Arguably one of the most, if not the most, iconic driving route in Australia, the Great Ocean Road is a 151-mile stretch connecting Torquay to Allansford, delighting visitors in the state of Victoria. It was built the 1920s as the world’s longest war memorial by returning servicemen from World War I intended to connect isolated settlements. Drivers and hikers experience a stunning route along dramatic ocean cliffs and pretty surf beaches.
Photo by: superjoseph/Adobe Stock
Visiting Victoria opens you up to a world full of mouth-watering local cuisine; farm produce, local wines, and freshly-caught sea food, all readily available from the quaint towns along the route. The varied ecosystems along the route are also a magnet for nature lovers. Out to sea you can spot whales and pods of dolphins. The pristine rainforests inland are home to koalas, kangaroos, and a range of birds, some unique to the area. You’re also in with a chance of seeing a platypus.
The area is a huge draw for surfers throughout the year and whatever watersport you’re into, you’re bound to find an opportunity to do it here; windsurfing, boogie-boarding, scuba diving, and more.
The coast is also renowned for its dangers however, having claimed over 600 ships on hidden rocks at sea. In fact, part of the stretch is called the Shipwreck Coast and many wrecks can be dived. You should always check the state of the road before driving as it can have sections closed due to landslides or bushfires. Although the road itself can easily be travelled in less than 4 hours, we recommend taking a few days so you can base yourself in some of the coastal towns and experience the full delights on offer.
When to travel
As with any tourist destination, you’ll find prices hike together with the number of visitors, so expect higher prices during summer in Australia (December to February) but the weather will be more favourable. You may find it more reasonable to travel during their winter season (June to August) when the accommodation prices will be lower. The state has a temperate climate with the coast cool and mild, chillier than the inland states.
Where to stay
Australia welcomes travellers of all backgrounds so you’ll find a variety of accommodation to suit your budget. For those travelling during a gap year, you’ll find campsites, motels and hostels along the route. On the other end of the scale, there’s boutique hotels and spa resorts. Whatever experience you’re looking for, Victoria can easily accommodate you along the Great Ocean Road.
The official start of the Great Ocean Road – Torquay
Known as the birthplace of iconic surfing brands such as Quiksilver and Rip Curl, this is the place to surf, with waves up to 5m high. Every Easter, the nearby Bells Beach hosts the world’s longest-running surf competition; Rip Curl Pro. Even if you’re not a great surfer, or have never tried it, here you’ll find experts to help you learn. Try the Torquay Surf Academy. The beaches available are great for surfers of every skill level. For equipment and surf gear, head to the Surf City Plaza which caters for all your surfing needs.
If you don’t want to try your hand at the sport, learn more about its history and development in Australia at the Australian National Surfing Museum. Discover more about the heroes and legends of the surf world in their Surfing Hall of Fame. Learn how surfboards have developed over the years and see some historic examples.
Bells Beach, Torquay. Photo by: stanciuc/Adobe Stock
For those who prefer being in the air to being in the water, head to Tiger Moth World who offer a variety of flights in their vintage WW2 open cockpit bi-planes. From the private Torquay Airport, designed in the style of a WW2 grass aerodrome, set off on a flight over the coast, the thrill-seekers adding loops and rolls. You can even skydive to witness the coast from a perspective not all will experience. An incredible opportunity you won’t forget.
Anglesea
Golfers should be sure to pay a visit to the Anglesea Golf Club, and say ‘hello’ to their resident population of eastern grey kangaroos.
The Sunday morning market along the bank of the Anglesea River is worth is a pitstop if you’re passing at the right time. Grab some great locally made gifts to take home or taste some fresh delicacies.
For your intake of culture, take the 2.6km Art Walk which incorporates six mosaic art pieces along with workshops and galleries.
Aireys Inlet
Visit the 1891 lighthouse at Split Point known as the “White Queen”. The operational lighthouse provides those willing to head to the top incredible 360-degree coastal views. Take a guided tour and learn more about local ghost stories and maritime legends. Scenes from “Round the Twist”, a children’s TV show, were filmed here.
Surf at Fairhaven Beach or swim during low tide at the horseshoe shaped reef at Step Beach.
