Welcome to the start of your Outback to Ocean adventure!
" The Grampians (named Gariwerd by the Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali people) have once again risen from the ashes" - Jo Stewart of The Stawall Times-News
You’ve opted to have your cake and eat it too!
This adventure really does embrace the best of both worlds, exploring the stunning and the rugged with the sharp escarpments that are the Grampians, and the wild southern shores along the Shipwreck Coast.
" The ocean is now reclaiming the land that it once helped to create" - Sir David Attenborough on the BBC
Although scheduled for completion in December 2020, the first section of the Peaks Trail was actually opened back in 2015
Welcome to Victoria
We’re so excited to be welcoming you to our own backyard!
No Roads Expeditions is Melbourne based, and when we’re not busy sending guests to far-flung parts of the globe, we’re always happy to explore and indulge in the delights of our home turf.
Finally, we have the pleasure of sharing this great state and what it has to offer, with you.
Ours is a diverse state, boasting a pretty much a little bit of everything.
Wide-open grasslands, beautiful beaches, in our winter we boast pristine snowfields, there are lush rainforests and believe it or not, even some desert!
For this escape, we’ve got some of our gorgeous mountains to share with you, as well as our spectacular coast!
Archaeologists... estimate that Indigenous Australians have lived in the Grampians region for over 10,000 years
Your Journey
Day 1 Halls Gap to Bugiga Hiker Camp (L, D) (5 hours trekking)
Day 2 Bugiga Hiker Camp to Borough Huts Campground (B, L, D) (6 hours trekking)
Day 3 Borough Huts to Halls Gap and then travel to Johanna Beach on the Great Ocean Rd (B,D) (5 hours trekking)
Day 4 Blanket Bay to Cape Otway Lighthouse (B,L,D)
Day 5 Cape Otway to Aire River (B,L,D)
Day 6 Castle Cove to Johanna Beach (B,L,D)
Day 7 Milanesia Gate to The Gables (B,L,D)
Day 8 The Gables to The Apostles (B,L)
NOTE: Transfers between Halls Gap & Johanna Beach on day 3 are NOT included in the itinerary
Guest Portal
You can update all your personal information directly in our Guest’s Portal. There, you can add your Insurance, Flight Details, and anything else we need for the trip. When you first click on the link you will be asked to reset your password. Please use the same email address you used for your booking.
Training
The Great Ocean Road was constructed by approximately 3,000 returned servicemen as a war memorial for fellow servicemen who had been killed in World War I (recognised as the world's longest war memorial)
As you’re by now hopefully aware, you don’t need to be an Ultra Marathon runner to relish this experience.
We’d suggest that the higher your level of fitness, the greater enjoyment you’ll find, and ease with which you’ll get through each day.
For anybody that does find the going tough, our guides are super experienced at coaching and nurturing trekkers through their tough times.
It’s your trip, and we want you to do it your way to gain the most enjoyment!
If you are a little unsure, or just want to discuss your own level of fitness with someone, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY
"In 1841... Charles Browning Hall became the first European to locate a gap through the mountain range and discover the lovely valley now named after him"
West of Melbourne, Halls Gap, our start and end for your weekend in the Grampians, sits roughly three hours from the CBD.
If arriving from interstate and travelling via hire car from the airport, you’ll find the journey reduced by approximately fifteen minutes, or thereabouts.
With our early morning start, you may wish to look at staying the night before, as otherwise, it makes for a very early departure from Melbourne.
After concluding our Grampians section of the adventure, you’ll need to travel to Johanna Beach for our fill of the “Ocean”.
This is roughly a 3-hour journey (250km), so your own vehicle or a hire car (or carpooling) would be recommended.
There are plenty of options if you’re keen to explore further at the end of the week, so if you’ve time, please don’t hesitate to ask for further destinations in which to eat, drink or explore (even just the drive back to Melbourne along the coast is a delight)!
Archaeologists... estimate that Indigenous Australians have lived in the Grampians region for over 10,000 years
INSURANCE
Australians are not required to be covered for hospital care due to being covered by Medicare.
We do, however, strongly recommend that Australians have a domestic travel insurance policy that covers personal liability, cancellation, loss of luggage and personal effects, and the like.
It is also strongly advisable that you have current ambulance cover in the case of an emergency evacuation or incidents requiring ambulance transportation, or private health insurance that provides cover for this.
For any international guests, we would recommend that you have arranged international travel insurance before entering the country.
COVID 19 INSURANCE DISRUPTION
COVID has affected all of us and it is no different for the travel insurance market. Providers had to deal with an unprecedented amount of claims and as a result, many of them had to undertake procedure changes.
