Johanna River Farm & Cottages
- Rooms
Four self-contained cottages (1 and 2 bedrooms) on a 280-acre working farm, about 4 km by road from Johanna Beach and 2 km from the trail. Book online; ask the hosts about walker drop-offs.
Great Ocean Walk · Stage 5 of 8
Aire River to Johanna Beach
Stage 5 of the Great Ocean Walk covers 13.3 km from Aire River to Johanna Beach, with 350 m of ascent and 319 m of descent. The highest point is 127 m. Allow about 5 hours of walking, plus breaks.
13.3 kmdistance
350 mascent
319 mdescent
~5 hwalking time
moderatedifficulty
127 mhighest point
≈ 2 L
≈ 1,160 kcal
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Where to sleep and eat on this stage
Johanna
The Roost Johanna
- Rooms
- Not confirmed by the operator — check first
Country-style self-contained cottages a short walk from Johanna Beach, about 0.8 km from the trail. Listed by the regional tourism board; its own website did not load in October 2026, so confirm before booking.
Johanna Beach
Johanna Beach Campground (drive-in)
- Camping
Open, windy drive-in campground of 25 sites behind the dunes, about 1 km before the hike-in campground; non-flush toilets, no fires, bring water. Bookings required, with a 7-night minimum from 19 December 2026 to 23 January 2027.
Johanna Beach Hike-in Campground
- Camping
Hike-in campground on a casuarina ridge above Johanna Beach, with ocean and farmland views: 8 sites for up to 3 people, rainwater tanks, composting toilets and a shelter. Book before you walk.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed by the regional tourism board or on OpenStreetMap but could not be checked on their own website. The hike-in campsites must be booked night by night before you walk, and each site holds up to 3 people. Lodges and cottages away from the trail are reached by shuttle or by arrangement with the host, so book transport with your room.
Help and services on this stage
Emergency: call 000 (112 from a mobile). Check the tides. Emergency & health guide
Nearest hospital
- Great Ocean Road Health – Apollo Bay (emergency department) · Apollo Bay · 24/7 emergency
+61352378500 · Map
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
Walk Aire River to Johanna Beach with Outest
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.