Things to do in Great Ocean Road
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Tower Hill Reserve Visitors Centre
Tower Hill, 15km west of Warrnambool, is a vast caldera born in a volcanic eruption 30, 000 years ago. Aboriginal artefacts unearthed in the volcanic ash show that indigenous people lived in the area at the time. It’s jointly administered by the Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative, which operates the visitors centre with Parks Victoria. There are excellent day walks, including the steep 30-minute Peak Climb with spectacular 360-degree views. There’s a fascinating painting in the Warrnambool Art Gallery by Eugene von Guérard of Tower Hill painted in 1855. After a century of deforestation and environmental degradation, this incredibly detailed painting was used to identif…
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Twelve Apostles
The Twelve Apostles draw tens of thousands of visitors every year. Close to the Great Ocean Road, these lonely rocky stacks were formed some 20 million years ago, created as the sea gradually eroded the soft limestone cliffs between Port Campbell and Princetown. Timber boardwalks run around the cliff tops, providing viewing platforms and seats.
One of the Apostles toppled into the sea in July 2005 - bringing the number down to eight. In January 1990 a nearby formation called London Bridge - a natural arch linking the mainland to offshore rocks - also collapsed. Two tourists left stranded on the arch had to be rescued by helicopter.
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Glenelg River Cruises
Cruises depart Nelson daily (except Thursday and Monday) at 1pm for a leisurely 3½-hour cruise to the Princess Margaret Rose Cave, but tickets for the cave tour cost extra. If you travel to the cave on your own, it's about 17km from Nelson, towards the border.
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Otway Fly
Deep in the rainforest north of the Great Ocean Road (take the turn-off towards Lavers Hill), the Otway Fly is a 25m-high elevated tree-top walk. The views of the forest canopy are wonderful and you can go even higher by ascending the spiral staircase to the 47m-high lookout tower. There’s a visitor centre and cafe.
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Princess Margaret Rose Cave
You can take the river cruise to Princess Margaret Rose Cave, but tickets for the cave tour cost extra. Cruises depart daily in summer at 1pm, but don’t operate Monday and Friday during the rest of the year. If you travel to the cave on your own, it’s about 17km from Nelson, towards the border.
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Cape Otway Lighthouse
At the end of Lighthouse Rd is the Cape Otway Lighthouse, Australia’s oldest, dating back to 1848. The historic complex includes the old telegraph station, lightkeeper’s house and a cafe with shipwreck gallery, and you can climb the decommissioned lighthouse for fine views along the coast.
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Timboon Farmhouse Cheese
The Great Ocean Rd then heads inland through to Warrnambool. About 16km inland from Peterborough, Timboon Farmhouse Cheese has free tastings of its award-winning, biodynamic cheeses – a worthy detour.
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Bells Beach
The powerful point break at Bells Beach is part of international surfing folklore and is the site for world championship surfing contests every Easter. You can hire surf gear or, for newcomers, take a lesson or two.
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Nelson Boat & Canoe Hire
This outfit can rig you up for serious river-camping expeditions – canoe hire costs from $60 a day. They also have paddle boats for hire for $20 for 30 minutes.
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Cheese World
Cheese World is 12km before Warrnambool, with a museum, restaurant, cheese cellar and free tastings.
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Waves Restaurant
Port Campbell has a few good eateries along Lord St like the suave Waves Restaurant.
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Port Campbell Boat Charters
Scenic boat tours to Twelve Apostles (four daily), plus diving, snorkelling and fishing trips.
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Wye Beach Hotel
Stop for a beer and lunch on the timber deck of the Wye Beach Hotel.
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Twelve Apostles Roadside Lookout
The lonely Twelve Apostles are rocky stacks that have been abandoned to the ocean by retreating headland. Today, only seven apostles can be seen from the viewing platforms. The understated roadside display centre at the Twelve Apostles, 6km past Princetown, has public toilets and informative displays. There’s pedestrian access to the viewing platforms from the car park via a tunnel beneath the Great Ocean Rd. Timber boardwalks run around the clifftops. Amid howls of protest from locals, Parks Victoria, which manages this facility, intends to ‘commercialise’ this site constructing a café and takeaway food outlet. Golden arches? Nobody knows… It seems a shame, but why stop …
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Seals by Sea Tours
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Lighthouse Tours
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Isabella's Cafe
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Great Ocean Walk
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12 Apostles Helicopters
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Nico’s
Port Campbell has a few good eateries along Lord St and Nico’s is a local legend for its unusual pizza concoctions and chocolate pizza.
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