Maits Rest Rainforest Walk

Maits Rest Rainforest Walk is an 800-metre loop boardwalk through cool temperate rainforest in the Great Otway National Park, off the Great Ocean Road near Apollo Bay in Victoria. Managed by Parks Victoria, it showcases ancient Myrtle Beech trees, tree ferns and dense fern gullies. The short, well-maintained trail offers an accessible introduction to the Otways' rainforest environment and is a popular stop for Great Ocean Road travellers.

Visitors can expect a short, well-maintained 800-metre loop boardwalk through dense cool temperate rainforest in Great Otway National Park. The trail winds through towering Myrtle Beech, Blackwood and tree ferns with fern gullies, moss-covered logs and interpretive signs. The walk is mostly flat on timber boardwalk with some gentle gradients, suitable for a 30-minute stroll, photography and nature observation. The site includes a car park off the Great Ocean Road, toilets and picnic area at the entrance.

Maits Rest is located within the Great Otway National Park, an area historically used for timber harvesting and later protected for conservation. The name is attributed to a former resting place for timber workers. The surrounding Otways were logged for Myrtle Beech and other timbers in the early 20th century before national park declaration.

The walk lies within the traditional Country of the Eastern Maar and Gadubanud peoples of the Otways. The cool temperate rainforest holds cultural and ecological significance as a remnant of ancient Gondwanan rainforest, valued for its biodiversity and connection to Country.