The Great Ocean Road The deservedly famous Great Ocean Road technically begins at Torquay, but it is only past Anglesea that the road truly hugs the coast. Between Lorne and Apollo Bay the road skirts each fold in the mountain line where the forest runs down to the sea. Beyond Apollo Bay it cuts inland through the Otway ranges and rejoins the coast at Princetown and travels along what’s known as the Shipwreck coast.

Lorne

Lorne is an idyllic, but at the same time sophisticated, coastal resort town. Situated on a sweeping bay, and surrounded by the Angahook-Lorne State Park, the village attracts many visitors. The steep forests offer many beautiful waterfalls, picnic spots and bush walks. The Sheaok Picnic area is a popular starting point for easy walks to Won Wondah Falls, the Canyon and Phantom Falls.

Teddy’s Lookout offers a view of the ocean road and the George River estuary. There are so many beautiful forest walks to choose from or simply stroll along the sandy beach and around to the pier. The protection of Loutitt Bay makes the beach a safe place for young swimmers, whereas much of the surrounding ocean coast is a surfer’s domain. There’s an abundance of accommodation available in Lorne that is much sought after in the summer holidays. Lorne can be a delightful place even in winter. And around August it’s not uncommon to see the odd Southern Right Whale passing along the coastline, and on down to Warrnambool. There is certainly no shortage of places to eat in Lorne, and discerning city palates will find styles to suit their expectations. Inland from Lorne, over the coastal range, the land descends through picturesque farming valleys and forested hills. Many self-contained Cottages and Cabins are available in and around Deans Marsh, Pennyroyal and Barwon Downs, through to Forrest and Barramunga. The Benwerrin Mt Sabine Rd and Turtons Track routes through the range take you through forests of tall mountain ash regrowth and some untouched stands of towering timber. However, the ocean road between Lorne and Apollo Bay is hard to resist with twists and turns revealing a new vista around each corner.

Apollo Bay

Just before reaching Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek Rd joins the ocean road from the hinterland. It descends from Beacon Point where the well known Chris’s Restaurant offers spectacular ocean views, as do a number of places to stay in this area. Sorrounding Apollo Bay township very steep grazing land offers similarly lofty lookouts such as Crows Nest. The village still retains a small country town feel but has a small selection of good eating options, a country bakery and supermarket shopping which you won’t find much of for quite a stretch other than Lavers Hill.

Otway National Park

The Great Ocean Road bypasses Cape Otway cutting through the Otway National Park, where if you don’t make the side trip to the lighthouse you should at least take the opportunity to stop at Mait’s Rest for a 30 minute boardwalk through rainforest to see the 300 year old tree registered by the National Trust. And if staying in the area, the Melba Gully walk is lined with glow worms at night.

The Shipwreck Coast

This section of the Great Ocean Road, from Princetown through Peterborough, is where the great limestone cliffs are constantly being eroded by wind and sea, leaving sentinel rock formations pounded by waves and no longer attached to the mainland, among them the Twelve Apostles and the less frequented Bay of Islands. The rock feature ‘London Bridge’ until a few short years ago was attached to the shore. At the time the connecting span of rock broke away a small number of visitors were left marooned on the far side and had to be rescued by air. Along this stretch of coast the rolling windswept land ends abruptly at the rugged cliff line and the swell of the Southern Ocean enters Bass Straight. A ‘unique sight’ is understating its spectacle. Many ships came to grief along this treacherous stretch of coastline.

Not far inland from here Timboon is noted for its dairy products and, in particular, its cheese.

Warrnambool & Port Fairy

The Princes Highway takes over from the Great Ocean Road a little way before Warrnambool. Reaching Warrnambool is about three hours quicker using the Princes Highway inland route. The seaside township is substantial and proudly preserves its heritage. Its maritime museum and reconstructed 19th century maritime village are drawcards. Warrnambool has a strong arts culture, and boasts some impressive botanic gardens originally designed in 1879. On the way to Port Fairy, Tower Hill is another special place to see. One of Victoria’s largest extinct volcanoes is home to a flourishing nature reserve, incorporating a crater lake with islands. Port Fairy is a charming coastal fishing village, with many beautifully restored historic buildings. Deservedly popular with travellers looking for old world charm. In March the village hosts the well known Folk Festival and in October the Spring Music Festival attracts music lovers from far and wide. Outside these well booked periods, there are usually plenty of wonderful B&Bs to choose from.

Discovery Coast

The area commonly known as the Discovery Coast includes Portland through to Nelson and the South Australian border. Portland was the first permanent white settlement in Victoria, and the only deep water port between Adelaide and Melbourne. It’s a major industrial and commercial center, but not without its historical interests and some 200 heritage buildings.

Cape Bridgewater beckons sightseers with its local seal colony among the rocks and caves below the headland. The blowholes display the aggressive Southern Ocean as seawater spouts into the sky. Nearby the Petrified Forest resembles a lunarscape, believed to be the stumps of a long gone forest. The Cape itself was once a volcanic island. Calcified sand dunes now form the connection to the mainland.

For the committed hikers this section of coast offers the Great South West Walk, a 250 kilometre circuit. But for those who enjoy a little exercise but nightly comforts, you can explore small sections of the track which is never veers too distant from civilization in any case. Discovery Bay Coastal Park, which sweeps from Bridgewater all the way to Nelson, includes massive sand dunes and freshwater lakes.

The Lower Glenelg National Park, following the Glenelg River upstream is a mecca for campers. The river flows through magnificent limestone gorges and river cruises are great way to see the area. Near the South Australian border the Princess Margaret Rose Caves should be visited to see the magical underground spectacle of stalactites and stalagmites.

The South West Hinterland

West of Geelong, along the Princes Highway and up through Hamilton traces through the broad inland tract of South West Victoria. This area encompasses one of the largest volcanic plains in the world, and the landscape is scattered with volcanic features such as maar craters and scoria cones, as well as many lakes varying from fresh water to highly saline providing habitat for many species of water birds. Lake Corangamite is the largest permanent inland salt lake in Australia.

Red Rock lookout, off the highway not far from Colac, offers amazing 360 degree view of the lava plains and lakes all round. Red Rock itself is a scoria cone, a very steep mound made from fountaining lava erupting from a volcanic vent. You can see the exposed scoria at the top of the lookout. Directly below are dark crusted craters.

Another attraction between Colac and Camperdown, is the network of dry stone walls throughout the district. Extensive fence height walls were constructed in the 1860s and 1870’s by skilled craftsmen from the British Isles. Earlier stone walls may have been employed as fire barriers, but the rabbit threat was responsible for the more extensive use of the walls, and the specific coping techniques employed to deter the pesky rabbits from scaling the walls.

Camperdown
Avenues of Elms line the roads into Camperdown. This sleepy country town has great charm. Its imposing clock tower, in the very centre of town, chimes the hours, and quarter hours, away. Marvellous historic buildings surround the centre. On the outskirts of the township stand Mt Leura and Mt Sugarloaf, both scoria cones, with a deep crater in between. All sit within the 2.5km long Leura Maar.

Western District

Hamilton is a major regional centre for this area which is known for its wool growing. Casterton is the birthplace of the great Australian sheep dog, the Kelpie. Some of the great homesteads of the early pastoralists are accessible. Gardens of the homesteads and the botanic highlights of Hamilton’s gardens attract considerable interest.