Try the latest released version of Apache Chainsaw - http://logging.apache.org/chainsaw/2.x/
The Chainsaw configuration screen provides the option to parse local log files directly from a log4j xml configuration file (Use fileappender entries from a log4j config file option), or to specify the logFormat and log file yourself and have Chainsaw automatically start parsing logs (Process a log file option).
Chainsaw can also parse and tail log files available remotely via ssh using the VFSLogFilePatternReceiver - see the Welcome tab, View example receiver configuration, VFSLogFilePatternReceiverNoUserInfoPrompt example.
If you're using Log4j2, it's even easier to load events in to Chainsaw - just enable an advertiser and add the jmdns.jar on your appender side - see http://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/manual/configuration.html#ChainsawSupport