erksine Falls to Lorne. The 7.5km one-way walk takes about three hours and passes Straw Falls and Splitter Falls. It should not be attempted when water levels are high.
HENDERSON FALLS, THE CANYON & PHANTOM FALLS
Car park options:
- Sheoak Creek Picnic area carpark, along Allenvale Rd (21/2 hours return walk to Phantom Falls)
- Allenvale Mill site, on Allenvale Road (90 minute return walk to Phantom Falls)
Walking track information:
- Start: Sheoak Creek Picnic area carpark
- Finish: Sheoak Creek Picnic area carpark
- Distance: 6.5 km return
- Duration: 21/2 hours
- Difficulty: Strenuous
Details:
Henderson Falls, the Canyon and Phantom Falls are reached from the Sheoak Creek Picnic area, along Allenvale Rd. There are barbecue facilities, toilets, picnic tables, fireplaces and drinking water. From the Canyon, you can return to Sheoak picnic area by the same track or continue on to Phantom Falls and then down to the Allenvale Mill carpark and along Allenvale Rd back to the Sheoak picnic area. On the way is also Won Wondha Falls. Henderson Falls is about 8 to10 meters, Panthom Falls about 15 meters high. The total distance of this circuit is around 9 km.
KALIMNA FALLS (UPPER & LOWER FALLS)
Car park options:
- Sheoak picnic area carpark (2.5 hours walk to Lower Falls, 31/2 hours to Upper Falls)
Walking track information:
- Start: Sheoak picnic area carpark
- Finish: Sheoak picnic area carpark
- Distance: Lower Falls – 6.5 km; Upper Falls – 8.5 km
- Duration: Lower Falls – 21/2 hours: Upper Falls – 31/2 hou