Erskine Falls is stunning. The waterfall drops a straight 30 metres and although there are other taller waterfall systems in the Great Otway National Park that include several cascades and falls, it’d be hard to find another one with a larger single drop.
Surrounding Erskine Falls is ancient cool-climate rainforest packed with Australian natives and Soft Tree Ferns that are rarely found elsewhere on the planet. The waterfall itself is special and a must-see, yet the surrounding area both at the top and bottom of Erskine Falls is what makes this place world-class.
You can chose to walk to Erskine Falls from Lorne, which takes about 3 hours to complete the 7.5 km track. The trail goes past Splitter Falls and Straw Falls on the way to Erskine through the rainforest. From there, there’s plenty of other places that you can continue walking to if the 7.5 kms back to Lorne isn’t far enough.
If you’ve decided to drive to the waterfall, you’ll then have the option of taking the stairs down to the Lower Falls viewing area or if anyone in your party has accessibility issues, there’s also the Upper Falls viewing area which is only a short walk from the car park with no stairs on the way. In saying this, if you’re fit and able, it’s really worth heading down stairs and getting an close-up view of Erskine Falls from the bottom as the Upper Falls viewing area has some trees in the way and doesn’t give you the full rainforest experience.
Down at the Lower Falls viewing area, there’s a timber platform with guard rails that gives a decent view of Erskine Falls. If the water level in the creek is low enough, it might be possible to cross over the creek and head right to the base of Erskine Falls, although be prepared to get a bit wet and pretty muddy.
Driving to Erskine Falls
Erskine Falls is about a 10 minute drive (or a 3 hour walk) out the back of Lorne on the Great Ocean Road. When you’ve just come into Lorne and can see the Visitor Information Centre, you’ve got to head in the opposite direction of the ocean, up the hills and out the back of town.
They’ve made it pretty easy to find. There are signs directing you which way to go and the road leaving town is named ‘Erskine Falls Road’.
