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Walk 27: Cora Lynn Cascades
A relaxing walk through beautiful tall eucalypts and tree ferns. The Cora Lynn Creek arises from a permanent spring further up the mountain with the picturesque cascades tumbling over the exposed shale ledges.
STARTING POINT:
Blanket Leaf Picnic Ground on Erskine Falls Road
TIME AND DISTANCE:
2hr – 4.5 km return
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY:
Easy to moderate
How to get there

Drive west on the Great Ocean Road and cross the Erskine River bridge at Lorne. Take the first turn right into Otway Street. Continue along this road for 0.6 km to William Street and turn right at the Erskine Falls sign. Continue along this road for 7 km until you reach the car park and picnic area on the left. There are toilets, a small shelter, an information board, picnic tables and wood-fired barbecues (supply your own wood).

Walk Notes
Blue-winged Parrot

This walk is signposted at the back of the Blanket Leaf Picnic Ground. The picnic area is so named because of the Blanket Leaf Bush that grows in the area. It has dark green leaves which are soft to touch, felted with white woolly hairs on the underside.

From the picnic area it is a very easy walk, with the track cut into the side of the slope and descending slowly to the cascades. The vegetation is very attractive with tall eucalypts and peppermints providing a canopy over a varied understorey of Balm Mint-bush, Snowy Daisy-bush, Hazel Pomaderris, Prickly Currant-bush and other low growing plants. It is excellent habitat for many bird species.

The first small bridge crosses Parkinson Creek, and then you will find yourself in a very special area – a tree-fern canopy with its filtered light.

The second bridge takes you over the Cora Lynn Creek and once again you will enter a beautiful tree fern area. Ferns are indeed a feature of the walk and you will notice many varying shapes and textures of their fronds. The cascades are almost screened by the vegetation until you reach the bottom of the steps where the area opens out and there is a natural rock platform. This is a delightful spot to sit and admire the cascades, perhaps have some refreshments and regain energy to climb back up the narrow track leading to the car park. It is not a strenuous climb but nevertheless it is uphill most of the way – an excuse to walk slowly, appreciate the beauty of the vegetation and listen for the many birds calling in the area.

Bird Calls
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Spotted Pardalote
New Holland Honeyeater

Yellow-tailed Cockatoo (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY); Spotted Pardalote (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY); New Holland Honeyeater (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY)

Check Out Fauna & Flora Below

Blanket Leaf (Photo by John Tann CC BY)
Prickly Current-bush (Photo by Ellinor Campbell)
Imperial Jezebel Butterfly on the Shining Peppermint (Photo by Margaret MacDonald)

Snowy Daisy-bush (Photo by Melburnian GNU)
Balm Mint-bush (Photo by Margaret MacDonald)

Hazel Pomaderris (Photo by Murray Fagg, CC BY)
Rough Tree-fern (Photo by Alison Watson)

Video by 4K Australia