SGWAAC GOW The real Stars of the event
The Great Ocean Walk (GOW) was completed between 24th February and 1st March.
Participants: Ken, Vicky, Rod, Beverley, Maree, Michelle, Michele, Frithjof, June, Joy, Shane.
Supported by JJ and with the company of three others not walking
Thanks to our taxi driver Allan, who collected up to 6 of our group each day and dropped them at the start then picked them up later in the day.
We could have taken up to 21 members utilising a minicoach, however, this was not cost effective for less than 14. We had 11 participants, so we used a 6 seater taxi and Ken's 7 seater car each day to drop us at the start of the walk and collect us from the end of the walk. JJ had agreed not to walk and to drive Ken's car at the start and end of each days walking and also to provide support during the day should it be needed. We could not have completed this walk without you. Thank you JJ.
The Great Ocean Walk usually takes 8 days, carrying a full backpack between the 7 designated walk-in camp sites each day. SGWAAC completed it in 6 days with using day packs and returning to the same location each evening.
The accomodation for 8 nights, was at Bimbi Park near Cape Otway. We had the complete mix of accomodation, as between us we had two cabins, three campervans, one caravan, one trailer tent and one tent.
Pictures: 'The start' and 'On the track'
So to the walk itself.........
The route diverse scenery, including coastal heathlands, tall forests, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches within the Great Otway and Port Campbell National Parks. It has got it all. Deserted beaches with unbridged creek and river crossings. Panoramic views from windswept clifftops. Wet fern and rainforest gullies sheltered by the worlds tallest flowering plant (mountain ash in case you did not know). With place names such as Eagles Nest, Castle Cove (not a real castle), Wreck Beach (yes it does have shipwrecks), Ryans Den and Devils Kitchen.
The day walks........
Day1 Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay 21.6 km
Day 2 Blanket Bay to Cape Otway lighthouse 10.8km then onto Bimbi another 4km
Day 3 Cape Otway to Castle Cove 15.5 km
Day 4 Castle Cove to Milanesia Beach 17.2 km
Day 5 Milanesia Beach to Gables Lookout 16.2 km
Day 6 Gables Lookout to the 12 (now apparently only 7) Apostles viewing platform 19.6 km and another 2.5km to the visitor center.
The walk is stated as 100kms but overall we found we covered 109.3kms.
Pictures: 'Ocean View' and 'On the Beach'
On day 2 some of us took the opportunity visit the lighthouse, to have coffee and yummy scones with jam and cream (yes the jam is spread on the scone first) We were surprised to learn about local invasions or incursions that had happened during both world wars as the general consensus was that war in Australia had only touched Darwin. The other surprise was a presentation on the 'Dinosaur Coast' which was mainly about Inverloch!!!!!
Day 4 was the hardest. Ken had said it was something like the "George Bass Coastal Walk" and so it was. Just 3 times as long and with 5 times the elevation!!!!! Everyone was quite quiet at the not so happy hour that evening and Ken was not popular.
Pictures 'Locked in on day 4. You've got to do it!', 'The boys looking for the way' and 'The girls know the way'
June our SGWAAC UK member (OK she is also an Australian Citizen) was overjoyed to see the kangaroos, wallabies and koalas but not so much the snakes.
As quite often happens on our Tuesday walks, we had little rain. In fact on the two days it did drizzle, raincoats were taken off almost as quickly as they were put on.
There were three river crossings (Parker Inlet, Johanna River and Milanesia Creek) all planned to be crossed at low tide. Although there was a lot of talk about removing boots and 'prancing' across these water barriers, Milanesia was dry and the other two low enough to splash across.
Pictures: 'On the beach' and 'Taking a break'
As with most of our base camps we had a happy hour in the site kitchen around 5pm, although these became later each day as we travelled further from Bimbi Park. Everyone, did us proud with so much food and drink that on more than one ocassion Ken did not have any room left for dinner. After the mandatory briefing for the following days walk, discussions moved in all sorts of directions. Its amazing what you learn about the big wide world and about each other on these base camps.
Also, people might think that the chats along the trail are of a somewhat serious nature. What is our pace per hour? How does that compare to yesterday? How many kms must we walk to our next break?.....But no not this group. After the obligatory updates on our various aches and pains and should we tip-toe, wade or prance across rivers, topics of discussion have included our favourite films .... that we cant remember the names of ... and even 'what style of champagne glass is based on a particular part of Marie Antoinette's anatomy (don't ask?). The only real concern about pace was will we get to the finish in time to get an ice cream before the cafe closes????
As always 'what happens on the trail stays on the trail.'
Picture 'The Apostles and the end'
Another fantastic basecamp and multi day walk.