Split Point Lighthouse. Photo by: Ashley Whitworth/Adobe Stock
Lorne
Take the Surf Coast Walk from Lorne and witness the ochre cliffs at Bells Beach and the eucalyptus trees that line the Bass Strait.
Inside the Lorne Visitor Centre is the Great Ocean Road Heritage Centre where the exhibition will teach you more about how the road was constructed and its history.
Within 10km of Lorne lie 10 different waterfalls including Erskine Falls and Phantom Falls- try visiting them all if you have the time!
Just the other side of Lorne, Teddy’s Lookout is a great place to visit for fantastic views of waves breaking into the mouth of the Saint George River.
Continue on your road trip and park in the signposted carpark for Sheoak Falls. Take the 10-minute walk for this easy-to-access attraction.
Heading towards Apollo Bay, you should stop for Carisbrook Falls. It’s the closest waterfall to the road and parking is available. Continuing a little further, make a pitstop at Carisbrook Creek where travellers build incredible gravity-defying structures from the rocks available. There’s no parking for the creek however so caution is advised when parking along the roadside. Don’t be too disheartened if there’s nothing to see when you arrive; the tide often sweeps the stacks away but you can still build your own.
Apollo Bay
For an alternative trip in the air, consider Apollo Bay Aviation whose flights follow the Great Ocean Walk along the Shipwreck Coast. The high-winged helicopter or plane allows for some incredible views.
There are a variety of different walks available in Apollo Bay. Take the Coastal Trail beginning at the Information Centre, heading either to Mariners Lookout Road (1.4km walk) or to Wild Dog Creek (2.5km). The History Trail will connect 10 historical highlights of the town. Alternatively, the Sculpture Walk is a permanent exhibition of wooden sculptures along the Foreshore.
Sample fresh seafood and dive the wreck of SS Casino.
Koalas in Great Otway National Park. Photo by: Uwe Bergwitz/Adobe Stock
Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary
This sanctuary protects 12ha of ocean sitting 150m offshore, covering Little Henty Reef. Visit during low tide to witness some amazing rock formations- rocks have never looked so interesting. Peer into rock pools teeming with life. Spot the seals living on the outer reef.
Great Otway National Park
This park covers the coastal tip of Victoria. There are three camping areas at Johanna, Aire River and Blanket Bay. You’ll find a range of ecosystems including beaches and forest and a variety of trails incorporating these. There’s a significant koala population so your chances of a sighting are high.
Visit Cape Otway Lighthouse; the oldest surviving lighthouse in Australia and it’s open to the public. Take a self-guided tour to include the lighthouse, WW2 Radar Station, the Telegraph Station, and the Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
From the coast, you’ll have the chance of spotting migrating whales, dolphins (southern right, southern humpback, and bottlenose). The Park is a designated Important Bird Area as it supports the rufous bristlebirds, striated fieldwrens and pink robins.
Get your feet off the ground with Otway Fly treetop adventures; take the treetop walk, zipline tour, and the rainforest ranger trail. Walk 25m above the ground along the 600m trail and take in the view from the 45m tall Spiral Tower. Raise your adrenaline and glide from 30m above ground in the 2.5hour long zipline tour. The interactive rainforest ranger trail will teach you about the ancient tree species and unique wildlife found in the park.
Enjoy Maits Rest Rainforest Walk.
Hopetoun Falls in Great Otway National Park. Photo by: sara_winter/Adobe Stock
Wattle Hill
Take a detour to the coast and at Moonlight Head, head down the 350 steps to Wreck Beach. On the shore, head right. You’ll reach the anchors of the Marie Gabrielle and, further along, the Fiji.
Princetown
Go estuary fishing at the mouth of the Gellibrand. Take the boardwalk from the car park just the other side of the Gellibrand River.
Port Campbell
This location serves as a great base for the many surrounding attractions. Port Campbell National Park is home to the 12 Apostles, the London Arch, Loch Ard Gorge, the Gibson Steps and the Grotto. Fauna in the park includes honeyeaters, southern emu, fairy wrens, and peregrine falcons. Restaurants and cafes are conveniently placed along the beach for stunning views.
