Beech Forest - Little Aire Falls
Hidden deep within the Great Otway National Park, Little Aire Falls is one of the Otways' most beautiful waterfalls. A single 30-metre cascade plunges into a lush fern-filled gully, surrounded by towering Mountain Ash, Myrtle Beech and cool temperate rainforest. Despite its name, the waterfall is anything but small - it is named after Little Aire Creek, a tributary of the Aire River.
Reaching the falls requires a rewarding 5 km return walk from the Triplet Falls And Little Aire Falls Carpark off Phillips Track near Beech Forest. The track follows a gently undulating path along an old logging winch line through magnificent forest before descending a series of steps to an eight metre high viewing platform overlooking the waterfall. While the walk is well formed, the final section is steep and the return climb can be challenging.
Little Aire Falls is generally one of the quieter waterfalls, making it an excellent destination for visitors wanting a peaceful rainforest experience. Winter and spring usually provide the strongest water flow, although the falls are attractive throughout the year.
At the Triplet Falls And Little Aire Falls Carpark there are toilets and six picnic tables. Camping, fires and sleeping in cars is not permitted.
Take the main track from the carpark which leads to both Triplet Falls and Little Aire Falls. After about 150 steps, the narrower track to Little Aire Falls branches off to the left. This is a fairly challenging walk due to the many steps (approx 360) as well as a lot of steeper sections.
There are many very tall Mountain Ash throughout the walk, and you cross streams using bridges at several points.
The track is well maintained and clear, although there may be patches of mud after significant rain. There are no handrails on the many steps, so if you prefer to hold onto something, bring some walking poles. At one point there is a walking track that crossed diagonally, however stay on the main path and keep going straight ahead.
Eventually you will reach a suspended viewing platform with a see-through grate base.
The track does not take you to the base of the falls (no access), you can only view it from the platform which is a some distance away. However, after rain, this set of falls is impressive - like a giant rock water slide. Width and amount of water falling will depend on the season and recent rains.
The length of the walk to the falls is clouded in mystery. The sign at the carpark says a distance of 2.5km 2.5hr return while the information signage at the carpark says a distance of 4.5km, 2 hours return. We think it is about 5km return. For a reasonably fit person used to walking hills it should take about 1.5-2 hours based on our experience. However this time may vary greatly depending on the fitness and endurance of the walker, whether or not you have children with you and other factors. You might need to allow up to 3 hours walk time plus time spent at the platform depending on your situation.
Directions
Little Aire Falls is 200km from Melbourne via Colac and Gellibrand, or 70km from Apollo Bay. Follow the signs from the Beech Forest - Lavers Hill Road, the falls are 3km past the Otway Fly.
Little Aire Falls and nearby Triplet Falls are located just a few minutes apart along Phillips Track, making them a popular pair to visit on the same trip. While Little Aire Falls impresses with its single 30-metre plunge, Triplet Falls features three separate cascades tumbling through lush rainforest, offering two distinctly different waterfall experiences in one visit.
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are not permitted.
Photos:
Location
Phillips Track, Wyelangta 3237 View Map
Web Links
→ Triplet Falls (Parks Victoria)
→ Great Otway National Park - Triplet Falls (PDF)
→ Triplet Falls (World of Waterfalls)
→ The Best Waterfalls in Melbourne and Victoria for Family Visits
