If you haven’t done so already, check out our Great South West Walk hiking trail summary or go back to GSWW Section 14 – Trewalla Camp to Mallee Camp. Else, let us continue on with this fifteenth and final section of the Great South West Walk from Mallee Camp to Portland.
The final section is another long one at 22km into Portland, but it is the last one, so you’ll find a whole bunch of extra energy that you never knew you had. Just knowing there is more real food at your destination. Always a sure fire bet to get you there quicker.
There is a gem on this section called the Enchanted Forest. Be prepared to have your camera in hand for at least 15 minutes happy snapping along the way. What a beautiful section of the hike this is!
When you get back to Portland, take a rest at the Visitor Information Centre and chat with the staff there about your trip. They are a friendly bunch and always happy to hear of another great adventure on the Great South West Walk.
Congatulations on your magnificent effort.
Natures symphony is drawing to a close and we hope you take time to reflect on the walk’s great landscape, wildlife and history.
The final walk-section traverses coastal walking tracks and some roadside walking to end at the Portland Maritime Discovery and Visitor Information Centre.
This section of the Walk follows the eastern cliffs of Cape Nelson, overlooking Nelson Bay before traversing Cape Sir William Grant and Point Danger with several excellent lookout points including Blacknose Point and Yellow Rock.
Echidnas are often observed along this section of the walk, foraging for ant larvae as they ramble about.
Moonah Trees (Melaleuca lanceolata) were once widespread along the coastline of Southern Australia; however its value as firewood in lime burning kilns reduced its range to small, isolated pockets such as in the Enchanted Forest.
The Enchanted Forest section of the walk drops down from the clifftop into a quiet area where Moonah trees, draped in Bower Spinach (Tetragonia implexicoma), create the ‘enchanted’ feel.
The Gannet Rookery at Point Danger is the only mainland rookery for the Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator).
The rookery began in October 1995 when available space on Lawrence Rocks (the island just offshore) forced breeding pairs to seek a new site, thus began the successful, thriving colony.
On your final legs you will come into Portland Visitor Information Centre, wandering along the coast and roadside to arrive back where you began.
Congratulations!
Great South West Walk Section 15 – Mallee Camp to Portland
Section 15: Mallee Camp to Portland.
- Section Features: The Gannet Rockery & Lawrence Rocks, Lookouts, Echidnas, The Enchanted Forest, Surfers at Yellow Rock, Rufous Bristlebirds, gannets, whales & dolphins.
- Reported Distance: 21.7km
- Measured Distance: 22km
- Elevation Gain: 520 metres
- Elevation Loss: 555 metres
- Minimum Elevation: 1 metre
- Maximum Elevation: 85 metres
- Time to complete: 5-7 hours
Go back to our Great South West Walk hiking trail summary.