Melba Gully Day Visitor Area

Melba Gully is a small rainforest day-visitor area and picnic clearing in Great Otway National Park, known for lush fern gullies and the chance of glow worms after dark. It’s among Victoria’s wettest places, so mossy trunks, tree ferns and running water are part of the visit. This is a rewarding short stop rather than a long outing.

The 1.2 km circuit takes about 35 minutes and starts beside the picnic area. It winds through Myrtle Beech, Blackwood and tree ferns to Anne’s Cascade. The return has a steep, stepped section, and the track can be muddy after rain; turn back before the climb if it’s not comfortable.

Glow worms may appear along the damp gully banks after dark, but sightings aren’t guaranteed. Stay on the track, keep voices low and point torches at the ground so you don’t disturb them. Picnic tables, parking and a public toilet are beside the walk’s start.

An on-site history sign credits Jessie Fry with tea rooms here named for singer Dame Nellie Melba, and describes the gully as a stop for bus visitors in the 1930s and 1940s. The rooms closed after road limits ended that traffic; the Madsen family later offered the property for conservation.