Great Ocean Road

I can’t believe it is going to be one year since this road trip. It was our first getaway after moving to Melbourne. As it was Christmas, and since my husband had a few days off, we decided to go for a two day trip along the Great Ocean Road.

The Great Ocean Road, along the Southern Coast of Victoria, has many spectacular views. Most of these are created by powerful waves which have eroded the cliffs along the coast, over time. The attractions along this road keep changing, over a longer period of time, because of this.

We started from home at around 9 in the morning. We took Princess Highway. The drive became scenic once we reached Torquay.

Here is a rough map of the route we took all the way to Port Campbell. We drove along the Great Ocean Road till we reached Port Campbell and took the inland highway (the fastest way) to get back home.

Torquay to Lorne

The stretch between Torquay and Lorne is filled with beautiful beaches that surfers frequent. Our first stop was Torquay Surf Beach. There are trails along the beach if you want to enjoy a nice walk. The beaches along the coast have sections where we can enter the water. But I could not get myself to get into the water as it was too cold for me. It made me miss the Indian beaches where the water is warm. We stopped at Jan Jac Beach, Bells Beach, and Anglesea before we drove to Lorne. If you are lucky, you will spot some wildlife along the trails. We ran into an Echidna who was happily eating something nearby.

Erskine falls is only a 20 minute drive from Lorne town centre. After a short walk, you will get to see the beautiful waterfall. The Indian graffiti I found along the walk was what impressed me the most. Never thought I’d get to see it here.

We spent the night at Mantra Lorne which is a decent place to stay. They do take a deposit of $100 (if you pay by card) or $10 (if you pay by cash) which is not mentioned when you make the booking.

Lorne to Apollo Bay to Port Campbell

The next morning, we drove to Apollo Bay. We did not spent much time there as we were spending the night there. We continued driving towards Port Campbell. The drive from Apollo Bay till Gibson Steps is inland and from Gibson Steps till Port Campbell is again, along the coast.

The sights along the road towards Port Campbell include Gibson Steps, The Arch, Loch Ard Gorge, The 12 Apostles, London Bridge and many more. The first one along the way was the Gibson Steps which is very close to the 12 Apostles. We got to see the erosion caused by the waves on the cliffs. The 12 Apostles are slowly decreasing in size and shape. These structures are unstable and there are warning signs everywhere asking us to be careful. But it was still marvellous to see nature at work. My favourite was the Gibson Steps. You get to climb down the cliff and explore the beach here.

We spent the night at a lovely motel in Apollo Bay.

Cape Otway Lightstation

Cape Otway Lightstation is not very far from Apollo Bay. We drove through the Great Otway National Park to get to the lighthouse. It is one of Victoria’s oldest working lighthouses. Now, the lighthouse is used for whale watching.

While driving through the national park, we saw a few koalas sitting comfortable between branches of trees.

Otway Fly Treetop Adventures

The Otway Fly Treetop Adventures is a 45 minute drive from the Cape Otway Lightstation. Otway Fly has the longest and tallest elevated walk in Victoria. The entire walk will take around 45 mins to 1 hour to complete. There is a 45 m high lookout point to enjoy the breathtaking view of the Otway Ranges. There is also a zip line tour from one tree platform to the other. It is better to book these in advance since they have limited slots now due to Covid-19.

Points to Consider:

There are a few things you need to keep in mind, when going on a road trip along the Great Ocean Road.

1. The coast can get very windy which will make it cold even in summer. So make sure you carry a windproof or a jacket.
2. Plan your meals in advance as most restaurants stay closed between 3pm and 7pm. This can be hard if you are not near a town. My advice would be to plan the trip in such a way that you will be in a town when the restaurants are open. It is also good to check restaurant timings.
3. Carry enough water with you for the day. It can get quite exhausting and at places like The 12 Apostles, there will be a long wait at the water tap.
4. Carry fruits to keep you hydrated. You can also include electrolytes in your first-aid kit.
5. Shop for whatever you need from Melbourne or Geelong. There won’t be many supermarkets once you leave Geelong and it will be hard to find one that stays open late.