About

The Surf Coast Walk is made possible through a partnership between three land management agencies including the Surf Coast Shire Council, Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and Parks Victoria. 

History

The original Surf Coast Walk was developed in 1987 between the surfside villages of Jan Juc and Moggs Creek. Over the past 30 years, the Surf Coast Walk has subsequently been extended and upgraded, primarily along Crown Land managed by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, Surf Coast Shire Council, Department of Sustainability and Environment and Parks Victoria. Part of the original Surf Coast Walk also traversed Crown Land leased by Alcoa in Anglesea as well as privately owned Alcoa land.

Major Surf Coast Walk Realignment Project 2012

A three year, $1.35 million redevelopment resulting in a 44km world class walk along the Great Ocean Road.

It was identified that the previous alignment of the Surf Coast Walk was poor and proper navigation and trailhead designations were needed. A Working Group involving representatives of each of the primary land management agencies and the Surf Coast Tourism Board effectively worked together to progressively upgrade, improve and coordinate activities associated with the development of the Surf coast Walk.

The redevelopment of the Surf Coast Walk was possible thanks to $800,000 in funding from Regional Development Victoria, $280,000 from the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, and $270,000 from the Surf Coast Shire and support from a range of partners, including Parks Victoria

Today the Surf Coast Walk comprises 44 kilometers of paths and trails through a range of coastal, bushland and village environments. Many sections of the old track have been realigned to connect more closely with the coastline, negating the need for less exciting 'link' sections that were on dirt roads rather than the preferred single track trails featured along the length of the revitalised Surf Coast Walk today.

Further improvements to usability of the walk include more and better placed trailheads, directional and navigation signs.

With a shared commitment to achieving the vision of a continuous coastal trail from Torquay to Lorne through the length of the Surf Coast municipality, the Working Group relishes bringing to life a version of the Surf Coast Walk as "one of Victoria's iconic walking trails."

Future Plans

An extension of the highly popular Surf Coast Walk from Fairhaven to Lorne and enabling dual use by cyclists and walkers from start-to-finish will be explored in a project that will be submitted as one of three Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) applications by Surf Coast Shire Council. Council resolved at its December  2017 meeting to apply for $100,000 to support this work. We'll keep you posted. Fingers crossed!