What to do in Great Ocean Road
How to have fun on the Great Ocean Road? What activities are worth travelling to the southernmost part of Victoria for?
The Great Ocean Road is a popular road-trip route that covers over 240 km.
Head here especially for the natural beauty and scenery.
Rent a car at Melbourne Airport
National parks and natural beauty
The Great Ocean Road passes through two famous national parks. There is no entrance fee to either park and no restrictions on cars.
- Great Otway National Park - a vast area of dense temperate rainforest with monumental eucalyptus trees and dense ferns, but also frequent grasslands, idyllic farms and beautiful coastline.
- Port Campbell National Park - a world famous stretch of coastline including the famous limestone cliffs of the 12 Apostles, which are the number 1 attraction on the entire Great Ocean Road.
The scenery around the Great Ocean Road is spectacular and the road is lined with many viewpoints with car parks where you can always stop for free.
Hiking
The entire area along the Great Ocean Road is a hiker's paradise.
You can go on dozens of short treks ideal for 30-60 minute stops during a road-trip, but feel free to enjoy multi-day walks along the famous Great Ocean Walk.
Short routes
Along the Great Ocean Road you'll find dozens, maybe hundreds, of natural attractions that are just a few minutes' walk from the car parks.
There are plenty of hiking trails that take you into the depths of the temperate rainforest, and even if you feel cut off from civilization, you'll reach your car within 15 minutes.
These short trails are ideal for road-trippers, but also for less fit hikers, children or the elderly.
Which short trips did we like the most?
- The Twelve Apostles - the beach walk below the Gibson Steps is one of the most iconic in South Australia
- Stevenson Falls - one of our favourite places in Great Otway National Park great for families
- Triplet Falls - a 1.5km trail through the rainforest to beautiful waterfalls, plus the famous Otway Fly Treetop Adventures attraction nearby
- Erskine Falls - a very short trail to the falls near Lorne, but can be extended with a beautiful walk along the Erskine River
- Lake Elizabeth - a total of 3-6 km trail to the interesting Lake Elizabeth in the deep inland near Forrest
- Maits Rest - a roughly 1 km walk through the rainforest just off the main road between Apollo Bay and Cape Otway (see map)
Great Ocean Walk (GOW)
Over 110km long, the Great Ocean Walk is the most famous long-distance trail in Victoria and one of the most famous in all of Australia.
Wander to places where you'll be the only one, the breathtaking scenery and the only sound you'll make is the wind and the crashing of the waves against the monumental limestone cliffs.
Route itinerary
The Great Ocean Walk leads from Apollo Bay to the main viewpoint at the Twelve Apostles.
The trail passes through mostly uninhabited areas. Along the way you will encounter at most a few farms, many beaches, many breathtaking views, and you will pass through rainforests and low scrub landscapes.
The main landmark you'll encounter on the GOW is Australia's oldest lighthouse , Cape Otway.
GOW difficulty and signage
The Great Ocean Walk is a very well marked and well maintained trail.
In general, the trail is of average physical difficulty. It does not lead to any high mountains and there are no long dramatic elevation changes.
No special equipment is needed to walk the GOW, just good hiking boots.
Stages of the GOW
Travellers usually divide the Great Ocean Walk into 8 stages of about 14 km each, but the more fit can usually complete the whole route in 4 or even 3 days.
Where to stay on the GOW?
As the Great Ocean Walk does not pass through any towns, the only option for overnight accommodation is at official campsites, of which there are 7 in total.
These are called hike-in campgrounds, which are landscaped grassy areas where you can pitch your own tent.
The campsites are always equipped with toilets, drinking water and sometimes a barbecue area.
Overnight stays at the campsite must be booked online in advance. In low season, there are often spaces available a few hours before the planned overnight stay, but in high season (November-March) we recommend booking at least 5-7 days in advance.
Bookings are free and must only be made through the official National Park website: bookings.parks.vic.gov.au/great-ocean-walk.
