Finally had a full day to tick off the legendary George Bass Coastal Walk, often called the “top-tier hike of Melbourne”! Definitely worth the trip. George Bass Coastal Walk is truely the ultimate Melbourne hiking experience!
I’d heard a lot about this popular hiking route, so we brought the whole family along for the challenge. The round trip is about 14 km, and the scenery is stunning. Both the older and younger family members managed to complete the whole walk.
Today was a public holiday, so it was busier than usual, with lots of people bringing their dogs along too.
George Bass Coastal Walk
The whole trail felt lively and fun. We parked right by the roadside and completed a 14.04 km return hike in about 4.5 hours, including photo stops and some drone flying.
The way out felt pretty easy, but the last few kilometres on the return were a bit tough. Even though I wore knee supports on both legs, I still felt quite sore when I got home.
The temperature was around 16°C today. I originally packed a softshell jacket, but since there wasn’t much wind, I didn’t end up using it.
Around the 4 km mark I even took off my fleece and was just in a long-sleeve quick-dry top, which was perfect. After about 4 pm on the way back it did get a bit chilly, so bringing a jacket is still recommended.
George Bass Coastal Walk (7 km one way)
Just navigate directly to this point. It’s less than 2 hours from Melbourne and there’s parking available. When we arrived after 3 pm, it wasn’t too crowded.
Along the way, we occasionally met people heading back, many of them with pets. The trail is genuinely beautiful — coastal cliffs, ocean views, and open landscapes the whole way. It’s a very relaxing walk where you can stroll, stop, take photos, and chat.
The most beautiful viewpoint is where the cover photo was taken: one side is wide open grassy fields, the other is deep blue ocean and dramatic cliffs… It almost feels like Gerringong near Sydney. I captured a shot of my daughter running in the frame — I really love that sense of movement in the moment.
Tips
- It can be quite sunny, so make sure to bring sun protection — hat and sunglasses are essential.
- There are very few resting benches along the way. From memory, there was one at the beginning intersection, but not much after that. If you need breaks, bringing a picnic mat is a great idea — there are plenty of scenic spots to sit and rest comfortably.
- There are no facilities or shops along the trail, so bring enough water and snacks.
- It’s very close to Phillip Island, so you can combine the trip. Don’t forget to book your penguin parade tickets in advance.