Parking
Start at Aire River Bridge beside Aire River West Campground on Sand Road. The campground has compacted-gravel parking near its picnic area, toilets and a picnic shelter; its water is non-potable.
Overview
About Aire River Escarpment Lookout Walk
Why go
- The lookout brings the estuary, wetlands and ocean into one short walk.
Heads up
- The medium-grade climb is more than a flat stop, and campground water is non-potable.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Otway map
Full mapElevation0–89 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Great Otway alerts
- ClosureSeasonal campsite closures at Aire RiverMentions Aire River, referenced in this guideSeasonal closures remain in effect at Aire River through 30 October 2026; do not use the closed sites. - Aire River East: all sites are closed from 29 May to 30 October 2026 and reopen 31 October.Official details
- ClosureWye Road closed after storm and flood damageWye Road is closed until further notice because recent storm and flood damage requires road maintenance and repair works; plan around the closure.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Otway Tour Guide
Your drive to Aire River Escarpment Lookout Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Otway National Park. 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 Otway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Aire River: A Picnic by the Wetlands0:00 / 0:27
“Up ahead is the Aire River day visitor area, a west-bank picnic stop beside Aire River West Campground. Stop here for a riverside break rather than a major sightseeing detour.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Otway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Tiny Leaves on a Sheoak
- The Cracks That Shape a Cliff
- An Eagle Riding Rising Air
- One Breeding Season for an Antechinus
- 252 audio storiesacross Great Otway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Koala, Grey Kangaroo, Echidna, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 83 trails, 79 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 Aire River Escarpment Lookout Walk
A moderate return walkAire River Escarpment Lookout Walk is a 4 km out-and-back (about 2 km each way) from Aire River…
Aire River Escarpment Lookout Walk is a 4 km out-and-back (about 2 km each way) from Aire River Bridge, normally about 2 hours. It follows a short campground access track onto the Great Ocean Walk, then takes a short spur to Escarpment Lookout. The grade is medium, so expect a climb rather than a flat riverside stroll. Turn around at the lookout and retrace the route; continuing along the Great Ocean Walk leads onto a much longer coastal walk.
Estuary, wetlands and coastThe Aire River opens into an estuary at Glenaire Beach, and the lookout takes in Hordenvale…
The Aire River opens into an estuary at Glenaire Beach, and the lookout takes in Hordenvale Wetlands and the ocean. Kangaroos and wallabies may be seen in the coastal scrub. At the viewpoint, a wide frame can hold the estuary, wetlands and sea together, showing how the river meets the coast.
Start and practical detailsBegin at Aire River Bridge beside Aire River West Campground.
Begin at Aire River Bridge beside Aire River West Campground. The campground has level compacted-gravel parking near its picnic area, toilets and a picnic shelter. Its water is non-potable, so bring drinking water. Dogs and other pets are generally not permitted in Victorian national parks; assistance dogs have separate entry requirements.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Great Otway
204 sightingsKoalaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
35 sightingsGrey KangarooMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
109 sightingsEchidnaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
58 sightingsKookaburraMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
97 sightingsSwamp WallabyMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
20 sightingsBrushtail PossumMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Otway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
