Walkers Diaries whilst on the 'Great Ocean Walk'
Walk 91 welcome you to share your comments with us, and other walkers, about your 'Great Ocean Walk' hiking holiday.
Your Great Ocean Walk hiking experience:
Thanks Mark...we did have a very enjoyable time on our walk. It was very
well organised and we found all the hosts very hospitable and very willing
to make us comfortable and certainly fed us very well!! Great accommodation
at the end of the day really "tops" it off. The walk was challenging in
certain areas and especially on the very hot New Eve day, when temps
reached in high 30's. The coastline is very spectacular and beautiful, and
we certainly appreciated the cooling ocean breezes on those steeper ascents
and climbs.
We will certainly refer this walk to other friends. Thank you for your
organisation and assistance.
Milton Carruthers- Feb 2010
We are back in the United States and we want you all to know how thrilled we
were with our Great Ocean Walk and the itinerary that Walk 91 put together
for us.
I heard about walk 91 searching the web. We came to Australia for the
Australian Open Tennis tournament and decided that we would be in the area
for two weeks and went to the tournament for the first week and needed
something to do for the remainder of the trip and found your web site and
the people I contacted were very nice to plan the second half of our trip
for us.I was very pleased with the way our itinerary was planned.
Walk 91 did an excellent job, they provided me with a very nice day pack,
walking sticks, and a GPS system.
They made all arrangements for us to get there from Melbourne and made all
accommodation arrangements and this gave us a chance to just relax and enjoy
ourselves because they took care of all the details….
The accommodation providers were really outstanding …We met two lovely Australian couples whom we ate dinner with and visited with until almost midnight! The food was excellent!! After the third day's walk we were taken to a beautiful B+B that had wonderful views and was very clean and
soothing with an Asian influence in the landscape and décor. There was also
a TV and so we enjoyed watching the Australian open that evening. All of
the accommodations provided excellent breakfasts and lunches to take on our
walks, there was plenty of food! Walk 91 should stick with these
accommodation providers! I do not think there was anything that could be
improved upon in that regard. Also we found our bags each evening at the
providers homes so that was well done.
We did not have any trouble finding the pick up points…The walk itself was fantastic…
The whole of the experience was fantastic and there is so much variety on the walk and
so much beauty. We saw a snake, Australian porcupine, king parrots, and kangaroo on the walk.
I think bringing bandages for blisters is a good suggestion for other
walkers. Also I thank walk 91 for providing the fly nets, I wore mine and
thought it was great, my husband did not think he needed his. The walking
sticks were very helpful.
Everyone involved with the walk was very friendly and helpful and I thank
you for making our trip to Australia most memorable, pleasurable and a trip
of a lifetime! I would highly recommend Walk91!
Rebecca Euwers- Jan 2010
We found you by searching the internet. The itinerary is very well planned
and times allowed are generous and realistic. Our walk package was
good...the accommodation providers were excellent, interesting people. Rooms
very comfortable, good breakfasts and lunches provided. Photos of meeting
spots and some intermediate points are a great idea and worked very well.
It is a wonderful walk full of variety and interest in a lovely part of the
country.
However there was a total absence of signage at the many features of
geological interest to the lay observer. ..(I'm a geologist but did not do
enough swotting before the walk to answer all my friends' questions.)
I carried 2L water in bladder and 1L in flasks and on the warmer days this
was just enough. At the end of day 5 I was quite dehydrated by sand slogging
and step climbing. This does not detract from the walk pleasure but should
be provided for. Likewise there is a lot of reflection off sea and sand and
extra block out is recommended. Carrying a mobile is pretty handy for
liaising with the pickup person. The 1:25,000 scale map is essential for
navigation.
All in all we had a great time and were most impressed. On one thing we
agree and that is that we got value for money based on what we learned from
other walkers on a guided tour with another operator. Nevertheless we
acknowledge small generous acts along the way by the other tour guide.
Thank you, I'll be recommending your walk to my friends.
David McKenzie -Feb2010
I found Walk91 by Internet search.
The walk was stunning! Loved it all except crossing the blowhole by myself!
My driver was excellent...flexible, reliable and informative.
Make sure..if you go to the tavern at Laver's Hill to try the chicken with
pesto and Mediterranean vegetables!
I prefer to walk in a group but enjoyed the personal challenges of walking
alone this time. It was a memorable experience and thanks for helping me
achieve this.
