Australia

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is the famous road along the south-eastern coast of Victoria, Australia between the cities Torquay and Warrnamool. This 273 km stretch of road that was built by 3000 servicemen as a war memorial for those killed in the First World War is considered to be one of the most beautiful & scenic coastal drives in Australia. It offers stunning ocean views, beachside activities, and pretty coastal towns.

 

How to travel?

 

• Buy A Car – The most recommended way to explore the Great Ocean Road is by car or by motorbike. This gives you the opportunity to travel at your own pace and to stop at the interesting places along the road.
  The best way to start your journey at the Great Ocean Road is by driving at Princess Highway (M1) from Melbourne to Geelong and from there to continue to Torquay through Surf Coast Hwy (B100). From Torquay go along the coastal road all the way to Warrnamool.

 

• Organized Tour – Another way to Travel is by taking an organized tour from Melbourne. This way is recommended for travelers who don't have enough time to see all the places along the road but still want to enjoy the main attractions.

 

 

Where to Stop:

 

Torquay: a township 21 km south of Geelong and the starting point for the Great Ocean Road. It's known as Victoria's surfing capital and a major holiday resort. Here you can find some great beaches for surfing like "Bells beach" that is located between Torquay and "Jan Juc" and is famous especially for the world's longest surfing competition that takes place at this beach.

The main attractions in Torquay are surfing in one of the great beaches of this  town, browsing Torquay's surf shops for some of the latest clothing and other surf accessories, learning about surfing at Torquay's surf world museum which is Australia's largest surfing museum and trying the surf coast walk for spectacular beach views from towering cliff tops.

 

Angelsea: beaches, bush land, kangaroos and stunning coastal scenery all make Angelsea a favorite great ocean road holiday destination. The town is known mainly for its famous golf club "Angelsea Golf Course". Near the course you can find beautiful native bush land and get a good view of the kangaroos and wallabies around the area.

"Coogoorah Park" near Angelsea is a recommended nature reserve which offers hiking treks, boardwalks, picnic and fishing areas.

 

 

 

Lorne: This beautiful seaside town is located 73 km from Geelong near the edge of Erskine River. Lorne attracts visitors from all over the area because of its unique scenery and relaxing atmosphere.

Here you can browse through the shops, boutiques and galleries on the main street, enjoy the sun, sand and water of the main beach, have some fun on the trampolines, paddle boats and skate park and enjoy the stunning ocean and bush scenery from one of the lookouts.

For travelers who prefer something more active, Great Otway national park near Lorne suggest different kinds of hiking trails.

 

The way from Lorne to Apollo Bay is no doubt the most beautiful part of the Great Ocean Road. The road gives a view over the coastline and the ocean. Along the road there are several towns, sandy beaches and spectacular lookouts.

 

Apollo bay: like in other places along the Great Ocean Road, the beach of Apollo bay is a focus for activity throughout the year: you can swim in the clear water, sea kayak with seals, enjoy some deep sea fishing, learn to surf or ride horses along the beach. 

In Apollo bay you can join a cruise or paddle a kayak to see the local sea colony, try your luck in fishing and dine in one of the seafood restaurants spread all over town.

 

Continuing west from Apollo bay you'll see Otway ranges rising parallel to the coastline. Along the roads there are several national parks, nature reserves and waterfalls. The most recommended of these attractions are "Maits rest" and "Melba gully Conservation Park" where you can find ancient trees and see more then 250 kinds of birds.

 

Cape Otway: the most southern point of the Great Ocean Road. It is a part of the "great Otway national park" and a nice place to stop and relax. The place is known especially for its lighthouse which was built in 1848 in order to guide ships bound for port Phillip through the narrow entrance to Bass Strait. Today visitors can climb to the lighthouse and see the spectacular coastal view. 

 

Twelve Apostles: from Princetown to Peterborough the Great Ocean Road passes through the national park "Port Campbell", a narrow coastal strip which is one of the most beautiful all over the country.

The Twelve Apostles, located just east of port Campbell are giant rock stacks that rise from the southern ocean and are the most famous feature of the Great Ocean Road.

The Twelve Apostles are the remnants of constant erosion of the limestone cliffs of the mainland. At sunrise and sunset the view of the Apostles becomes even more impressive when they change their colors.

 

Port Campbell: a small town located a few km west of the Twelve Apostles. In the past, port Campbell was the base for seal hunting and today it's known for the tourist center that serves the travelers who come to see the Twelve Apostles. 

 

Warrnambool: a regional city on the south-western coast of Victoria and the western end of the Great Ocean Road. Warrnambool has a long and colorful history linked with the sea as presented in "Flagstaff Hill Village Museum" near the city.

 IN Warrnambool you can also find an art gallery which presents a collection of Australian art works and nice botanic gardens with a variety of plants. 

As in other places in the Great Ocean Road, Warrnambool has some marvelous beaches that attract travelers during warmer seasons. In the cooler part of the year, the beach is a great place to stroll and see the interesting coastal features. In addition there are several coastal reserves and hiking trails with isolated beaches and rocky points, penguin colonies and good places for fishing and bird watching.

If you keep driving west from Warrnambool on Princess Hwy towards "Port Fairy" you'll pass near "Tower hill Game nature reserve" which is located inside a crater of a volcano. Inside the reserve there are some lakes and different species of animals and plants.

 

 Port Fairy: An old fishing village with ancient buildings, old stone churches and boarding houses and inns. Many pieces of architecture of the 19th century remain intact. It is recommended to follow one of the town's historic walking trails and discover fully resorted buildings.

 

Tips:

 

• Route: it is recommended to plan your route before starting the Great Ocean Road. Most travelers plan a 3 day journey for the entire road but some of them find that after two days they haven't completed even half of their itinerary. Careful planning of the route will help you travel peacefully without any time pressure.
• Insects: There are many flies all over the Great Ocean Road. It is important to get a mosquito net before starting the journey on this route.
• Accommodation: although there is a variety of hostels along the Great Ocean Road we reckon that the best way to explore it is by sleeping in a tent on the beaches along the way. It will also give you the chance to see beautiful sunrises and sunsets.