The Great Ocean Walk (The Gables to Gibson Steps)
Day Ten - Australia & the Great Ocean Walk - 2025
Our last full day on the Great Ocean Walk, making our way from the stunning Gables Lookout to the “official” trail end-point near Gibson Steps via the incredible Wreck Beach.
1. The Gables to Gibson Steps #1
The hiking distance between The Gables and Gibson Steps along the Great Ocean Walk is 21 kilometers / 13 miles.
I was very thankful for beautiful weather for our last full day on the Great Ocean Walk which allowed me to get a photograph from the Gables Lookout, something I wasn’t able to do the day before.
2. The Gables to Gibson Steps #2
Wreck Beach is a rocky point along Australia’s Shipwreck Coast which was the location of two major ship accidents - Marie Gabrielle and Fiji.
We were incredibly lucky to be able to walk along Wreck Beach as access to it is entirely reliant on it being low tide. I cannot stress this enough: if you are planning a trip to undertake the Great Ocean Walk, make sure you time low-tide correctly to be able to visit here - it is totally worth it!
3. The Gables to Gibson Steps #3
As mentioned, these shores claimed two ships. Looking at the shallow, rocky beach here it is no mystery why this spot claimed victims.
4. The Gables to Gibson Steps #4
In 1869, the French ship Marie Gabrielle became swamped and smashed against the rocky beach near The Gables; her crew escaped and walked to seek help, being found three days later by the children of the Cape Otway Lighthouse lightkeeper.
About halfway down the beach, you can see the remains of many of the mechanical parts of Marie Gabrielle rusting away on the shore. It is a somber reminder not only of the perils of 19th century ship travel but also the tremendous distances covered by these boats.
Two more photographs of the remains of Marie Gabrielle follow.
5. The Gables to Gibson Steps #5
6. The Gables to Gibson Steps #6
7. The Gables to Gibson Steps #7
Despite its past, the beach itself is visually quite stunning and you get a real appreciation for the power of the ocean as the waves here crash violently onto the rocky beach.
8. The Gables to Gibson Steps #8
Just be aware of sneaker waves - while likely not dangerous, they do travel quite far up the sand and can certainly completely soak your shoes and socks!
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9. The Gables to Gibson Steps #9
After leaving the beach, we followed the high cliffs for the remainder of the morning until arriving at the Gellibrand River. The only disadvantage of traveling via Wreck Beach is you bypass the Devil’s Kitchen Campsite which -legend has it- has the world’s most scenic outhouse, featuring a panoramic window which lets you view the ocean while seated on the pot.
10. The Gables to Gibson Steps #10
Astonishingly, wallabies are about the size of a gummy bear when they are born.
Despite being directly above the coast during this stretch, the forest is incredibly lush; this restricts views of the water to tiny overlook pockets, but dramatically increases your chances of wildlife encounters.
11. The Gables to Gibson Steps #11
From here we got our first views of Loch Ard Gorge in the distance.
12. The Gables to Gibson Steps #12
We stopped near the Anne and Geg Lookout for morning coffee and tea, which had a spectacular view of the Gellibrand River emptying into the ocean.
13. The Gables to Gibson Steps #13
The track cannot cross the Gellibrand River along the ocean due to the imposing cliff on the west bank of the river; as such, you detour ever so slightly into the village of Princetown before returning into the grasslands.
14. The Gables to Gibson Steps #14
After a picnic lunch at a park in Princetown, we entered the final stretch of the Great Ocean Walk. As of 2025, the walk ends at Twelve Apostles; however, the western terminus marker of the track is right before the Gibson Steps. The landscape of this stretch is unlike the rest of the track, with short bushes and farmland stretching into the distance. We did see an echidna along the track, but it scurried off rather quickly once it heard everyone’s footsteps.
15. The Gables to Gibson Steps #15
The Walk Victoria’s Icons Lookout is the official western terminus of the Great Ocean Walk, although most everyone considers Twelve Apostles Lookout to be the “true” ending point
Before long, we arrived at the end of the Great Ocean Walk. If anyone is taking the Inspiration Outdoors / Intrepid Travel trek as I did, I won’t spoil the ending too much; suffice it to say, there is a nice celebration as you and your travel mates are treated to a great view of Gibson Beach.
We continued our celebration in the super cute town of Port Campbell with drinks at a local brewery followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant (I had a well-earned “parma.”) But our adventure wasn’t done yet! The following day we’d walk the next little bit from the Lookout to Gibson Steps and Twelve Apostles.
