Put These Lorne Waterfalls On Your Travel Agenda

1. Henderson Falls

Framed by ferns, this small waterfall is just 1.5 kilometres from the Sheoak Picnic Area yet doesn’t get nearly as many visitors as some of the other waterfalls in Lorne. What it lacks in scale, it makes up for with access. Stand at the base, close your eyes and soak up the cool, refreshing air coming off the falls.

2. Sheoak Falls

people sitting on the side of Sheoak Falls, Lorne

Sheoak Falls drops down a sheer rock face. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The relatively short 15-minute walk from the car park makes this one a good waterfall option for people with kids who can’t tackle some of the longer, more rugged trails in the area. Not far off the Great Ocean Road, stop at this waterfall to break up your drive or get a blast of nature and fresh air before continuing your road trip. If you’re visiting at dusk, be sure to pay attention as you might just see the signature aura emanating from glow worms known to populate the caves and rocks around here.

3. Erskine Falls

Erskine Falls plunges 30 meters into a lush tree-fern gully. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This 30-metre cascade just 15 minutes out of Lorne is a real crowd-pleaser because you can view the falls without feeling the burn from a massive hike. A short walk from the Erskine Falls carpark, the upper viewing platform will reveal lovely views of the falls and surrounding bushland. Head down the stairs that lead to the lower viewing platform to experience the instant calm that comes from seeing this magical waterfall fringed by greenery at ground level.

If you’re a confident, fit and experienced bushwalker, you can tackle the 7.5-kilometre Erskine River Track which begins at the Erskine Falls car park and finishes at the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park. However, you’ll need to be comfortable with crossing rivers by rock hopping to do this walk thou. Check the river levels before giving it a go as this hike isn’t advisable when the river levels are high.

4 & 5. Kalimna Falls (Upper and Lower)

This enchanting falls is framed by ferns. (Image: Parks Victoria)

A popular Great Otway National Park trail, the Kalimna Falls Walk is a two-for-one waterfall deal with the track revealing top views of both the upper and lower Kalimna Falls in just a few hours of walking. Park at the Sheoak Picnic Area and set off on foot towards the lower Kalimna Falls first. In years gone by, a tramway used by timber workers ran along this path. Instead of being used to move timber logs to Lorne Pier, the path is now the domain of bushwalkers, birdwatchers and nature lovers. You’ll pass ferns gullies, mossy logs and towering gums on the way to the lower falls which cascade over the ledge of a large cave, creating a spectacular effect you’ll definitely want to snap on your phone. Cool off by dipping your toes in the water, then continue by following the signs to the upper Kalimna Falls from the nearest junction. Check out this simple waterfall that is perfectly framed by the forest ferns and canopy, then loop back to the Sheoak Picnic Area where you started.

6. Phantom Falls

a man reaching out for the hand of the woman sitting on a rock backdropped with the Phantom Falls, Lorne

Discover this dramatic waterfall surrounded by forest. (Image: Parks Victoria)

Accessed via a 90-minute return walk from the Allenvale Mill Campground, Phantom Falls is a great waterfall walk to tackle if you’re short on time but still want to carve out a part of your trip to commune with nature. You’ll pass picturesque farmland, a peaceful river and serene bushland on relatively flat terrain before hitting the incline which will challenge your legs and lungs a bit more. Be sure you’re wearing sturdy walking shoes – sandals and unsupportive footwear just won’t cut it here. Once you reach the waterfall you’ll be rewarded with incredible views of a bush-fringed waterfall cascading over a dark rock face into a pool below. Be sure to head down the steep stairs to see it from below too.

Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

A curtain is slowly winched from the placid, teal waters just off Portarlington , like a floating garland beside our boat. The ropes heave with blue mussels, the star attraction of our tour. But as we reach to pluck our own, it’s quickly clear they’re not alone; a mass of weird and wonderful creatures has colonised the ropes, turning them into a living tapestry. ‘Fairy’ oysters, jelly-like sea squirts, and tiny, wriggling skeleton shrimp all inhabit this underwater ecosystem.

