Victoria · Attraction
Maits Rest Rainforest Walk
Ancient ferns in the Otways
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Hidden within Great Otway National Park, Maits Rest is an 800-metre boardwalk loop through a primeval temperate rainforest of towering myrtle beech trees and giant tree ferns. The canopy closes overhead to create a hushed, cathedral-like atmosphere, and a moss-covered forest floor lines the entire circuit. The walk takes around 20 to 30 minutes and is free to enter.
The forest here has survived largely undisturbed for thousands of years, giving visitors a genuine sense of stepping back in time. Interpretive signs along the boardwalk explain the ecology of the Otway rainforest, from the ancient tree ferns that dominated the landscape of Gondwana to the endemic Otway Black Snail, a carnivorous species found nowhere else on earth. Birdwatchers may spot long-nosed potoroos and yellow-bellied gliders in the surrounding forest, particularly in the early morning.
Maits Rest sits on the Great Ocean Road roughly halfway between Apollo Bay and the Cape Otway Lightstation turn-off, making it a natural break on the drive west. The loop is mostly flat and is largely covered by boardwalk, making it accessible for most visitors. Dogs are not permitted on the trail, and no camping or fires are allowed within the site.
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