HOW many long-distance hikes do you know where you’re more likely to encounter an echidna or koala than another person? Where the track is flat and well-maintained? Where you can kick back at night next to a campfire, and nearly the whole epic route is within a national park or other reserve? I can only think of one, the Great South West Walk (GSWW), a 251km two-week trek tucked away near Portland in the southwest corner of Victoria.
The track divides neatly into four equal and spectacular parts: the tall forests of the Cobboboonee, the tranquil Glenelg River, the isolated beaches of Discovery Bay, and the breathtaking cliffs and rocky capes west of Portland. It’s tough to winnow down the highlights of the walk, but here are 10 things to tempt you to pull
