Discover Gellibrand, Beech Forrest and Lavers Hill
Gellibrand, Beech Forest and Lavers Hill are nestled together in Victoria's Otway region, a scenic area known for its natural beauty. These locations are all within a short driving distance from each other, making them ideal destinations to explore in one go.
Gellibrand, the largest of the three, is a riverside town known for its scenic beauty and proximity to the Great Ocean Road.
Beech Forest, known for its towering Redwoods, is a popular spot for camping and hiking, while Lavers Hill is home to the Otway Fly, a world-renowned treetop walk that allows visitors to explore the rainforest canopy.
DIRECTIONS
- It will take 23 minutes to get from Lake Colac Holiday Park to Gellibrand via C155. See the directions here.
- From there, Beech Forest is 17 minutes away via Colac-Lavers Hill Rd/C155. See the directions here.
- Finally, it's a further 15 minutes to Lavers Hill via Colac-Lavers Hill Rd/C155. See the directions here.
Gellibrand - Old Beechy Rail Trail
An excellent example of an old railway line being turned into a recreational asset, the Old Beechy Rail Trail is 45.2 kilometres long and runs from Colac to Beech Forest on the disused Crowes narrow gauge railway line. It is a gravel track which is suitable for both cyclists and bushwalkers with some areas accessing public roads. Starting point in Gellibrand to travel either north to Colac or south to Beech Forest is at the Rex Norman Park, Old Beech Forest Road.
Gellibrand - Otway Blueberries
55 Gellibrand-Carlisle Road, Gellibrand Pick your own blueberries. Learn how blueberries grow and how to pick them. No entry free, but a minimum purchase of 1kg/adult. No booking required. Operating hours: • From late December to March each year, 9.00am to 5.00pm, seven days a week Contact: 5235 8185
Gellibrand - The Little Organic Paddock
145 Gellibrand Carlisle Road, Gellibrand Pick your own strawberries and blueberries. Other organic produce for sale. Operating hours: • From December to April each year, 9.00am to 5.00pm, seven days a week Contact: 0430 544 349
Gellibrand - Kawarren Market
Echidna House, 2 Kawarren East Road, Kawarren Operating hours: • Fourth Sunday of every month, 9.00am to 1.00pm
Beech Forest - Triplet Falls
Off Phillips Track in the Great Otway National Park, Beech Forest One of the more renowned waterfalls in the Great Otway National Park, the waterfalls are set in ancient forest, with the area providing views into the lower cascades and the main falls. The walk is 2.6 kilometres return and follows a loop. The track takes you through a series of viewing platforms, starting at the bottom of the cascades. There is another set of falls called Little Aire Falls which can also be walked starting out from the Triplet Falls trail.
Beech Forest - Little Aire Falls
Off Phillips Track in the Great Otway National Park, Beech Forest Little Aire Falls is a 6 kilometre return walk. This is a fairly challenging walk due to the many steps (approximately 360) as well as a lot of steeper sections. The trail leaves from the car park and begins out on the same path for Triplet Falls, however only a few minutes into the walk, you will come across a junction. Follow the signs for Little Aire Falls. The track does not take you to the base of the falls (no access). You can only view it from the platform which is some distance away. However, after rain, this set of falls is impressive.
Beech Forest - Houpton Falls
Great Otway National Park, Hopetoun Falls Road, Beech Forest There is a viewing platform 20 metres from the car park which offers spectacular views of the falls as they crash into the Aire River. Or you can take the steeper walk down to the pool at the base of the falls.
Beech Forrest - Beauchamp Falls
Beauchamp Falls Road, Beech Forest A walk through Mountain Ash forests with large myrtle beech, blackwood and ferns, finishing at the 20 metre high Beauchamp Falls. The falls are about 3 kilometres from the car park and the gradient is rated difficult. At the falls there are good metal steps and viewing platform, however there is no access to the falls.
Beech Forest - Art Reach Studio Gallery Cafe
1 Southorn Street, Beech Forest Celebrating artists from the Otways Region. Operating hours: • Monday to Friday, 11.00am to 4.00pm • Saturday, 11.00am to 5.00pm • Sunday, 10.00am to 5.00pm Contact: 0409 072 656 (Francis) or 0437 012 596 (Susan)
Beech Forest - The Redwoods
Great Otway National Park, Binns Road, Beech Forest A legacy of the Otways timber industry, a forest full of Giant California Redwoods planted in 1936 originated from Northern California. They have thrived in the conditions of the Otways and are now more than 60 metres tall. The Redwoods here have never been used as plantation trees and have never been cut. Forestry experts believe that they could grow to almost twice their current height over the next 70 years. If that happened, they could eventually outgrow the remarkable redwoods in California, which would make them among the tallest trees in the world. Ideal spot for a picnic.
Beech Forrest - Otway Fly Treetop Adventures
360 Phillips Track, Beech Forest Otway Fly Tree Top Adventures is a 600 metre long, 25 metre high elevated tree top walk and zip line tour through the giants of the Otway rain forests. Operating hours: • Thursday to Monday, 10.00am to 5.00pm (last entry to Tree Top Walk is 3.30pm) Contact: 1800 300 477
Beech Forest - Otway Districts Historical Society
Cliff Young Drive, Beech Forest Operating hours: • Tuesday, 1.30pm to 4.00pm (or by appointment) Contact: 0428 359 252
Beech Forest - Beech Forest Information Shelter
John H Gardner Reserve, Main Road, Beech Forest Unmanned display containing information about Beech Forest and surrounds.
Lavers Hill - Melba Gully National Park
Great Otway National Park, 5 Melba Gully Road, Lavers Hill Madsen's Track Nature Walk at Melba Gully, which starts at the picnic area, is an easy 1.5 kilometre loop walk through a world of ancient, mossy trees and cool fern gullies. Experiences: • Melba Gully Glow Worm Walk Glow worms like wet and warm environments and the most likely time of the year to find them is during the warmer months of the year, between December to March but it is possible to see them most of the year although the display may be less impressive at these times.
Lavers Hill - The 'Drift'
The landmark wood sculpture at the junction of the Great Ocean Road and the Colac-Lavers Hill Road is the "Drift", which is a tribute to the marine environment, prehistoric skeletal finds, shipwrecks and the agricultural machinery of the area, designed by artist James Catell.
