Parking
Start at the West Barwon Reservoir picnic-area car park at Len Sprague Reserve, on Forrest–Apollo Bay Road south of Forrest. The short walk begins from the picnic area.
Overview
About West Barwon Reservoir Walk
Why go
- Quick route to the dam wall and reservoir views
- Picnic tables and public toilets at the reserve
Heads up
- Very short; it does not circle the reservoir
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Ocean Road map
Full mapElevation190–205 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Great Ocean Road alerts
- ClosureLorne-area walking trails closed after flood and storm damageSeveral walking trails near Lorne remain closed; do not enter closed tracks. - Phantom Falls Walk is temporarily closed because flood and storm damage affected the trail and structures.Official details
- ClosureWye Road closed after storm and flood damageWye Road is closed until further notice for road maintenance and repairs following storm and flood damage; do not use the road. Check current Great Otway National Park conditions before travelling.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Ocean Road Tour Guide
Your drive to West Barwon Reservoir Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Ocean Road. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Great Ocean Road audio tour- 181 audio storiesacross Great Ocean Road’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Koala, Kangaroo, Little Penguin, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 109 trails, 99 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking West Barwon Reservoir Walk
The short dam-wall walkWest Barwon Reservoir Walk is an easy 400 m (0.
West Barwon Reservoir Walk is an easy 400 m (0.25 mi) out-and-back from the reservoir picnic area, about 20 minutes. Follow the short access route toward the dam wall for a broad look over the water. The published route description gives a distance but no detailed line through the picnic area, so allow a moment to orient yourself before heading for the wall. This is a quick view stop, not a circuit of the reservoir.
What the wall addsThe standout view is the reservoir, its concrete intake tower and the forested shore.
The standout view is the reservoir, its concrete intake tower and the forested shore. West Barwon stores runoff from a 51 km² catchment; water then travels through a 57 km channel to Wurdee Boluc storage. It is a useful bit of context for a walk that takes only a few minutes.
Start at the picnic areaPicnic tables and public toilets are at the reserve, though there are no bins, so take rubbish…
Picnic tables and public toilets are at the reserve, though there are no bins, so take rubbish away. Keep dogs on lead. Swimming and other water sports are prohibited at the reservoir. Barwon Water also warns that snakes and European wasps are often active in warmer months.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Great Ocean Road
900 sightingsKoalaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
358 sightingsKangarooMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
49 sightingsLittle PenguinMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
155 sightingsEchidnaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
33 sightingsFur SealMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
59 sightingsRed-necked WallabyMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Ocean Road. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
