Parking
Start near Wye River Hotel and follow Morley Avenue uphill about 0.6 km to the signed entry; parking by the upper sign is very limited. Leave a pickup car at Kennett River Picnic Area by the bridge.
Overview
About Wye to Kennett River Walk
Why go
- Ocean-view ridges lead into ferny gullies and a creek crossing.
Heads up
- A car shuttle is needed, and repeated climbs make the short crossing strenuous.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Otway map
Full mapElevation2–103 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 Wye to Kennett River 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
Wye River: Paddy's Path0:00 / 0:23
“Wye River is coming up, and Paddy's Path is a good choice for a short coastal walk. Start behind the CFA building and allow about forty minutes out and back, with a steep section at the Separation Creek end.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Otway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- A Leaf Hung on Purpose
- Two Notes from One Magpie
- A Seed Glued to a Branch
- A Barnacle’s Feathery Feet
- 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 Wye to Kennett River Walk
A one-way coastal crossingWye to Kennett River Walk is a point-to-point coastal crossing of about 5.
Wye to Kennett River Walk is a point-to-point coastal crossing of about 5.5 km one way from Wye River Hotel to the Kennett River Picnic Area by the bridge. Allow around three hours. The mapped visitor line includes roughly 640 m of town-street approach and the short finish to the pickup car park; the coastal track itself measures about 4.5 km, close to the published 4.6 km track figure. Other directions round the full crossing to 6 km. Arrange a car shuttle; this is not a loop.
Set up the crossingFrom near Wye River Hotel, follow Morley Avenue uphill to the signed entry.
From near Wye River Hotel, follow Morley Avenue uphill to the signed entry. The climb is described as about 800 m; mapped streets measure closer to 640 m. There is very little parking by the upper sign, so plan the shuttle around the Kennett River Picnic Area. The walk starts with a steep descent, then alternates ridge walking and long climbs into gullies. Uneven ground and steps make it more demanding than the distance alone suggests.
Coast, then cool gulliesA seat near the early descent looks out toward the ocean.
A seat near the early descent looks out toward the ocean. Further along, steps and steep slopes open views toward Kennett River; standing trunks from the 2015 fire rise above recovering vegetation. At Birds Track, turn right briefly, then left onto the smaller path. Descend into Monash Gully and climb out before Hitchcock Gully, where taller eucalypts, ferns, large rocks and a creek crossing give the walk a cooler, greener feel. At the ocean-view seat, include a bend of track in the frame to show the ridge setting.
The mill and the finishAfter a short climb, cross Kennett Road beside the old timber-mill site; an interpretation sign…
After a short climb, cross Kennett Road beside the old timber-mill site; an interpretation sign explains the area's milling history. A view over Kennett River Valley comes before the final descent to the bridge and pickup point. Listen for birds such as Rufous Bristlebird, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Eastern Spinebill. Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas are possible, not promised.
Footing and rulesExpect uneven slopes, steps and creek crossings over rocks, which can be slippery.
Expect uneven slopes, steps and creek crossings over rocks, which can be slippery. Mobile coverage is absent along the route; falling limbs or trees and snakes are also flagged hazards. Dogs are prohibited. The coastal track sits above rough surf, so stay on the path and away from the edge.
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.
