Date of Walk: 18/04/2009
Length (km): 3.6 km
Grade: Moderate/Steep
Region: South-West Victoria
Park: Great Otway National Park
Closest Town: Apollo Bay
Ascent: Unknown
Maximum Height: approx. 525 m (according to MapMyWalk.com)
Map: Not required (once you find the carpark, you can’t go wrong)
Further Details / Source(s): I found out about this walk on the Visit Victoria website. General information on the area is also available at ParkWeb.
Getting There: From Skenes Creek, head north on the Skenes Creek-Forest Road (I didn’t see a sign indicating this – only one pointing to Colac and Geelong). After about 15-20 minutes, turn right into Sunnyside Road (a sign on the left side of Skenes Creek-Forest Road points right to the Sabine Falls Picnic Ground). Follow the signs from here to the picnic ground.
I found the map on the ParkWeb Park Note: Great Otway National Park and Otway Forest Park – Kennett River to Princetown very helpful but you may not need it if using my directions.
Comments: The beginning of the walk is well-signed from the picnic ground and the track is easy to follow as there is no turn-off’s. The hard part was keeping ourselves upright as it had been raining prior to our visit. There were some muddy spots but even worse were the rock steps and creek crossings (the track crosses two creeks on the way to the falls). Much of the walk was made up of steps and the descent to the viewing platform was very steep (of course this was even worse on the way up!). Don’t let this deter you though (regardless of the weather) because this walk leads through some absolutely stunning cool temperate rainforest. The falls were very nice too but as they are viewed from a viewing platform, they probably weren’t the highlight of the walk (I always prefer the tracks that lead to the base of a waterfall).
Heaps of birds could be heard from the track but more amazingly, we were lucky enough to see an Otway Black Snail! This is an endangered species that is only found in the Otways and is carniverous, favouring soft bodied creatures such as worms and even other snails.
It might be a short walk but this is definitely one to put on your “must do” list! The steep stairs make it worthwhile from a training point of view and if you’re bushwalking because you like the bush, it definitely wont dissapoint!
Part of the track to the falls
The carniverous Otway Black Snail
Sabine Falls (from the distant viewing platform)
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Hi Neil, your blog here inspired us to visit Sabine Falls. I concur that the walk in is sensational, the corset is up there with the best I’ve seen. Although it’s mid March after a climate changes summer, the falls were still flowing nicely, and the view from the platform was just fine. It took my partner and I (mid ‘60s) 100 minutes round trip, allowing for stops and photos etc
Hey Chas,
Great to hear I was able to inspire you! I haven’t been back since I wrote this blog post way back when The Bushwalking Blog was still fairly new. I’d love to see what it’s like there now! Glad you enjoyed the walk. Thanks for letting me know.
Cheers
Neil
I took the walk two weekends ago. The brochures I picked up suggested the walk was 90 minutes in duration. At the picnic ground the signs said 150 minutes. Thus at 3.30pm I had a big decision to go or stay. I went. As the article suggests the track was very wet & slippery, and quite a few trees had fallen over on it too. I enjoyed the walk but the falls were disappointing as you cannot get really close couple with the fact that vegetation obscurs most of the upper waterfall. The walk back was strenuous; I was drenched in sweat. Setting what I thought was an all time record I completed the journey in 75 minutes….and I am fit too. So if you are into great rainforest walking coupled with a desire to work those calves then this is the walk for you!! JOE
Thanks for the comments Joe… Yep I agree – definitely not one to do just for the falls.