A Beautiful Quick Pit Stop Along the Great Ocean Road!
With so many beautiful things to see along the Great Ocean Road it can be challenging to decide what to see and where to spend your time especially if you only have a few days. That was certainly my experience when my wife and I were planning our three-day Great Ocean Road trip in late March. I wanted to see everything but soon realized that would be impossible within our timeframe since many of the popular bushwalks and waterfalls required significant detours from the Great Ocean Road.
I was initially drawn to the Maits Rest Rainforest Walk because it is located right along the Great Ocean Road and looked beautiful from the images I saw online. I’m glad we stopped there as it was a perfect way to start off our morning after leaving from our overnight stay in nearby Marengo.
Maits Rest Rainforest Bush Walk Details:
- 800m, 30 min circuit
- Grade 2 easy, no steps, gentle slope
- Mostly shaded
- Approximately 2 hours and 50 minute drive (213km) from Melbourne CBD
When we arrived at 10am on a Sunday there were only a few other vehicles in the parking lot. Before heading on the trail, I enjoyed reading the signs and learning about the carnivorous and endangered Otway Black Snails which can be found in the area. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any black snails during our bushwalk but we did hear the lovely sounds of various birds overhead.
The trail was in excellent condition and was very easy to follow. It is a combination of natural ground, metal and wooden boardwalks, and a few rest-stops with benches. The trail is very beginner and family friendly with minimal elevation changes and a few informative signs to read along the way.
The trail is mostly shaded but we were fortunate to see the sun shining through the tall trees overhead at several points along the trail. There is also a wonderful variety of flora to see and appreciate along the trail.
When I bushwalk, I love to stop and admire the beauty of tall trees such as the one in the following picture. According to the welcome sign, some of the trees in this area are over 300 years old and were left behind by loggers for future generations to admire.
The path has a few twists and turns but overall is very easy to navigate as shown in the following image.
Another highlight of this trail is this old hollow tree shown in the following image. I imagine many animals have called this tree home at some point! I find it truly fascinating how trees can survive and continue growing even when missing a significant portion of their trunk.
The whole walking trail only takes around 30 minutes to complete and is a wonderful pit stop along the Great Ocean Road. Be careful when exiting the parking lot back onto the Great Ocean Road as it can be difficult to see oncoming vehicles.
I hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for reading!