Sue Shaw-Jan 2010
The itinerary was very well planned from start to finish including
organising accommodation prior to commencing the walk. Everyone (guest
houses and transport) was expecting us and things went as planned. Very
well organised! Given the lateness with which we made the booking this was
all the more impressive... inclusion of a fly net in the pack was a nice
touch as was loan of the emergency beacon for duration of the walk. We were
particularly impressed by the service provided by your driver..they were
always there when they said they would be.
All providers were very helpful and personable, making us feel welcome and
providing great service. However clothes washing facilities (laundry
trough) would be useful to wash out and 'air dry' daily walking gear.
Telephone calls to arrange pick up times worked well. Information on areas
with poor telephone reception was also very useful.
The walk was excellent, better than expected. Should be rated as another
one of Victoria's hidden treasures. Far, far superior than a drive down the
Great Ocean Road. It is understood that plans are in place to further
develop the walk with new tracks. Please ensure that information on
development of the GOW is made available.
Key point is to enjoy and take your time, times provided are easily
achievable carrying only a day pack. Only advice reinforces information
provided in the information pack to take plenty of water, make use that you
have fly net handy and use walking poles they are very good for spreading
the load and letting the 'locals' (we did not see any snakes thinking was
that they felt us coming with the tap of the poles and got out of our way)
know you are coming down the track. If you have any questions just ask your
hosts at the accommodation they are more than happy to help in anyway that
they can.
A great walk, have recommended it to all that I meet, who have interest and
ability to do the walk, as well as the excellence of the accommodation for a
few days away.
Peter Guttmann & Benn Buntman -Jan 2010
Thank you for an excellent and professionally organised walk experience.
We heard about Walk 91 on the internet. We were very happy with our walk and it worked well for us.
Our tips for walkers are that they should be prepared for possibly encountering leeches and to be prepared for flies with fly nets!
Get out there and enjoy it! A great walk and superbly organised by Walk 91.
Marjolijn and Emma, December 2009
Thank you for organising the walk for us, we had a very enjoyable holiday that we will remember for years to come.
We came to Melbourne / Yarra Valley for a friend’s wedding, her father recommended the GOW and from there I found Walk 91 on the internet (Google). I also spoke to two other operators but chose Walk 91 because of the fast & informative response to my enquiries and questions.
The itinerary you put together for us was a short one comprising of 4 days, the flexibility you offered suited us well.
The walk is varied in both terms of scenery and difficulty, we really enjoyed the variation. We took all the inland options at decision points which in my view made the walk more interesting....we really enjoyed the inland sections; it added further variety and a change of scenery that was not seen elsewhere. ...If clients have time (we didn’t) don’t do the walk too fast.......and enjoy the scenery ....
Walk 91 offer a fantastic service, they are friendly, helpful and flexible.
A superb experience we will recommend to our friends and family.
Thank you.
Simon Cahill & Lesley Jones, October 2009
I read about Walk 91 in a magazine and and liked what you had to offer.
I thought the itinerary was great. You were really helpful with giving us differentchoices to suit the time frame we wanted to do it in and the distances were challenging enough for our group.We were extremely happy with the way you planned it for us.
The meeting spotswere easy to find using your photos provided.
I thought the walk was one of the best things I have ever done. Fantastic scenery, changing from coastal
to lush green countryside and dense bush. Could not fault it and have been selling it to others!
Our tips are to take plenty water, blister bandaids and walking poles.
A must do walk for anyone who loves the outdoors and a moderate fitness level is all you need.
Thanks for all your help organising our walk and to the driver who was
very friendly and helpful.
Kerrie Vrana and friends - Nov 2009
Kerrie Vrana
We heard about Walk 91 on the internet. We thought that the package was excellent with a good range of choices….good price / good value. The two places we stayed at were great - accommodation and people.
The meeting spots each day…were easy to find. We felt the walk was fantastic - loved the beauty / solitude / challenge.
We felt…Parks Victoria could improve the walk by signposting at roughly every 2kms (can be subtle and tasteful) to give you a better feel of where you are in the walk.
We thought it was a wonderful experience and we wish Walk 91 great success.
Peter and Colette O'Donnell, Oct 2009
Very happy about how it was planned...and ...very happy with the package. The meeting spots were very easy to find. The photos were helpful and gave us a lot of confidence that we were in the right spot.
The walk was wonderful. The only disappointment being the untidy way it finishes on the last day. There should at least be a sign at the final car park saying that the walk was finished.
