Madsens Track Nature Walk

The walk begins from the picnic area at Melba Gully, off the Great Ocean Road just west of Lavers Hill. Myrtle beech, blackwood and tree ferns form a dense forest canopy that creates a cool and moist environment where low ferns and mosses thrive. Beside the track the Johanna River makes its way to the sea. Climb the 100 steps to the Big Tree, a 300 year old Otway messmate with a massive girth of 27 metres. The track then winds back to the grassy open spaces of the picnic ground. Take the walk at night to see glow worms along the walking track.

Location: Great Otway National Park
Distance: 1.2 kilometres
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Track condition: Moderate
Grade: Easy
Start: Melba Gully picnic area
Finish: Melba Gully picnic area
Nearby: Apollo Bay and Lavers Hill