Parking
Small car park on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road at the St George River mouth; the grassy track starts from the open flats.
Overview
About St Georges River Loop
Why go
- Fern-lined riverbanks and rocky pools
- Ocean views on the final descent
Heads up
- The circuit has several uphill stretches.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Otway map
Full mapElevation11–123 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Great Otway alerts
- 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
- ClosureLorne-area walking trails closed after flood damageSome walking trails near Lorne are closed for public safety after the January 2026 flash floods washed away or severely damaged bridges and walkways.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Otway Tour Guide
Your drive to St Georges River Loop, 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
St George River: The River and Ocean Loop0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching the St George River mouth, where a two-hour loop starts on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road. Choose this walk for fern-lined riverbanks and rocky pools, with an ocean view on the final descent.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Otway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Teddy's Lookout: Road, River and Ocean
- Spaghetti from a Sea Hare
- Allenvale: Forest Walk to Phantom Falls
- Sheoak Falls and Swallow Cave
- 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 St Georges River Loop
The circuitThis moderate 5.5 km (3.
This moderate 5.5 km (3.4 mi) loop starts and finishes at the St George River mouth; allow about two hours. It climbs via Ocean Walk to Allenvale Road, then returns beside the river. Fern-lined banks, rocky pools and an ocean view on the final descent reward the uphill sections.
Climb toward Allenvale RoadFrom the small car park on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road, follow the grassy track…
From the small car park on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road, follow the grassy track over the river-mouth flats to the Cherry Tree Creek bridge. Turn right onto Ocean Walk. About 1.5 km later, both branches reach Allenvale Road; take the right-hand branch for the less strenuous option. Turn left downhill along the road toward Allenvale Mill car park.
Follow the river backTake St George River Track from Allenvale Mill car park.
Take St George River Track from Allenvale Mill car park. The mostly gentle return follows fern-lined banks past rocky pools and tall eucalypts. It includes a low river crossing that is unsafe at high water. After crossing, follow the track back to Cherry Tree Creek bridge and retrace your approach; the last downhill stretch opens to ocean views.
DogsDogs are permitted on lead on the marked Ocean Walk and St George River walk sections.
Dogs are permitted on lead on the marked Ocean Walk and St George River walk sections. Keep them leashed on both parts of the circuit.
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.
