Our Story
The Walk91 Journey
From Building the Great Ocean Walk to Helping Thousands Explore It
How It All Began — A Ranger, a Shovel, and a World-Class Trail
I’m Mark Kininmonth, and my connection to the Great Ocean Walk began long before Walk91 existed. In the early 2000s, I was working as a Parks Victoria Ranger, and one of my tasks was to help build sections of what would soon become one of Australia’s most iconic multi-day hiking trails.
Back then, the Great Ocean Walk was still only a dream — an ambitious plan to create a coastal track stretching from Apollo Bay to Glenample, weaving through the Great Otway National Park. I was fortunate to be part of the team shaping this dream into reality.
Armed with a shovel, hand tools, and a small crew of rangers and contractors, we helped to:
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Clear bushland
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Shape track alignment
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Construct new sections of trail
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Protect fragile coastlines and cultural sites
Seeing the Great Ocean Walk completed — and watching it grow from 91 km to today’s 104 km, ending at the Twelve Apostles has been awesome!
Founding Walk91 — A Local Business Built by the Locals Who Helped Build the Track
When the Great Ocean Walk officially opened in 2005, walkers from all over the world began arriving in Apollo Bay. Many needed logistical help, local support, safety advice, and someone who really knew the trail.
So my wife Nancy and I created Walk91 — the first tourism business dedicated to helping walkers experience the Great Ocean Walk safely, comfortably, and with genuine local care.
Twenty years later, Walk91 remains:
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Locally owned and operated in Apollo Bay
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The only Great Ocean Walk company based at the trail’s starting point
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Run by people who helped create the trail
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Built on deep local relationships, sustainability, and authentic storytelling
If you choose to walk with us, you’re not just booking a tour — you’re walking with people who live here, love it here, and have shaped this landscape for decades.
A Little History About Me (Mark) and Nancy
About Us — Mark & Nancy
Nancy is the storyteller in the family. She has a passion for local history and has filled our walkers’ notes with fascinating snippets about the Shipwreck Coast, the Gadubanud people, lighthouse keepers, early settlers, and wildlife. (We’ve had to edit them down — otherwise you’d be carrying a novel!)
She has spent much of her life in tourism — from London to Egypt to Central America to the Great Barrier Reef. Nancy worked in fashion design in London and China and is known for her incredible attention to detail (perfect for running walking tours).
Together, we’ve blended:
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My track-building and environmental knowledge
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Nancy’s design eye and organisation
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Our shared passion for hiking, nature, and community
…into a business we love.
Two Decades of Walk91 — And Plenty of Stories
Offering Great Ocean Walk tours for over 20 years has given us more than just wonderful friendships — it has also given us some unforgettable moments.
One of our favourites?
An eagle once dropped a huge koala onto the roof of our bus when it realised it couldn’t lift its weight mid-flight. (Both the koala and the bus survived.)
We’ve helped walkers celebrate anniversaries, reunions, fitness breakthroughs and even marriage proposals.
We got married at the start of the Great Ocean Walk ourselves!
We’ve watched the trail grow — from the original 91 km route ending at Glenample, to the extended 104 km walk finishing at the Twelve Apostles, complete with a new underpass, new viewing platforms, and soon a world-class Visitor Experience Centre.
And throughout it all, Apollo Bay — our “Paradise by the Sea” — has remained home.
Why the Name Walk91?
When the trail opened, it ran 91 km from Apollo Bay to Glenample. That’s where Walk91 was born.
We didn’t know then that the walk would later be extended to the Twelve Apostles, becoming the 104 km Great Ocean Walk everyone knows today.
But we kept the name — because it reflects our story and our roots in the original trail.
Proudly Local — Proudly Supporting Our Community
Over the past 20 years we’ve:
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Employed local drivers, guides and support staff
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Supported local sports clubs, conservation groups and Wildlife Wonders
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Raised our two children here in Apollo Bay
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Contributed to local tourism, environmental care, and community connection
This region has given us so much — and Walk91 allows us to give back.
Get in Touch
If you’re dreaming of a Great Ocean Walk adventure, we’d love to help make it unforgettable.
Whether you want:
We’re here for you — every step of the way.
👉 Have a question? Just reach out or even BOOK A CALL. We genuinely love chatting to new walkers.