Things to do in Great Ocean Road
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Great Ocean Road
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Mild, fewer crowds, green hinterland.
Peak summer: book everything, best beach weather.
Wild seas, whale season at Warrnambool, cheapest stays.
What's on
- Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach April
The world surfing championship event at Bells Beach.
Best things to do in Great Ocean Road
Twelve Apostles
Eight remaining limestone stacks; go at sunrise or sunset, not midday.
Loch Ard Gorge
Shipwreck gorge with a beach walk between the cliffs.
Gibson Steps
Eighty-six steps to the sand beneath the Apostles; check the tide.
London Arch
Natural arch left when the bridge collapsed in 1990.
The Grotto
Blowhole, arch and cave in one formation; quieter than the big stops.
Bay of Islands
A bay of stacks with a fraction of the Apostles' visitors.
Cape Otway Lightstation
Australia's oldest surviving lighthouse; koalas on the drive in.
Mait's Rest
Thirty-minute rainforest boardwalk through ancient myrtle beech.
Where to stay in Great Ocean Road
Port Campbell
the Apostles at sunrise and sunset
Closest town to the formations, with motels and the traveller vibe.
Apollo Bay
a halfway family base
Biggest middle town: beach, food, start of the Great Ocean Walk.
Lorne
food and beach days
Prettiest town, best restaurants, surf beach and waterfall hinterland.
Think twice about
- Melbourne for the Apostles
A 500 km+ day trip for an hour at the lookout at midday with the crowds.
- Warrnambool for the formations
Past them; basing there adds backtracking to everything east.
- One day for the whole road
The lookouts are the point and there are twenty of them; two days minimum.
Best restaurants in Great Ocean Road
Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant
Fine dining above the bay; the special-occasion table on the road.
Lorne Hotel Bistro
Good pub food with ocean views from the rooftop beer garden.
12 Rocks Beach Bar
Casual beach bar dinner after the sunset Apostles.
Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-op
The freshest fish and chips on the road, eaten looking at the boats.
Brae
One of Australia's most celebrated restaurants; the splurge detour.
Outdoor things to do in Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Walk
The 104 km walk to the Apostles; day sections work as single walks.
Bells Beach surf
Beginner lessons on the protected beaches; Bells itself is for experts.
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
Volcano crater with emus, kangaroos and koalas on guided walks.
Logan's Beach whale watching
Southern right whales calving from the viewing platform, June to September.
Triplet Falls
Three falls on a 2 km rainforest loop; the best Otways waterfall walk.
Port Campbell Discovery Walk
Ten-kilometre clifftop return linking the formations on foot.
Best hotels in Great Ocean Road
Southern Ocean Motor Inn
The reliable mid-range motel by the formations.
Loch Ard Motor Inn
Clean and central in Port Campbell.
Port Campbell Guesthouse
The budget rooms in town.
Seafarers Getaway
Oceanfront apartments in the halfway town.
Lorne Hotel
Beachside hotel with the rooftop bistro in the prettiest town.
Is Great Ocean Road expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | A$130 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | A$300 a person |
| Splurge | A$650 a person |
| No limits | A$1,300 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Great Ocean Walk: weeks ahead
- Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Brae: months ahead
- Southern Ocean Motor Inn: weeks ahead
- Lorne Hotel: weeks ahead
- Brae far ahead; it is a destination in itself.
- Port Campbell motels in January: weeks ahead.
- Chris's Beacon Point for weekend dinner: days ahead.
Is Great Ocean Road safe?
- Very safe. The road is the risk: winding with sheer drops. Swim only at patrolled beaches. Emergency number 000.
Great Ocean Road travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- The Melbourne day tour: 12 hours, most of it in a coach.
- There are eight Apostles, not twelve.
- Helicopter flights: the platforms have the better view.
- Drones are restricted in the national park.
Getting around Great Ocean Road: public transport and more
- Drive westbound: ocean side for the lookouts and pull-offs.
- Allow 2 to 3 days; the road is slow and the stops are constant.
- Fuel up in the bigger towns.
- Coaches run from Melbourne, but the road deserves a car.
Who Great Ocean Road suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Great Ocean Road your trip
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