Australia has some incredible multi-day hikes. But this list is putting NSW front-and-centre a hiking destination.
Australians love a hike, and we’re certainly spoiled for choice with an abundance of epic trails in each state. But Parks NSW is bringing the state front-and-centre with a new, official list of NSW’s ‘Great Walks’ . The list consists of the state’s best multi-day hikes, and comprises diverse landscapes from mighty alpine peaks to coastlines abundant with opportunities for spotting marine life. So, how many have you done? We break down the list below (from easiest to most difficult).
1. Grand Cliff Top Walk
The Grand Cliff Top Walk in the Blue Mountains has made a bit of a splash since it officially opened in March 2024, immediately topping AllTrails’ round up of the most popular hikes of the year. Indeed, the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains are known for its excellent hiking. Immerse yourself in this multi-day walk, which traces the clifftop taking in splendid views over two days. Best of all, the walk never strays far from mountain villages, so walkers have plenty of food and accommodation options.
2 days, 1 night
19 kilometres
Ditch the crowded lookouts on the new Grand Cliff Top Walk. (Image: R Brand/DCCEEW)
2. Tomaree Coastal Walk
Meander along the coast of Tomaree National Park in Port Stephens. Keep your eyes on the ocean – you’ll likely spot dolphins and whales here. Finish at Anna Bay and witness the fantastic Stockton sand dunes – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. You also don’t have to rough it on this hike, as there are local villages and cafes along the way to cover all your accommodation and food needs.
2-3 days, 1-2 nights
27 kilometres
Spot whales on the Tomaree Coastal Walk.
3. Murramarang South Coast Walk
Take some time out on the glorious South Coast with this walk that traverses the coast between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay. Start at Pretty Beach and make your way to Maloneys Beach over 3-4 days, passing through forests of towering spotted gums. There are plenty of campsites and cabins for ease.
3-4 days, 2-3 nights
34 kilometres
Enjoy the scenery while following the Murramarang South Coast Walk. (Image: John Spencer/Department of Planning and Environment)
4. Light to Light Walk
Connect the coast along Beowa National Park between two heritage lighthouses that bookend the start and end of the hike. This walk in the far south of the state is close to the whale-watching town of Eden, so keep your eyes peeled for the marine wildlife that can often be seen from the shore.
3 days, 2 nights
32 kilometres
The beaches on the Light to Light Walk are lapped by turquoise waters. (Image: Destination NSW)
5. Snowies Alpine Walk
The Snowies Alpine Walk connects pre-existing trails to create a one-of-a-kind multi-day hike that takes walkers through wildflower meadows and snow gum forests before summiting Mount Kosciuszko. There are accommodation options in historic towns like Thredbo (the off-season for skiiers is on-season for hikers).
4 days, 3 nights
56 kilometres
The Snowies Alpine Walk takes walkers through idyllic alpine landscapes before ascending the highest peak tin Australia. (Image: RBrand/DCCEEW)
6. Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk
This hike in the Northern Rivers feels like being encased in a giant emerald. On the Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk, you’ll pass through World Heritage Gondwana rainforest and across ancient volcanic landscapes. There are secluded and beautiful campsites to stay at, but you’ll need to book them in advance to secure a spot .
4 days, 3 nights
42 kilometres
The trail follows the rim of an ancient shield volcano and culminates at the spectacular Minyon Falls. (Image: D Parsons/DCCEEW)
7. The Green Gully Track
This remote loop in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park is for experienced hikers only. But it more than makes up for the challenge with breathtaking scenery, pristine wilderness, dramatic gorges and rivers. There are even heritage-listed stockmans huts to offer some reprieve: you don’t need a tent, just book a spot in a hut .
4 days, 5 nights
65 kilometres
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.
It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.
Bells Beach is known for its epic surf break and is at the start of the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet
The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)
The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.
The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)
After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.
This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.
Lorne to Birregurra
Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.
Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.
From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.
Erskine Falls is one of many falls within a day trip of Lorne. (Image: Visit Victoria)
You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.
Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Apollo Bay to The Otways
Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.
A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.
Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles
One of the famous Twelve Apostles, limestone sea stacks that rise from the Southern Ocean. (Image: Ben Savage)
The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.
It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.
The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)
Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.
Port Campbell to Timboon
Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)
Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.
Warrnambool to Port Fairy
A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)
In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.
Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.
The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.
A traveller’s checklist
Staying there
The Oak & Anchor in Port Fairy.
The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River.Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.
The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.
Eating there
The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.
Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.