During this process, No Roads has reviewed the insurance policies of different providers to ensure we can offer our guests the best options on the market and you are covered adequately.
We are currently in the process of finalising an alliance with a new provider and will be able to sell domestic and international travel insurance to all of our guests again soon.
For all other nationalities please explore insurance providers in your country.
Again, if you’ve any questions, don’t hesitate to ask info@noroads.com.au.
Note: Accidents caused by the inappropriate consumption of alcohol or drugs may void your travel insurance.
Accommodation
In 2004, the Great Ocean Walk opened, connecting 104 km of walking trails that follow the coastline near the Great Ocean Road, stretching from Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles
This weekend is all about the great outdoors, and on the trail, we’ll be hosting you in tented campsites.
We provide Mountain Designs Kaon 3 person tents on a twin share basis (so only two people to a tent), and our team will set it all up ahead of your arrival in camp!
The campsites feature sheltered community areas for eating/ cooking, rainwater tanks, and national park drop toilets.
When we hit Johanna Beach, our accommodation will be much more homely, with a private house allowing you to unpack and feel a lot more comfortable!
The oldest working lighthouse in Victoria can be found at Cape Otway. It was also off this cape that the first American vessel was sunk during World War II after striking a german mine!
Getting Outfitted
PERSONAL GEAR
Generally speaking, you can pack as much as you like, but do remember, everything you bring, you’ll be carrying… at least for the Grampians part of the trip!
On your coastal walk along the Great Ocean Road, you will only carry a day pack. You might want to keep an additional bag with fresh clothing in your car awaiting you for your coastal walk.
Footwear
- Hiking boots or sturdy trail runners
- 1-2 pairs of hiking socks
- Pair of sandals or crocs for night time in camp (optional)
Clothing
- 1 set of clothing to hike in (shirt and shorts/pants)
- 1 set of clothes for night time (pants and thermal top)
- Warm jacket. (something warm and light/packable – heavy fleece or light down jacket)
- Waterproof rain jacket and pants
- 1-2 socks and jocks
Head and Hands
- Sun hat
- Baseball cap or wide brim if you don’t have a collar
- Warm beanie (optional)
- A neck warmer or ‘buff’ type multipurpose headband (optional)
- Sunglasses (UV resistant and polarised are recommended)
- Sunglasses strap. Too many pairs of sunglasses have been donated to the mountain gods on treks to not recommend these strongly!
- Warm gloves (optional)
Sleeping gear
- Sleeping bag (rating: 2 seasons 0-5°C rating recommended)
- Thermal or inflatable mattress
- Sleeping clothes (optional)
- Camping Pillow (optional)
- If anything, your spare/nighttime thermals work well to save doubling up and bringing extra clothes. The sleeping bag is where you will get the warmth, although wearing your base layers can make it much more comfortable.
Health and hygiene
- Personal toiletries
- Toothbrush/paste
- Wet wipes (optional)
- Small facecloth
- Feminine hygiene (if required)
- Sunscreen (min UPF 30+)
- Lip Balm (or paw paw cream from your first aid kit)
- Personal Medications
- Pain killers (whatever works for you)
- Anti-inflammatories
- Gastro-stop (or similar)
- Throat lozenges
- Personal first aid kit ((This is for general first aid maintenance and doesn’t need to be huge. Blister dressings, bandaids, paw paw cream, your above medications, burn/bite/antiseptic cream etc)
- Waterless hand sanitiser
- Toilet paper
- Anything else you think you might need
Hiking Backpack
- 50-60L, comfortable, ideally with a frame for support
- Ability to carry 3L of water (2L bladder and 1L bottle preferred)
- Lightweight quick-drying towel (optional)
- A few small accessory carabiners (handy to clip drink bottles etc)
- Head Torch with spare batteries
- Waterproofing system (dry bags, large heavy-duty garbage bags… bring a few spares!)
- Camera! (optional)
A note about your pack: For the Grampians multi-day part you are required to carry an overnight pack with your personal belongings. For the coastal part, you are only required to carry a day pack. If you happen to have both available bring both and leave the day pack in the car, ready to use for your coastal walk.
Supplied Equipment
- Single person tent
- Foam Sleeping mat (to be used under your inflatable mattress)
- All eating/dining equipment
- Tea/ Coffee
- All food for main meals during the trek
Give Us A Shout
Please make sure to carry our full address with contact numbers in case you need to contact us for any reason.
NO ROADS EXPEDITIONS
Office: (03) 95988581
24 Hr Access:
Irene Miller + 61 430 705 222
Peter Miller + 61 425 726 623
EMAIL: info@noroads.com.au
We sincerely hope that you enjoy your No Roads Escape!