It is not far from being one of the best walks in the world and I think a little thing like a dedicated finish would leave the walkers with a sense of closure, as any great walk should.
My advice is to take the trip and enjoy the walk. It is a special and wonderful experience.
We recommend... blister Band-Aids ....I had never heard of them but was lucky enough to be given one by another walker and it made a tremendous difference to the quality of my walk. I would advise all walkers to have proper hiking boots. Walking the track revealed many skid marks where some walkers had struggled on wet ground.
Thanks for a great experience and I am sure I will take the track again.
Cliff Barclay, Oct 2009
We first found Walk 91 via an internet search. The length of walking each day was about right, and caused no great difficulties... We enjoyed the walk very much - especially walking on long stretches of beach, where few (or none) other people can be seen.... also, the very different scenery and wildlife.
The accommodation and food was excellent, and the hosts were all very helpful and informative.
Helen Strutt, September 2009
We found out about Walk 91 on the internet after a friends were talking about the walk.... the planned itinerary was very good.
The pictures of the meeting spots each day were very useful. The walk was beautiful, one of the best things we've done in Australia....it would be an improvement if the walk would end right at the 12 Apostles. But we heard that this is planned and some tracks are going to be along the beaches instead of forrest roads, which sound excellent!
Our accommodation providers were all perfect!!! really wonderful hosts, with delicious food and extraordinary service!
We can recommend the 5 day option with luggage transportation service! it's a walk which can be achieved by any average person! try to walk along the beach, but watch out the tide times at shipwreck beach!
We enjoyed our walk every day, beautyful landscape and scenery, koalas, kangoroos, seals, we've seen everything, all sorts of friendly animals. We were lucky with the weather, it rained quite a bit, but not too much. A great experience !
Kerstin March 09
The walk offered great variety, invigorating, stunning views. The accommodation...was perfect. I was so impressed with the accommodation, meals, the staff and their passion for the environment and nature.
Our tip would to be strap your heels and balls of your feet to reduce the chance of blisters, and definately do the seal kayaking tour in Apollo Bay.
Michelle O'Connor - Feb 09
Thank you to Mark and everyone, we enjoyed our walk very much and would throughly recommend it to friends. We enjoyed our 3 nights of accommodation after each day of the walk, and also the lovely meals.
Cherie Olliver - Jan 09
We are home now after a really enjoyable walking experience. Each day brought different challenges as well as magnificent views. Our last day was quite a day, with gusty winds and a couple of hours rain to finish. Of course visibility was reduced. However as it was the dullest part of the Great Ocean Walk we didnt feel cheated. We read of Walk 91 from a Parks Victoria brochure. Your format suited us in that other organised trips were not conducting their walks at a time suitable to us. Your package worked very well for us. We were happy with the planning of the itinerary and the accommodation was excellent. Each of our hosts were exemplary. Food provided for the evening meal, breakfast and for lunch was really excellent - you have chosen them well! Great Ocean Walk meeting spots were readily identifiable. We were pleasantly suprised on most days that we came across them earlier than we had anticipated. The walk itself was challenging and rewarding. The scenery was just great. Overall a great experience.
Rene and Allan McCasker - Mar 08
Thank Sooo much! We had a wonderful time and were very impressed by how smoothly everything went! The local knowledge and networking of everyone who coordinated the trip for us was fantastic! Its such a pleasure to go away with friends and not have to worry about where you'll be sleeping or eating! Such great accommodation and hosts! Much appreciated. Thanks.
Anne Russell - Nov 08
We heard about Walk 91 on the internet.Mark was really helpful organising our transport from Melbourne and Avalon. We thought that the food was sensational, the accommodation was really good, even the YHA.The walk was great - we really enjoyed it.Lots of diversity. Make sure you bring fly nets though. You were all wonderful....I would definately recommend Walk 91 to other walkers.
Robyn Turner - Nov 08
Annie and I would like to thank you for the great holiday - we enjoyed taking the Great Ocean Road. The background material you supplied was terrific and the organisation, including pick ups etc were really seamless. For your side of things, we think you have got a great product and would throughly recommend you to our friends, and in fact we have already done so.
Stephen Flynn - Nov 08
Our itinerary was planned efficiently, with comprehensive information supplied.The walk over 6 days was a good way to do it. Moving accommodation as we did was far better than staying in one place for the whole walk and having long drives each day.The accommodation was excellent....and the hosts very helpful. All the meals and lunches were excellent.
