The Great Ocean Walk (Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet)

Day Six - Australia & the Great Ocean Walk - 2025

A morning spent climbing up through the inland forests of Great Otway National Park -featuring my first up-close encounters with wild koalas- before returning to the coast in the afternoon.

1. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #1

A koala sits high in a tree along The Great Ocean Walk near Shelly Beach, Victoria, Australia.

The Great Ocean Walk between Shelly Beach and Parker Inlet stretches for 20.5 kilometers / 12.74 miles.

Day Two of our Great Ocean Walk trek began back where it had ended the day before, at the parking lot near to Shelly Beach. Unlike the beach meander the day prior, this would be a full day of hiking and walk primarily inland. While it meant we’d go an entire morning without the ocean vistas you think of when you think of the Great Ocean Walk, it did give us a chance to see some wildlife. Not long after setting off, we spotted this koala high up in a tree.

2. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #2

Waves from the Southern Ocean crash against rocks in a small inlet along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Before the long climb away from the coast, we were treated to one last taste of the sea where the Elliot River meets the Bass Strait.

3. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #3

A small beach inside a cove filled with rocks is seen between two cliffs along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Be warned: the climb out from Elliot River to Elliot Ridge is incredibly steep, the first truly tiring part of the trail.

4. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #4

A koala is seen in a tree near Shelly Beach along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Back to koala facts: there are over 700 types of eucalyptus in Australia, but an individual koala might only eat from 10.

Many people who undertake the Great Ocean Walk comment that the stretch between Elliot River and Blanket Bay -that is, the stretch in the Great Otway National Park’s forest- is one of their least favorite parts of the track. I can certainly understand that perspective, particularly if you’re Australian; after all, giant mountain ash trees (Eucalyptus regnans, the world’s tallest flowering plant) and koalas are probably not remotely foreign sights. That said, to non-Australians it does have a certain amount of charm; or, at least it did to me. I enjoyed my morning ramble amongst the tall trees with my head constantly craned upwards in search of koalas. Not long after leaving Elliot River behind did we spot a koala right off the side of the track.

5. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #5

A koala is seen in a tree near Blanket Beach along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Similarly, koala eucalyptus diets are so specialized they cannot be relocated to another part of the country without issue.

Four hours and a coffee and tea break later, we spotted another koala right next to the trail. This one was definitely willing to mug for the camera!

Three more photographs of our koala encounter follow.

6. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #6

An unknown percentage of koalas have chlamydia - some estimates put this number at about half the total population, if not more.

7. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #7

Koalas are among the most smooth-brained animals; if a leaf of eucalyptus were placed in front of a koala, it would not recognize it because it did not pick it itself.

8. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #8

Koalas have fingerprints indistinguishable from those of humans.

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9. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #9

The Southern Ocean is seen behind trees along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Not too long after seeing the koala did we once again spot the Bass Strait and that beautiful blue water.

10. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #10

A mushroom is seen in leaf-covered grass along The Great Ocean Walk , Victoria, Australia.

We passed this chonker of a mushroom!

11. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #11

A kelp covered beach is seen behind trees and shrubs along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Arriving at Blanket Bay, we walked along the beach until we reached our lunch spot at the campsite.

12. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #12

A rainbow is seen over the Southern Ocean along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

As per usual, I wish I learned how to photograph rainbows better.

13. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #13

Behind shrubs and trees, the Southern Ocean crashes against a beach beneath tall hills rising from Blanket Bay along the Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Blanket Bay is a wonderful place for a lunch with a view; two more Blanket Bay photographs follow.

14. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #14

The blue waters of the Southern Ocean is seen behind trees and shrubs along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

15. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #15

Obscured by shrubs, ocean waves crash into a rock beneath a cliff along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

16. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #16

The dirt hiking track of The Great Ocean Walk weaves along a cliffside beside the Southern Ocean, Victoria, Australia.

Back on the track we had about two hours remaining, with the first stretch of the journey placing us up on the cliffs above the ocean.

17. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #17

As seen from a cliff, the ocean meets a small beach and large boulders beneath a green plant-covered cliff along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Steadily we made our way to Shelly Beach, which slowly crept into view.

18. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #18

Waves meet a small beach and boulders beneath a cliff along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

19. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #19

Waves splash into a small cove between two green plant-covered hills at Parker Inlet along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

Reaching Shelly Beach, we had a bit of time to explore this incredibly wide and sandy inlet.

20. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #20

Waves splash into a small cove at Parker Inlet along The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria, Australia.

The waves here were incredibly strong, and I can’t imagine going out into the water in conditions such as this.

21. Shelly Beach to Parker Inlet #21

Much like how the day started with a climb out from the Elliot River, our pick-up point at Parker Inlet was at the top of an incredibly steep set of stone stairs, quite the way to end our day!

Once reunited with our tour van, we had about a 45-minute drive before reaching our accommodation at The Valley in the lovely Johanna Seaside Cottages, our home for the next four nights. After checking in (and having a much-needed shower) the whole group joined together for a lovely home-made meal. Our trekking crew went above and beyond here, honestly! As for the remainder of the evening, the group pretty much called it a night, giving our bodies a chance to recover before another long day.

Previous: The Great Ocean Walk (Apollo Bay to Shelly Beach) - Day Five

Next: The Great Ocean Walk (Parker Inlet to Castle Cove) - Day Seven

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