Great South West Walk, Extended walking track in South West Victoria, Australia.
The Great South West Walk is a long-distance walking trail in southwestern Victoria, Australia, forming a loop that starts and ends in Portland. It passes through coastal areas, river flats, lakes, and forested land across its roughly 250-kilometer route.
The trail was created between 1980 and 1982 as a student project at Portland High School, with volunteers helping to mark and clear the first sections of the route. That local effort eventually grew into the complete loop that walkers follow today.
The trail passes through Gunditjmara Country, where the local Aboriginal community has lived along this coast for thousands of years. Some sections of the path cross land that still holds meaning for the Gunditjmara people today.
Along the route there are fourteen designated camping areas where walkers can spend the night, so it helps to plan your stops before setting out. Weather along the coast can change quickly, so layered clothing and waterproof gear are worth bringing regardless of the season.
The route passes Cape Bridgewater, where you can look down from some of Victoria's highest sea cliffs and watch a seal colony resting on the rocks below. A short distance away, the Princess Margaret Rose Caves can be visited as a side trip, with underground chambers full of rock formations.
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