A guide to the Stunning Hopetoun Falls in the Otways, Victoria
In this post, we’re sharing everything you need to know about the mystical Hopetoun Falls, which is in our opinion, Victoria’s most beautiful waterfall. Located in the Great Otway National Park, it’s the perfect detour for those visiting the 12 Apostles, or travellers exploring the best of Victoria.
Laying eyes on Hopetoun Falls for the first time, it’s hard to believe these thundering falls are in Australia - surely some crazy teleportation has occurred, and you’re now in the tropical surrounds of Bali, a short ride away from Canggu beach and the volcanic peak of Mt. Agung.
But nope, these falls are right here in Victoria. And how wonderful that is.
You see, Hopetoun Falls is the most beautiful waterfall in Victoria, and potentially even Australia.
Set amongst lush green ferns and towering rainforest in the Otways, Hopetoun Falls cascade 30m to the rocky pools below. Picturesque as it may be, the wonderfully placed fallen tree at the bottom of the falls provides an ethereal quality that takes this waterfall from good to pure nature froth.
The wet southern Victorian climate ensures an ever-flowing Aire River stream delights travellers and photographers alike. The walk down, while steep and slippery, is actually quick and easy. And best of all, it’s a short detour off the world-famous Great Ocean Road, through some of the most scenic countryside in Victoria.
Basically, Hopetoun Falls is a must for anyone visiting Victoria, or taking a roadie along the Great Ocean Road.
We’ve put together this short guide to help you enjoy the best of Hopetoun Falls, as well as how to respect the stunning natural environment in which it sits.
A GUIDE TO HOPETOUN FALLS, THE OTWAYS
WHERE IS HOPETOUN FALLS?
Hopetoun Falls are located in the Otways Ranges in South Western Victoria, Australia.
It's around 200kms/2.5 hours from Melbourne CBD, 40kms/1 hour Apollo Bay, and 5kms south of the small hamlet of Beech Forest.
HOW TO GET TO HOPETOUN FALLS
On our first visit Hopetoun Falls many years ago, we're ashamed to admit we got a little lost. Whether it was a wrong turn, or enjoying our road trip tunes too much, we ended up somewhere we didn’t want to be.
Thankfully, GPS is a thing now and it’s now quite easy to get to the falls if you follow the directions. We’ve listed how to get to the Falls below, from both Melbourne and Apollo Bay.
FROM MELBOURNE
If you’re coming from Melbourne, you’re likely coming along the Great Ocean Road - great choice because it really is one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Take the Princess freeway (M1) towards Geelong, before taking the Geelong bypass towards Torquay. Here, join the B100 (which later becomes the Great Ocean Road) for until you arrive in a small town called Skenes Creek. From here, turn right and take Skenes Creek Rd (C119) for around 30 mins, before turning right onto Turtons Track (C159) towards Beech Forest. After 20 mins, turn left onto Binns Rd.
After a quick 10 minute drive on Binns Rd, you’ll arrive at Hopetoun Falls.
FROM APOLLO BAY
Alternatively, if you’re based in Apollo Bay, it’s really easy to find Hopetoun Falls.
Continue on the Great Ocean Road (B100) through the Otways National Park, passing through Glenaire and Johanna before arriving at Lavers Hill.
Turn right on Colac - Lavers Hill Rd. (C155) at Lavers Hill, and drive for around 25 mins, passing Beech Forest before turning right onto Binns Rd. and arriving at the falls.
THE HIKE TO HOPETOUN FALLS
The Hopetoun Falls trailhead starts at the carpark, where there’s also a viewing platform of the falls for those who can’t walk down.
From the platform, the path gently veers to the right, before a long descent into the heavily forested valley below.
Follow the path down the first few stairs, before making a righthand turn and following the the larger, wider stairs for about 10 minutes to the bottom. There are around 200 stairs in total, which sound hard, but are actually quite easy and don’t require much fitness. Due to the density of the forest, the stairs are mostly wet and slippery all year round, so be careful, especially as you make your way down, and hold on to the railing.
After passing a tunnel of ferns, you’ll arrive at the base of the stairs, where the path continues, past a fallen tree before arriving at a boardwalk. At this point, you should start to hear the rumble of the falls.
Follow the board walk, before making a slight turn to the left where you’ll arrive at the large viewing platform at the base of the Hopetoun Falls.
LAYING EYES ON VICTORIA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL WATERFALL
From the viewpoint at the base of the falls, you’ll witness what is, in our opinion, the most beautiful waterfall in Victoria. The clear waters of the Aire river tumble 30m to the rocks below which generates a dense mist which shrouds the surrounding forest, creating an almost mystical feeling.
Surrounding ferns shimmer with fine water droplets, while thick moss clings to the surrounding surfaces, the moisture proving a happy environment for which to grow.
Like it has done for millennia, the Aire river continues its journey to the Southern Ocean through the ancient myrtle and ferns, pushing endlessly through rocks and fallen trees that block its way.
There’s a seat from which to admire the view, as well as the large platform which allows for around 10 people. Most people who visit jump the fence and head out to the edge of the falls, however this is something we suggest you refrain from doing (more on that below) - you can still get outrageously beautiful photos from the viewpoint (like the ones you see in the post) without trampling the fragile ecosystem.
The hike back to the carpark follows the same pathway, but is slightly more strenuous on the lower legs, as the stairs are quite large in size and number.
The return hike should take around 15 minutes.
HOPETOUN FALLS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
PHOTOGRAPHY AT HOPETOUN FALLS
For the photographers out there, Hopetoun Falls is a dream.
It’s powerful, raw, and breathtakingly beautiful.
The best photos can be taken below the waterfall on the platform, which is the main vantage point from which to get the perfect shot. We don’t recommend jumping the fence, even though there are some epic shots to be had - this is a fragile ecosystem and destroying it for an Instagram shot just isn’t worth it (more on that below!).
Keep a lens cloth handy to wash any water spray away (always keep this in your camera kit - check out our photography kit here).
We’ve used a range of different lenses here, but a mid-range zoom is the best bet (24-70mm), allowing for wide and detail shots. The light here can also be quite dark, so you’ll need to increase your ISO to around 1000, depending on the time of day you’re shooting. You can get some cool long exposures of the waterfall, so make sure you bring your tripod.
As always, arrive early for the best light and the least crowds.
RELATED | Read our travel photography tips guide here.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING
Before visiting Hopetoun Falls, here are a few things we think you should know.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT HOPETOUN WATERFALL
We’ve visited Hopetoun falls in all seasons, but after our recent winter trip, we’d be inclined to the best time to visit the falls is winter.
With the increased flow of the Aire River, the falls become far more powerful and impressive. There are also far less tourists during this time of year, especially if you’re able to visit during a weekday. If winter is not an option, the shoulder season of spring is a good bet.
For photographers, get there early regardless of season (pre 9am), as the day-trip crowds begin to arrive from around 10am. The light, obviously is far better in the early morning, without the harsh midday sun pushing through the canopy.
PARKING
There is limited parking on site, especially the main car park at the trailhead, which has around 10 spaces. We’ve seen many cars trying and failing to squeeze into the limited parking.
Therefore, we recommend parking just off the turn off, and walking down to the trailhead (200m).
RESPECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Hopetoun Falls is bloody beautiful, but the natural environment around it is a little worse for wear after people having been flouting the signs and jumping the fence to explore closer to the falls. We’ve even seen other blogs suggesting to bring bathers to go for a swim in the falls...
While we totally get it - there’s some amazing photo opportunities closer to the waterfall, and it’s kinda intriguing to explore up close, but it really does harm the fragile ecosystem in the area. We don’t want to be those people, but we really think you should stay on the viewing platform and pathways, even if you are the worlds greatest photographer.
It’s super important to preserve the natural environment for those in the future by following these simple rules:
Just don’t be an idiot. Simple.
Take your litter with you. Why you’d visit a pristine natural environment and leave your litter behind is beyond us
This isn’t a toilet, so don’t use it as one. Visit the public toilets at the Redwood Forest nearby (10mins), or just hold on like a grown-ass adult.
Leave the natural environment undisturbed as much as possible. Stay to the paths and leave things as they are
RELATED | How to be a responsible traveller
WATCH YOUR STEP
Seriously, the well-maintained steps down can be super slippery, especially in the wetter months of the year (the Otways are one of the wettest areas in Victoria), so take your time and take every step with caution.
There have been a number of people who have injured themselves on this short hike, and we don’t want you guys to be one of them.
Runners and boots are fine for walking the trails.
SNAKES
Yeah, the bane of all Aussies lives.
Snakes exist within these areas so you need to be cautious when hiking through.
During one of our many visits to Hopetoun Falls, we came across a Tiger Snake blocking the entire path. It barely moved, so without wanting to disrupt it, we collectively decided to trample off path to get around it. Thankfully all was fine, and the snake happily slid off eventually.
If you do see a snake, leave it the hell alone, and wait for it to move, or work out a way to get around it.
WHERE TO STAY ON THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD
On our most trip along the Great Ocean Road, we stayed at the Marengo Motel, just outside Apollo Bay.
It’s definitely the more budget option, but the accommodation was pretty much in the middle of everything we wanted to explore, simple but comfortable, with just about everything we needed for a few-day stay.
From here, it’s about 1 hour to Hopetoun Falls.
BOOK | Marengo Motel
Other accommodation options we recommend along the Great Ocean Road are:
Lorne | Chatby Lane Lorne
Apollo Bay | Apollo Bay Waterfront Motel, or Captains at the Bay
Port Campbell | Sea Foam Villas
HOW TO EXPLORE THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD
Pretty much the only way to explore all of the Great Ocean Road attractions is via vehicle, whether your own rental or on a day trip from Melbourne if time is limited.
Here are a few of our fave options:
BY VAN
One of the most common sights you’ll see on the Great Ocean Road is the bright green and purple branding of Jucy Rentals vans. #Vanlifing along this coastline is one of the most popular ways to discover the area — and is something we can personally vouch for having done the very same for a week back in 2017!
BOOK | Book your Jucy Rental
BY CAR
The Great Ocean Road is literally built for epic road trips. If you need to hire a car, we recommend booking through Rentalcars.com.
Keep an eye out for both our Great Ocean Road road trip itinerary and our guide to what to know before driving the Great Ocean Road - both dropping soon!
BOOK | Rentalcars.com
TRAVEL BETTER WITH THESE ESSENTIAL POSTS
SHIPWRECKS AND SCENERY | Everything you should see and do on the Great Ocean Road, plus the ultimate guide to visiting Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles, Australia’s most iconic coastline
THE BEST OF WARBURTON | Our complete guide to the beautiful Warburton, and the East Warburton Redwood Forest, plus the best Yarra Valley airbnbs
VICTORIA ROAD TRIP | Our ultimate 7-day Victorian road trip guide
DAYLESFORD | Our Daylesford and surrounds day trip & weekend getaway guide
AIRBNB GUIDE | Our essential guide to getting the best out of Airbnb
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world?
Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT.
Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
PLAN YOUR AUSSIE TRAVELS WITH OUR HELPFUL GUIDES
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