Find a Walk
Most of the books listed below will be available through the Geelong Regional Library Service via their reservation system. Many will also be in the possession of GBC members, so if you have trouble getting your hands on a title of interest, reach out through the Club Newsletter!
AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping and Running https://www.alltrails.com/
Find a Walk: Bushwalking Victoria https://bushwalkingvictoria.org.au/find-a-walk/
Trail Hiking Australia https://www.trailhiking.com.au/
Geelong Bushwalking Club, Walking the Otways 4th Ed 2015 eds Chapman & Chapman
This is the Club’s own book, and in it you will find many walks in Anglesea, Lorne, Great Otway National Park and hinterland, and beyond to Apollo Bay and along the Great Ocean Walk. The walks are very clearly described, with excellent maps, and photographs. Difficulty level range from easy to hard, and some walks provide alternatives to shorten or lengthen the distance. If you use only one book, this is it!
Martin, Walks of the Surfcoast: Bellarine Peninsular to Cape Otway, 2010 BAS publishing
This book covers much of the same territory as Walking the Otways and Best Walks of Geelong, the Bellarine and the Brisbane Ranges and is, perhaps, not as useful. Most walks listed are less than 10km and lots of them are “there and back again” rather than circuit walks.
Wettenhall, Goldfields Track: Walk or Ride Guide 2nd Ed 2017 em PRESS publishing
Tempest, Melbourne’s Western Gorges: A Walker’s Guide to the Brisbane Ranges, Werribee and Lerderderg Gorges 2012 Open Space Publishing
There are many favourites in this book including Steiglitz, the Ted Errey Nature Circuit and Anakie Gorge walks in the Brisbane Ranges, Werribee Gorge Circuit, and various walks around Blackwood. There are 20 walks in all, mostly circuits, around 10 – 20km in distance, usually rated moderate or difficult. It is well worth checking this one out, and includes GPS downloads.
Tempest, Victoria’s Goldfield Walks: A Walker’s Guide to the Central Victorian Goldfields, 2013 Open Spaces publishing
Only some of these walks are within a reasonable driving distance from Geelong for a day walk, including those in the Daylesford area such as the Tipperary Track, Three Lost Children and the Macedon Ranges circuit. It is a good book if you are thinking of a base camp not too far from Geelong. All the Glenn Tempest books are user friendly, but take care around the Daylesford area as storm damage has affected many walks.
Mundy, Best Walks of Geelong, the Bellarine & Brisbane Ranges: the full colour guide to 40 fantastic walks 2013 Woodslanerive Press
A useful book if you’re planning a shorter walk close to home. This is the book to check for walks along the Barwon River, Hovells Creek, Inverleigh, Edwards Point, Queenscliff circuit, and the You Yangs, plus the Millionaire’s walk in Sorrento. It is well presented with good instructions, photographs and maps. Many walks are less than 3 hrs and are ranked easy or medium.
Casey, Dowling & Butler, Central Victorian Highlands: Walk and Ride Circuits, 2021 Great Dividing Trail
This is the most up-to-date book of walks within a 25km radius of Daylesford. It includes walks not in any other books, such as the Two Lakes Walk around Daylesford and Beehive Gully, Hepburn Springs as well as walks around Vaughan Springs. As with Walking the Otways, this book is written by local walkers who know what they are on about!