Straw Falls

Great Otway National Park / Lorne, Victoria, Australia

About Straw Falls


Hiking Distance: 1.5km round trip
Suggested Time: 45-60 minutes

Date first visited: 2017-11-19
Date last visited: 2017-11-19

Waterfall Latitude: -38.50670
Waterfall Longitude: 143.91702

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Straw Falls was a slender but tall waterfall in a seasonal creek feeding the Erskine River.

Since it was on such a thin-flowing creek, I’d imagine that seeing this waterfall flow would require some serious timing.

Erskine_Falls_17_050_11182017 - Straw Falls
Straw Falls

The picture you see above was taken during a clearing storm immediately after a couple days of rains had hit Western Victoria, including the Great Ocean Road area.

The falls might only last a few days (maybe a week or two after the last significant rainfall) before it would reduce to a trickle without any further replenishing rains.

It’s this ephemeral or fleeting behavior that caused me to think of this falls as more of an optional side attraction to the more well-known and well-developed walk to Erskine Falls.

Given that the path to reach this waterfall almost bordered on scrambling while it was a bit of a detour from the main attraction, we made a separate writeup (i.e. this page) instead of integrating it with the Erskine Falls writeup.

Erskine_Falls_17_026_11182017 - The semi-scrambling path to Straw Falls started on the opening to the left of Julie in this photo
The semi-scrambling path to Straw Falls started on the opening to the left of Julie in this photo

Julie and I actually didn’t bother to visit this falls on our first visit back in November 2006, but I did manage to do this side excursion on my own in November 2017.

Starting from the same car park and trailhead as that of Erskine Falls, we descended the nearly 220m path to get to the familiar lower lookout for the Erskine Falls.

Just before the built-up track ended, there was a side track to the right that initially followed along the Erskine River before crossing it to get to the other side.

Needless to say, while Straw Falls may be more attractive under higher flows, the river crossing may not be trivial (or downright dangerous) under such conditions.

Erskine_Falls_17_065_11182017 - Julie crossing over the Erskine River en route to Straw Falls
Julie crossing over the Erskine River en route to Straw Falls

Some poles were set up right where the path deviated from the Erskine Falls Track to indicate how high the water level can be before giving up the attempt to cross.

Once on the other side of the river, the track continued along the slick bedrock flanking the Erskine River before the dirt track picked up and meandered amongst ferns and fallen logs.

The path continued on like this for the next 500m or so as I found myself ducking under some of the overgrowth while climbing over some of the fallen logs and rocks along the way.

Eventually, the path opened up right before the falls on the left, and there was a sign here indicating that I had finally made it to the Straw Falls.

Erskine_Falls_17_035_11182017 - Continuing on the bush track leading to Straw Falls
Continuing on the bush track leading to Straw Falls

It took me about another 30 minutes or so to get here from the end of the Erskine Falls Track.

Authorities

Straw Falls resides in the Great Otway National Park near Lorne, Victoria. It is administered by Parks Victoria. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Erskine_Falls_17_006_11182017 - The start of the Straw Falls excursion pretty much coincides with the Erskine Falls Track
Erskine_Falls_012_11162006 - That means we had to descend for the first 220m or so to reach the Erskine River below
Erskine_Falls_17_022_11182017 - Once we made it down to the lower viewing deck for Erskine Falls, that was when we noticed an opening to the right of this lookout that led to the Straw Falls as well as some informal scrambling paths leading to the base of Erskine Falls
Erskine_Falls_17_028_11182017 - Looking across the Erskine River as I was about to continue towards Straw Falls during my November 2017 visit. Clearly, if the Erskine River was swollen, then it would be unwise to attempt to continue past this point
Erskine_Falls_17_032_11182017 - As I was making my way to Straw Falls, these hikers were just wrapping up their side excursion during my visit in November 2017
Erskine_Falls_17_039_11182017 - Looking right up at Straw Falls in decent flow from its base during my November 2017 visit
Erskine_Falls_17_045_11182017 - Broad look up towards the top of Straw Falls during my November 2017 visit
Erskine_Falls_17_063_11182017 - When I returned to the Erskine Falls vicinity during my November 2017 visit, I was surprised to see that Julie didn't go up after all though she did have to do this part of the scramble prior to crossing the Erskine River
Erskine_Falls_17_068_11182017 - Going all the way back up to the Erskine Falls car park after having done the Straw Falls side excursion in November 2017
Erskine_Falls_022_jx_11162006 - We noticed this sign at the trail junction leading to Straw Falls on our way out of Erskine Falls during our November 2006 visit
Erskine_Falls_023_jx_11162006 - Sign indicating some of the hazards we'd be facing if we continued to Straw Falls during our November 2006 visit


The car park for Straw Falls is the same as that of Erskine Falls.

See that page for specifics on driving directions.

It took us roughly 20 minutes from the town centre of Lorne to the Erskine Falls car park.

For context, Lorne was 47km (a little over an hour drive) east of Apollo Bay, 142km (under 2 hours drive) southwest of Melbourne or 68km (over an hour drive) southwest of Geelong.

Find A Place To Stay

Checking out Straw Falls from a few different spots at its base

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Tagged with: surf coast, lorne, great ocean road, otway, otways, angahook, victoria, australia, waterfall, erskine falls, erskine river



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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