Hi Oz,
Just to clarrify something. There is no state forest in the Otways anymore, it's mostly the Great Otway National Park and a few smaller Forest Parks. There is some good riding in the Bambra, Deans Marsh and Pennyroyal areas with the areas north of Bambra generally the less challenging. Anywhere you go at the moment is so dusty it is unbeleivable.
If you get to the north end riding areas like Paddy's Swamp and Tanners you will delight at the number of "proposed track closure" signs that DSE have put up in the past week