Finding the Great Ocean Walk meeting spots each day were no problem at all...the walking times conservative but that is okay.
We did not see one snake even though it was warm.....others said they saw lots. Our tips for other walkers are 'Enjoy it!', and take plenty of water if it is hot.
I have already recommended Walk 91 to several people.
Robert Hall - Mar 08
The planning of our Great Ocean Walk was excellent with accurate details. The co-ordination worked well with all the various people – collecting, delivering and the accommodation. There were no problems finding the meeting spots - the photographs given clearly showed the meeting places. There were wonderful views from Milanesia Beach to Moonlight Head!!
Thank you for all your help in organising our walk. We really enjoyed the excellent accommodation and hospitality of our hosts.
Audrey and John Palmer – Mar 08
Our Great Ocean Walk was…well organised. The walk was excellent. Five days was a good length for us…….
However Parks Victoria could improve their signposting so walkers know how long each section is. Many thanks! We had a great trip – scenery and accommodation were great. We will be sure to recommend to friends.
Many thanks, Carol and Geoff - Feb 08
The planning of our Great Ocean Walk was good... and daily distances were reasonable. The food at the accommodation… was very good. The scenery was magnificent. A very special walk ...and the snakes were exciting! Thanks Mark – it was a very good experience and one we will remember!
Ron Clancy - Feb 08
The Great Ocean Walk was brilliant!! Beautiful location, amazing scenery and wildlife. Had an excellent time!! Remember insect repellent…the flies!!
Matt Shields - Feb 08
We thoroughly enjoyed our three days on the Great Ocean Walk. We had a bit of everything---rain, cloud and sun! The organisation of the whole hiking trip was incredible-- not one fault at all. The times, meeting places and itinerary was fine. The bus journey was also good. The bus left at the said time both ways and was as comfortable as one would expect it to be. Our hosts and hostesses at the B and Bs were amazing. We arrived the first day dripping wet and Andrew took all our wet gear and put it on his boiler for the night so they were all dry by the next day. We also met interesting people at both B and Bs. Finding the meeting places was very easy with all the maps and pictures you had given us. The walk itself was good, there was a bit of variety each day and we were never bored, we saw lots of porcupines, a couple of groups of Kangaroos, heaps of different birds and even a snake one of the days. The walk on the last day was a lot like NZ bush as well as the up and down nature of it, and having a hot day walking in the shade like that was perfect. We managed to beat the times suggested, but thought that perhaps if there were a few places along the way where one could sit a few minutes and take in a breath taking view it would have been great. Thank you for your expert help and advice.
Jill and Brian Hankin - Jan 08
We had a great time. It was fantastic. A wonderful family holiday.
The itinerary was done well. We were happy about the rest day and suggest that you recommend that to people …We consider ourselves to be pretty fit but were quite tired at the end…
Our favourite place to stay was the conservation centre… where we had the best food…The next B&B…was lovely. The hosts were friendly without being intrusive and the accommodation arrangements suited us perfectly.
The information pack was great. Our tips for walkers:
- Consider building in a rest day;
- Two of us walked in runners which was fine as it was fairly dry and the path is so well established but next time I would bring proper walking boots.
- For kids: make sure their boots have been well worn in. Blisters are probably inevitable no matter how well worn the shoes are so carry proper blister dressings.
- Also for kids: they also need to be "walked in" beforehand: at least a few long walks a week (min. 10km) for at least a month. This is how we prepared our two seven year olds and they did marvellously but we would have had a miserable time with them if they had not put in the hard work beforehand. I do note recommend the walk for children of this age unless they are (i) very enthusiastic; (ii) easily motivated; and (iii) have been properly prepared.
- We saw a number of snakes…. Walkers should carry a good first aid kit that contains a compression bandage…
Thanks for all. We would not have missed it for the world! Kindest regards,
Anne Galleghar - Jan 08
We all agreed that 'the Great Ocean Walk' was an amazing experience and we were so glad that we did it together as a family. It was very difficult at times, but it was worth every blister,bruise, scratch and mozzie bite! It was an excellent adventure, but more of a hike than a walk!
The walk was very senic, with so many beautiful views. We found the best views and walks were from Cape Otway to Ryan's Den.
The Great Ocean Walk campsites were very good, some with excellent privacy. The conditions of the track varied - some easy going, some rough to walk on. It would be good if Parks Victoria could put some signs along the way, so we knew how far we had walked between sections.
We would suggest to walkers to work out how much water you need carefully, as we underestimated how much you need when it is hot! Pack a first aid kit with plenty of band aids for blisters!
Thanks to Mark for all your work in preparation etc. We have recommended you to everyone we have told about our big adventure. Some of our friends are a bit sick of our stories!! It was an experience of a lifetime.
Cathryn Van Tatenhove - Dec 07
We thought the itinery was really well planned. After the first day, we had some idea of how we would manage the longer hike distances and how we went against the trip estimates (hours reqd). Therefore we were well prepared for the more challenging days - and also happy to have a few shorter days in the middle.
Walk 91 offered us the perfect way to complete the Great Ocean Walk. The self-catering cottage was clean and homely with a great outlook and tucked away so that we felt away from it all. The B&B accomodation was like an oasis after a long hike and 2 nights camping out. The hot shower, bathroom, great food, amazing views and friendly hosts was a highlight! We really enjoyed our 2 nights camping too. On both nights we met interesting people and spent time swapping stories.
We were extremely thankful that Mark had mentioned the flies were in abundance, so we came armed with face nets and insect repellant....
The flora & fauna info and maps sent by Walk 91 was a great way to familiarise with the area before we got there.
The camping gear was clean and well packed.... we were able to have a camp fire at Aire River, and... were able to enjoy our chicken curry and rice without using the gas cooker.
We had a 2 man and 3 man tent.Although we had booked and paid to camp in the walk-in camps we chose not to... as it was just myself and my two young daughter (aged 10 and 12), we opted for the public camping area which had several families in tents and vans... but we called in at the walk-in site to admire the view the following day as we embarked on our walk.
The meeting spots were easy to find - especially due to the photos and description supplied by Walk 91. We had very warm weather during our walk and it would have been great to have a meeting place with shelter/shade. We arrived early at most spots...'the driver' did an amazing job each day arriving right on time to meet us. He was friendly and helpful.
The walk itself met all our expectations, amazing views, lots of variety in the surrounding environment, peace and quiet, adventure, excercise, challenges, and at the end, an amazing sense of pride and achievement that we had done it!...We have talked to many people since we returned from the Great Ocean Walk and talk highly of the way Walk 91 organised things for us. We are not seasoned hikers or campers but with your assistance, we were able to really enjoy the experience.
Maree Mullins - Dec 07
Just a note to thank Walk 91 for a great, Great Ocean Walk, hike last week. The weather was
kind, the accommodations excellent, the scenery outstanding and we met some
lovely people. Everything went smoothly and we'll certainly recommend Walk91 to any friends interested in doing the Great Ocean Walk. Cheers.
Mark Hopkins and Maureen Dwyer - Dec 07
We enjoyed the Great Ocean Walk…the itinerary was pretty well thought out ….the distances and pick up/drop off times were well thought out and comfortably achievable.
Overall good communications beforehand and good organisation during the
Great Ocean Walk. All of the meeting spots were pretty clear.
Facilities provided by Parks Victoria at the campsites were very well thought out
with most tent sites private from others and facilities of a high quality.
Had a great driver… he knew the Great Ocean Walk, understood the effects of weather on the walking range and was able to provide sensible advice based on the conditions
Great accommodation… nice locations, excellent food
Our tips for other walkers are to be aware that the signage is not necessary as obvious as it could be. In summer, fly nets are advisable (even if people say they would never use them)
Jeff Bendeich – Dec 07
I really enjoyed the Great Ocean Walk.The distances were appropriate - support and advise given was very helpful.The accommodation was very good, with accommodating ,wonderful hosts. The walk was generally beautiful and ‘isolated’ enough. The track was well maintained and signposted, although more information boards on history, ecology and aboriginal history would be good.
John Fogarty - Nov 07
Thank you for such a wonderful trip. The itinerary you planned for us was excellent. We were very satisfied with the information pack, and we particularly liked the laminated photographs you gave us. The Great Ocean Walk was beautiful – stunning- and exceeded all our expectations. The accommodation was also well chosen and the hosts were very friendly.
We would recommend this walk for all reasonably fit people.
We managed it in our sixties, and although we were quite tired at the end, we both thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Margo Rasmuthun - April 2007
Thanks for a great Great Ocean Walk. The weather was nice - not too hot and no rain!
The walk really is stunning and the sea views magnificent. The laminated note you gave us were a great help, as we knew nothing really of Australia’s flora and fauna.
Jo Luhman – March 07