Grade 1

Surf Coast Walk (44.2km)

Surf Coast

Victoria

44.2km

2 days

Grade 3

One Way

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Quick overview: Experience the thrill of the Surf Coast Walk, a 44.2km trail located in Victoria's stunning Surf Coast. Starting from Point Impossible and ending at Anglesea, this Grade 3 moderate hike offers captivating seaside landscapes and views of iconic Bells Beach and Split Point Lighthouse. With Torquay, Australia's surf capital, as the nearest town, the trail includes unique features like the Koorie Cultural Walk and cliff views at Anglesea and Point Roadknight. Ideal for multi-day hiking, you can soak up the local Indigenous heritage and enjoy the convenience of accessible trail points and public transport options.
Length:
44.2km
Duration:
2 days
Grade:
3
Style:
One Way

Max elevation: 116m

Min elevation: -2m

Total Ascent: 1148m

Start: Point Impossible
End: Anglesea
Surf Coast
Victoria
Nearby town: Torquay
From state capital: 104km
Latitude: -38.3057538
Longitude: 144.3766979
11 Reviews
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Hike overview

The Surf Coast Walk is a world-class 44km multi-use trail that takes visitors through inspiring seaside landscapes interspersed with coastal villages. Its easy access and 12 trail heads make it perfect for a short, long or multiday experience. The trail takes in the beaches near Australia's surf capital, Torquay, including iconic Bells Beach, before striking out for Point Addis' grand views of sweeping bays and impressive lookouts. Walkers can learn about local Indigenous heritage on Koorie Cultural Walk and be wowed by more soaring cliffs at Anglesea and Point Roadknight before the Split Point lighthouse grows ever closer on the headland horizon signalling the trail's end at Fairhaven. Along the way, unique villages offer creature comforts and cultural events.

The Surf Coast Walk can be journeyed in either direction or broken into shorter sections according to what distance you would prefer to undertake and what coastal features you would like to see. There are car park access points along its length, as well as plentiful public transport (coach) drop-off and pick-up points useful for getting on and off the trail.

The trail is shared-use for many sections. Cycling is permitted from the start point at Point Impossible all the way through to Ironbark Basin Car Park, to the north of Point Addis. Cyclists can rejoin the trail at Hurst Road Car Park (accessible via a dirt two-wheel drive road), and ride all the way into Anglesea to Point Roadknight. Other sections are walker-only designated, except for a short section from Split Point Lighthouse Car Park, to the trail's end at Fairhaven.

Traditionally the starting point of the trail is considered the northern end at Point Impossible, located on the coast between Torquay and Breamlea. From Point Impossible the Surf Coast Walk tracks south west along a gravel road behind the dunes of Whites Beach, through traditional Wathaurung Country, where Indigenous inhabitants camped for thousands of years.

The trail eventually reaches the outskirts of Torquay, the wellspring of Australia's surfing culture where the town's promenade skirts Torquay's Front Beach and Cosy Corner to Point Danger, which features an expansive lookout back towards Point Impossible.

Heading up and over Rocky Point, you leave Torquay behind in favour of the wide, sweeping trails that weave between the village of Jan Juc and its impressive cliff-backed beaches past Bird Rock to the famous clifftops above Bells Beach.

Briefly leaving the coast, the trail explores the coastal heathlands and into the Ironbark Basin, a unique patch of woodland wilderness. Spectacular lookouts over Addiscot Beach and a Koorie Cultural Walk are highlights before you join a short beach section, then climb up through the Great Otway National Park to the cliffs of Anglesea.

At Anglesea River mouth the trail heads inland briefly tracking the inlet before once again climbing impressive cliffs for more great ocean views.

From sheltered Point Roadknight Beach a four-kilometre beach section takes visitors to Urquhart Bluff, with a view of Split Point Lighthouse the entire way.

Twisting single trail leads away from Urquharts, through coastal heathland, eventually popping along cliffs leading to the foot of the lighthouse, which is worthy of a tour.

Following the headland, you drop over the side to the inlet for which Aireys is named and from here it is an easy walk up and over the waterway to the greet the trail's end at the Fairhaven SLSC.

Track grade

Grade 3 (Moderate) - Walks for Most Fitness Levels: Grade 3 on the AWTGS represents moderate walking tracks. These are ideal for walkers with some fitness who are comfortable with some hills and uneven terrain. While suitable for most ages, some bushwalking experience is recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Tracks may have short, steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps. The total distance of a Grade 3 walk can be up to 20 kilometers.

Walk map and GPX file

Surf Coast Walk (44.2km)

Total distance: 44277 m
Max elevation: 116 m
Min elevation: -2 m
Total climbing: 1148 m
Total descent: -1140 m
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GPX files, maps and content are copyright Trail Hiking Australia. Not to be copied, redistributed or uploaded to other platforms including AllTrails.

Copyright Tourism Victoria 

Explore safely

Planning this hike? Most incidents develop before you even start. Safe outcomes depend on how navigation, hydration, environment, load and judgement work together. Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Hiking Safety Systems Foundations. Then use the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.

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Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take.

Planning checklists

Download the hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.

Getting there

Getting to the trailhead: Surf Coast.

From Melbourne, the drive is approximately 75 minutes to Torquay via the Geelong Ring Road to Point Impossible, located on the coast between Torquay and Breamlea.

Alternatively, there is a V/Line train service from Southern Cross Railway Station (Melbourne City) to Geelong Railway Station (Geelong), and from there a McHarrys coach service (Routes 73 and 74) to Boston Road/Pearl Street (Torquay).

Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.

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Accommodation nearby

Find Accommodation

Find accommodation close to the trailhead including hotels, cabins, and campgrounds. Use the interactive map to explore available options in nearby towns.

Nearby towns: Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Bellbrae, Bells Beach, Geelong, Jan Juc, Point Addis, Torquay

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Surf Coast Walk (44.2km)

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Acknowledgement of Country

Surf coast walk (44. 2km) trail hiking australia

Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia
Last modified:

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