Great Ocean Road Highlights  

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay is an original town of fishermen, timber workers and farmers about half way along the majestic Great Ocean Road. The nearby valleys are cool and atmospheric for picnics and walks, full of ancient rainforest, streams, waterfalls and fireflies.

Today the town is home to artists, sea change people and beach lovers. Walking down the main street anytime of year you can hear languages from all over the world as the Great Ocean Road has become a huge magnet for travellers from all over the world. The early name of the area was “Krambruk”, reportedly from an Aboriginal word for “sandy place”. But the town’s name was changed in 1898 to “Apollo Bay” after a Schooner, The Apollo, sought refuge in the bay during a voyage between Melbourne and Warrnambool.

Cape Otway nearby has some of the most breathtaking walks in the country. There are petrified forests, fireflies, rainbows and some of the highest ocean cliffs in Victoria.

Fresh seafood is always on the menu in Apollo Bay as a small fishing fleet still operates out of the picturesque harbour and the Fishermen’s Co-op sells a range of fresh produce daily. Straight from the boat to your dinner table.

Every April Apollo Bay hosts one of the best three-day music festivals in Victoria, the Apollo Bay Music Festival. Each Saturday morning the street market on the foreshore bustles with musicians, crafts people, farmers and holidaymakers having a great time.

Lorne

Lorne is about 2 hours drive from Melbourne. If you are staying at the Otway Coast towns of Wye River, Separation Creek, Kennett River or Wongarra Lorne is a 20-30 min drive away.

This popular coastal town offers the visitor the best of the beautiful forests of the Great Otway National Park as well as the dramatic scenery of the Great Ocean Road. The town has a wide range of restaurants and cafes, bookshop and fashion and designer shops. When you’ve rejuvenated in the wilds of the coast and the Otway forests and need your latte fix, Lorne is the place.

The Lorne Visitor Centre is open from 9am – 5pm seven days per week including public holidays except Christmas Day. Check them out for free brochures and maps, event and travel information.

Great Otway National Park

The Great Otway National Park incorporates the former Otway National Park and Angahook-Lorne, Carlisle and Melba Gully State Parks, as well as areas of State forest and other Crown land. This park is new and now covers a massive 103,000 hectares. Magic walks take you through ancient fern stands and along beautiful waterfalls.

The Otways are a special feature of the Victorian and Australian landscape. Nowhere else do you have this wonderful combination of the tall wet forests, ancient rainforests, waterfalls, the drier forests of the inland slopes and the diverse heathlands and woodlands. All this is fringed by one of the most spectacularly rugged coastlines in the world. For information on facilities, maps, conservation, native flora and fauna, conditions and other information see the Parks Vic website.

12 Apostles

Today travel magazines all around the world feature the unique Twelve Apostles giant rock stacks which are scattered along the coastline of the Port Campbell National Park. They were formed as winds and waves from the southern ocean crashed against them over millennia and gradually eroded the softer limestone, leaving open caves in the cliffs which then became arches.

Later as this dramatic erosion continued the arches collapsed leaving rock islands as high as 45 metres isolated from the shore. Today many of them are havens for sea bird nesting grounds. Take a drive along this section of the coast with the iconic Apostles and walk along the cliffs at dusk or dawn for truly memorable views.

Travellers from all over the world are flocking here. If you live in Melbourne take some time to see these world famous icons on your doorstep soon.

Otway fly

Walk amongst singing and flying birds and rustling treetops on the Otway Fly. This elevated walk is 25 m above ground and follows a path through a magnificent stand of cool temperate rainforest featuring Myrtle Beech, Blackwood and Mountain Ash.

For those wanting an extra thrill you can climb the 45 metre high lookout up a metal spiral stairway and survey the giant trees at their highest reaches.

There is also a café, licensed restaurant, visitor information centre and gift shop.

Great Ocean Walk

One of the World's Great Walks this one has to be on your list of things to do. The Great Ocean Walk stretches 90 kms from Apollo Bay to Glenample Homestead at the 12 Apostles. You will see magnificent stretches of beach and bays not visible from the road above. You can walk short stretches as day walks or the whole walk with overnight camps as it has been designed by Parks Vic to be a 'step on and step off' trail. For accommodation you have the choice of local accommodation or picturesque camping sites. See the Great Ocean Walk website for more information.