We prize our bivalve bounty from the ropes, and minutes later the mussels arrive split on a platter. The plump orange morsels are served raw, ready to be spritzed with wedges of lemon and a lick of chilli as we gaze out over the bay. They’re briny, tender and faintly sweet. “This wasn’t originally part of the tour,” explains Connie Trathen, who doubles as the boat’s cook, deckhand and guide. “But a chef [who came onboard] wanted to taste the mussels raw first, and it’s now become one of the key features.”

A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

inspecting bivalve bounty from the ropes — Inspecting the bounty. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

It’s a crisp, calm winter’s day, and the sun is pouring down upon Valerie, a restored Huon pine workhorse that was first launched in January 1980. In a previous life she trawled the turbulent Bass Strait. These days she takes jaunts into Port Phillip Bay under the helm of Lance Wiffen, a fourth-generation Bellarine farmer, and the owner of Portarlington Mussel Tours . While Lance has been involved in the fishing industry for 30-plus years, the company’s tour boat only debuted in 2023.

holding Portarlington mussels — See how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

It took more than three years to transform the former shark trawler into a dreamy, Hamptons-esque vessel, with little expense spared. Think muted green suede banquettes, white-washed walls, Breton-striped bench cushions, hardwood tables, bouquets of homegrown dahlias, and woollen blankets sourced from Waverley Mills, Australia’s oldest working textile mill. It’s intimate, too, welcoming 12 guests at most. And yet there’s nothing pretentious about the experience – just warm, down-to-earth Aussie hospitality.

As we cruise out, we crack open a bottle of local bubbles and nibble on the most beautifully curated cheese platter, adorned with seashells and grey saltbush picked from the water’s edge that very morning. Australasian gannets soar overhead, and I’m told it’s not uncommon for guests to spot the odd seal, pod of dolphins, or even the occasional little penguin.

The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels

blue mussels off Portarlington — Blue mussels sourced just off Portarlington.

Connie and Lance both extol the virtues of mussels. They’re delicious. A lean source of protein and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc. They’re cooked in a flash (Connie steams our fresh harvest with cider and onion jam). And they’re also widely regarded as one of the most sustainable foods in the world.

Portarlington mussels with lemon and chilli — Mussels served with lemon and chilli.

“Aquaculture is [often] seen as destructive, so a lot of our guests are really surprised about how environmentally friendly and sustainable our industry is,” Lance says. “[Our mussels] would filter 1.4 billion litres of water a day,” he adds, explaining how mussels remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. “And through biomineralisation, we lock carbon into mussel shells.”

a hand holding a Portarlington mussel — Mussels are a sustainable food.

Despite their glowing list of accolades, these molluscs have long been seen as the oysters’ poorer cousins. “It was a really slow start,” explains Lance, who says that in the early days of his career, “you could not sell mussels in Victoria”.

But word has slowly caught on. Chefs as globally acclaimed as Attica’s Ben Shewry and even René Redzepi of Noma, Denmark, have travelled to these very waters just to try the shellfish at the source, sharing only the highest praise, and using Lance’s mussels in their restaurants.

guests sampling Portarlington mussels onboard — Sampling the goods onboard. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

According to Lance there’s one obvious reason why the cool depths of Portarlington outshine other locations for mussel farming. “The water quality is second to none,” he says, noting how other regions are frequently rocked by harvest closures due to poor water quality. “We grow, without a doubt, some of the best shellfish in the world.” And with Lance’s bold claims backed up by some of the industry’s greatest names, perhaps it won’t be much longer until more Aussies uncover the appeal of Portarlington’s mussels.

6 must-see waterfalls in Lorne

Away from the beach crowds, these Lorne waterfalls fringed by forest-green bushland will make you want to hit the road asap.

1. Henderson Falls

2. Sheoak Falls

3. Erskine Falls

4 & 5. Kalimna Falls (Upper and Lower)

6. Phantom Falls

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This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels