Scroll Top
Walk 30: Sheoak Picnic Ground – The Canyon
A walk through ferns, eucalypts and dense understorey taking in the Won Wondah Falls, the Henderson Falls and the fascinating geological feature of The Canyon. The walk continues to the Phantom Falls and then along the St George River to Allenvale Mill Car Park. With the abundance of water and vegetation, a variety of birds is usually heard and seen.
STARTING POINT:
Sheoak Picnic Ground on Garvey Track – car shuttle: leave pick-up car at Allenvale Mill Car Park next to camping area on Allenvale Road
TIME AND DISTANCE:
3hr – 8.5 km circuit
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY:
Moderate to difficult; track can be muddy; hiking sticks are recommended
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, which becomes Allenvale Road. Continue until you reach the roundabout 1 km from the bridge. Veer right and then turn left following the Allenvale Road sign. Continue along this road until you reach the Sheoak Picnic Ground 3.5 km from the roundabout. There are toilets, an information board, picnic tables and gas barbecues.

Walk Notes
Blue-winged Parrot

Start from ‘The Canyon Walk’ sign near the information board. The walking track follows the Nature Walk through a ferny glade and over Sheoak Creek. Continue through the ferns until the track divides. Take the left branch, which leads you to Garvey Track. Cross the road and follow the Walking Track sign over a low scrubby spur. After another 100 m cross another unsealed road, Sharps Track, and continue on the walking track along the Henderson Creek valley.

The Won Wondah Falls Track branches to the right of the main track. About 30 m along there is a lookout over the Falls, a cascade partly shrouded by overhanging vegetation. Return to the main track and continue to the next junction. A walk of about 500 m will take you to the Henderson Falls where there is usually an attractive stream flowing down the mossy black rock wall. There is a magnificent Mountain Ash tree near the second bridge.

Return to the track junction and follow the signs to The Canyon. The track gains some height and crosses a small creek – a good place to stop and look for birds. Not far from here the track suddenly enters a rocky section known as The Canyon. Sheer walls rise some 10 m on either side.

Having made your way through, you are able to view this interesting geological feature from above. From here there is an easy walk (about 2 km) to the Phantom Falls and then back down the track to Allenvale (about 1.5 km). If you decide not to do a car shuttle, a 2 km walk along Garvey Track returns you to the picnic area.

Bird Calls
Pied Currawong
New Holland Honeyeater
White-throated Treecreeper

Pied Currawong (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY);New Holland Honeyeater (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY); White-throated Treecreeper (Recording by Marc Anderson, CC BY)

Check Out Fauna & Flora Below

Mountain Ash on road (Photo by Bob Beale)
White-throated Treecreeper (Photo by Alison Watson)

Mountain Ash (Photo by Alison Watson)
New Holland Honeyeater (Photo by Rob Shepherd)

 

Currawong and ferns (Photo by Nina Spiess CC BY)
Aerial view (Photo by Michael J Fromholtz CC BY)
Henderson Falls (Photo by Shuicai CC BY)