Explore the Kanawinka Geotrail which covers Australia’s most extensive volcano province, featuring plateaus, craters, cones, caves and waterfalls.
Two Mile Bay is an attraction for surfers with some big wave breaks so if you’re keen on the sport, be sure to head for the waves.
Head 12km east of the town for the 12 Apostles; limestone stacks located out at sea. Due to weathering, 8 of the original 12 remain. Take a boat tour or a helicopter ride for an alternative view.
The 12 Apostles. Photo by: Vevchic/Adobe Stock
Experience the 12 Apostles Gourmet Tour, a 70km loop visiting local producers of fantastic food including chocolates, cheese, wine and more.
London Arch, formerly London Bridge, is an offshore natural arch formation. It was once a double-span bridge, which led to its original name, but part collapsed in 1990 so it is no longer connected to the mainland.
The Grotto is another naturally occurring attraction; a sinkhole and natural arch, great for photos.
Peterborough
The limestone cliffs here have collapsed over the years, leaving debris hidden beneath the surface of the water and sinking many ships. Scuba dive the Falls of Halladale which was wrecked in 1908 and has become a legally protected Historic Shipwreck.
The Railway Station is another appeal- it’s still active as a reminder of the 100+ steam trains a day that would pass through the town daily in the 50s and 60s. At the Steamtown Heritage Centre see vintage trains, luxury carriages, and the Roundhouse. Visit Australia’s only operational triple gauge turntable. There’s also a baby health carriage, a mobile child health centre which was used to visit mothers and children in isolated areas. Locate the bronze statue of Bob the railway dog on the eastern end of Main Street, who would often ride the steam trains.
Pay a visit to Dragons Rest. This is a private operated garden habitat that provides refuge to a variety of creatures, including the bearded dragon for which the garden is named after. For further nature, there’s also the Greg Duggan Nature Reserve, a 10-acre reserve home to many native birds and diverse plant life.
Bay of Islands Coastal Park
Locate the lookout areas at the Bay of Martyrs, the Bay of Islands, Three Mile Beach and Childers Cover. Rock stacks dominate the bays here and are a very pretty sight at sunrise or sunset. There are proper parking areas and safety rails in place. The Park covers 32km of coastline between Peterborough and Warrnambool. Have your breath taken away by the photogenic coves.
Beach in Warrnambool. Photo by: kovgabor79/Adobe Stock
Warrnambool
In the winter months, head to Logan’s Beach to see the Southern Right whales and take a whale-watching tour. Female whales come within 100m of land ready to calve and the offspring are reared by the nursery here. The coastline is also visited by Australian fur seals, little penguins and common dolphins.
The Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum holds the original lighthouses and Warrnambool Garrison, telling the stories of those who sadly lost their lives along the Shipwreck Coast in the 19th century. It’s classified as a living museum as costumed staff are on hand to tell the stories of those they represent. Ask them questions as you walk around the 1870s themed attraction and experience the sound and light shows in-between displays and exhibitions of shipwreck and maritime trade artefacts. Join a whaling ship in 1833 or set sail on the Lock Ard for Australia in 1873, learning the perils that lay ahead.
If you like motorsports, check the calendar of events at the Premier Speedway, with its 410m oval dirt track. It hosts the Victorian State Championships and Australian Championships for sprint cars, Super Sedans and Street Stocks.
Nearby Tower Hill is an extinct volcano, dormant for 30,000 years, and was named Victoria’s first National Park. An eruption caused the crater to form and inactivity led it to fill with water. Later eruptions then caused the islands and cone-shaped hills to appear. Walk the tracks through the reserve to spot koalas, grey kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, sugar gliders, brush tail and ringtail possums, and over 160 species of birds.
Book your hire car for your Great Ocean Road trip now
With so many great attractions and scenery along this stretch of road, you’ll most definitely want a hire car to take advantage of it all. Collect from Melbourne Airport to easily access the start of the Great Ocean Road.
If you’ve taken this drive before, we’d love to know your highlights in the comments below. Planning to make this trip soon? Let us know what you’re looking forward to the most!
Written by Jessica Juby.
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