Pete Seaward

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road (B100) is one of Australia’s most famous touring routes. It takes travellers past world-class surfing breaks, through pockets of rainforest and calm seaside towns, and under koala-filled tree canopies. It shows off sheer limestone cliffs, dairy farms and heathland, and gets you up close and personal with the crashing waves of the Southern Ocean.

Hunt out the isolated beaches and lighthouses in between the towns and the thick eucalyptus forest of the Otway hinterlands to really escape the crowds. Rather than heading straight to the Great Ocean Road, a fork in the road at Geelong can take you the long, leisurely way there, through the Bellarine Peninsula, with visits to charming Queenscliff and wineries en route.

Day-tripping tourists from Melbourne rush in and out of the area in less than 12 hours, but in a perfect world you’d spend at least a week here.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Great Ocean Road.

  • Landmark

    Twelve Apostles

    The most iconic sight and enduring image for most visitors to the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles provide a fitting climax to the journey. Jutting out from the ocean in spectacular fashion, these rocky stacks stand as if they've been abandoned to the waves by the retreating headland. Today only seven Apostles can be seen from a network of viewing platforms connected by timber boardwalks around the clifftops. How to get there There’s pedestrian access to the viewing platforms from the car park at the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre – more a kiosk and toilets than an info centre – via a tunnel beneath the Great Ocean Road. It's a 4 hour drive from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road or just a 10-minute drive from Port Campbell if you'd prefer more time to explore the area. Best time to visit The best time to visit is sunset, not only for optimum photographic opportunities and to beat the tour buses but also to see little penguins returning ashore. Sightings vary, but generally the penguins arrive 20 to 40 minutes after sunset. They can be spotted from about 197ft (60m) away, so you'll need binoculars, which can be borrowed from the Port Campbell Visitor Centre.

  • Lighthouse

    Cape Otway Lightstation

    The oldest surviving lighthouse in mainland Australia, Cape Otway Lightstation was built in 1848 without mortar by more than 40 stonemasons. There are sublime coastal views from its observation deck, while the Telegraph Station has fascinating displays on the 250km undersea telegraph-cable link with Tasmania, laid in 1859. It's a sprawling complex with plenty to see, from Aboriginal cultural sites to a WWII radar bunker built to detect potential Japanese threats.

  • Waterfront

    Geelong Waterfront

    Geelong's sparkling revamped waterfront precinct is a great place to stroll, with plenty of restaurants set on scenic piers, plus historical landmarks, a 19th-century carousel, sculptures, grand homes, swimming areas, playgrounds and grassy sections ideal for picnics. In summer you can cool off at popular Eastern Beach, with a 1930s art deco bathing pavilion complete with diving boards, sunbathing area and toddler pool. Jan Mitchell's 100-plus painted Baywalk Bollards are scattered the length of the waterfront.

  • Historic Site

    Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village

    The world-class Flagstaff Hill precinct is of equal interest for its shipwreck museum, heritage-listed lighthouses and garrison as for its reproduction of an 1870s port town. It also has the nightly Tales of the Shipwreck Coast (adult/child/family $31/17/79), an engaging 70-minute sound-and-light show telling the story of the Loch Ard ’s plunge. The village has ye olde shoppes such as blacksmiths, candle makers and shipbuilders. If you're lucky the Maremma dogs will be around for you to meet.

  • Lighthouse

    Split Point Lighthouse

    Scale the 136 steps to the top of the beautiful 'White Queen' lighthouse for sensational 360-degree views. Built in 1891, the 34m-high lighthouse is still operational, though it's now fully automated. You can visit on self-guided tours, where a staff member awaits up top to field questions about the area's history. The lighthouse was used as a setting for the popular TV show Round the Twist.

  • Museum

    Queenscliffe Maritime Museum

    Home to the last lifeboat to serve the Rip (the treacherous stretch of water linking Port Phillip Bay to Bass Strait) , this recommended museum has displays on the intriguing current-day pilot-boat process, shipwrecks, lighthouses and steamships. Head out the back to see the heritage-listed 1895 boat shed, with paintings that served as a record of passing ships in the bay.

  • Gallery

    Boom Gallery

    Down an industrial street off Pakington St, Boom's warehouse space in an old woollen mill shows contemporary works by Melbourne and local artists. It sells great design objects and jewellery, and the attached cafe does fantastic coffee and a menu of seasonal food.

  • Public Art

    Street Art

    Over the years Warrnambool has gained a reputation for its public art. One of its most striking pieces is the colossal Ngatanwarr (Welcome) mural, which adorns a building at the corner of Merri and Kepler Sts. The mural depicts the Gunditjmara people, who've lived in the region for thousands of years. The city's lanes, particularly Ozone Walk, are always a good spot to check out street art, most notably the evocative flock of yellow-tailed black cockatoos.

  • Cultural Centre

    Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre

    The Wathaurung people – the original inhabitants and traditional custodians of Geelong – called the area Jillong, and this precinct on its outskirts offers a fascinating insight into their culture. There's a range of things going on: a gallery featuring Victoria's largest collection of Aboriginal art; a fusion cafe that offers contemporary dishes using Indigenous ingredients; didgeridoo performances (or play one yourself); a boomerang-throwing gallery; and a native garden (admission by donation) that features emus, wallabies and kangaroos. Call ahead for daily tours.

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