GEORGE BASS COASTAL WALK

It takes between 90 minutes and two hours to drive from Melbourne to San Remo, and another 10 minutes to reach the trailhead in Kilcunda. There’s a small, gravel car park and street parking at the Punchbowl Road trailhead, and plenty of parking at the Kilcunda end. V-Line coaches run from Southern Cross station to Kilcunda and take just over two-and-a-half hours.

An average level of fitness is required for the walk, as it undulates over uneven and sometimes slippery terrain, with some steep inclines, making it unsuitable for mobility aids and strollers. Visitors with low or no vision should be aware that the path is sometimes narrow and it is largely a clifftop walk, often buffeted by high winds. Even the most fit and experienced walkers should take care when accessing the beach, and are advised not to swim anywhere along the route. Parts of the walk take you down to the beach, so check tide conditions before setting out. Particular care should be taken when close to the water’s edge due to strong winds, tides and waves.

The entire walk is dog-friendly, so service animals are welcome, but only if on a leash. There’s an off-leash dog area in Kilcunda at the western end of the main beach, below the Kilcunda Foreshore Caravan Park. Dogs are welcome on all other Kilcunda beaches if on a leash.

As previously mentioned, there are no public toilets at the start of the walk at Punchbowl Road trailhead. There are public toilets at the end of the walk in Kilcunda, but these are not wheelchair-accessible.