Beaches and swimming
The coastline is lined with beautiful natural beaches with photogenic cliffs, sand dunes and wooded hills.
The beaches along the Great Ocean Road are some of the most beautiful in the whole of southern Australia. In the fine weather that often prevails here in summer, you can enjoy relaxing and sunbathing in pleasant resorts and on crowded beaches far from the cities.
However, swimming in the sea in southern Victoria has its own special features.
The Indian Ocean (more commonly referred to as the Southern Ocean in Australia) is very cold here all year round.
The highest temperature is in the summer months (December to February) and reaches only 18 °C.
Many beaches also experience strong currents, so swimming may not be entirely safe.
Find the best hotel on Great Ocean Road
Best beaches on Great Ocean Beach
We liked these beaches the best:
- Apollo Bay - a nice urban beach with full facilities, the western end near the marina is safe for swimming as there are not very strong currents.
- Lorne - another city beach with all the restaurants and shops just a few steps away.
- Johanna Beach - a stunning long and mostly uncrowded beach with beautiful sand dunes.
- Twelve Apostles - even though we mention this natural attraction in almost every paragraph, we can't make an exception. The wide beaches below Gibson Steps are simply the best Australia has to offer.
In the "What to see" section, you'll find more tips for beautiful beaches.
Surfing
Looking for the best surfing beaches for the experienced or want to try Australia's most popular sport as a beginner?
Either way, you've come to Great Ocean Road the right way.
The area of coastline between Torquay and Apollo Bay is one of the best locations in Australia thanks to its wide open beaches and steady waves. After all, the famous Bells Beach is home to one of Victoria's most distinctive sporting events - the Rip Curl Pro- every year.
The best surfing beaches
The nickname of the eastern part of Great Ocean Beach says it all - this part is called Surf Coast.
The most famous surf spots are found around the town of Torquay.
Right in town, the beaches are perfect for beginners, while Bells Beach near Point Addis is exclusively for advanced surfers.
The other popular spot is the popular resort of Apollo Bay. Its long beaches are ideal for beginners, while further out from the town centre the waves are bigger and suitable for experienced surfers.
Surf school prices
A basic 2-hour surf course for beginners usually costs between 65 aud and 75 aud in a small group.
If you would prefer private lessons, expect a price around 180 aud.
Prices always include equipment rental.
What are some examples of surf schools on the Great Ocean Road?
Torquay
Apollo Bay
Lorne
Seal Cruises
Enjoy a cruise to see the adorable seals that gather in abundance throughout the year in a large colony on the rocks around Apollo Bay.
The seal colonies are not accessible from the mainland, but there are several cruise companies operating in Apollo Bay.
A cruise usually takes about 1 hour and costs 50 aud.
You can book a trip with several companies:
Whale Watching
The waters around the Great Ocean Road are some of the best places to see migrating whales within Australia.
This is because between May and late October, whales often pass very close to the coast.
The best vantage point, complete with an information board on how to spot whales, is located in the grounds of the Cape Otway Lighthouse Museum.
Fishing
The Great Otway National Park area, which fills much of the Great Ocean Road, is extremely popular for recreational fishing.
With several rivers, you can enjoy both saltwater and river fishing here.
Sea fishing
Popular spots are especially on the piers in the towns, around which many species of fish are kept and which are also very accessible.
The piers in Lorne and Apollo Bay are ideal.
Apollo Bay in particular is also famous for the opportunity to go fishing in the open sea, as the local marina is home to several charter companies organising fishing trips.
Prices are around 50 aud for 30 minutes, see details: apollobayfishingcharters.rezdy.com.
Fishing in the rivers
The Great Otway area is rich in rainfall and several rivers have their source. Here are the best fishing spots:
- Gellibrand River - the best spot at the mouth of the river in the small village of Princetown
- Aire River - one of the most popular spots in the wide Aire Valley wetlands near the mouth of the sea
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