Leave Melbourne west along the Princes Hwy (M1) towards Geelong, 76km. Continue through Geelong to the turn-off to Torquay and take the highway there to the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road (B100) at the roundabout.
Torquay is a popular seaside resort and there are several surf shops. Visit the Information Centre and stop at the Imperial Rhino Cafe for some of the best food along the road.
Start the road and travel up the hill past the golf course on the left. Jan Juc is an expanding seaside suburb and just beyond is a roundabout where the alternative road from Geelong meets the Great Ocean Road. There is a Budget motel here at Breamlea.
Turn left and continue past the Bells Beach turn-off where international surfing competitions are held annually and into Anglesea. The golf course here is renowned for the kangaroos which wander the fairways and you can take a paddle-boat on the Anglesea River just across the bridge. Continue through Anglesea, up the hill and along the beach towards Aireys Inlet. You will see the Split Point Lighthouse as you approach and a short detour to visit it, and the nearby Bark Hut is a pleasant stop.
From here the road begins to follow the cliff face and there are several outstanding lookouts along the way as you travel towards Lorne. there are several things to see and do in Lorne, the largest of the towns along the road. In the ranges are the Erskine Falls, the beach is the venue for the Pier to Pub annual swim every year which attracts thousands of keen swimmers, and Erskine House on the foreshore is an historic home.
There is a large shopping strip and plenty of accommodation available.(See opposite)
Continue west from Lorne following the coast through Wye and Kennett Rivers, small towns servicing a mainly surfing clientele until you reach Skenes Creek and the junction of the road through Deans Marsh. if you turn right here you will reach the Stephensons Falls and the pretty town of Forrest. To the left is Turtons Track, a wonderful forest drive which leads to Beech Forest and several more waterfalls. You can either return the way you came or continue to Lavers Hill and backtrack to Apollo Bay through the Otway Forest. I suggest you spend the night in Apollo Bay before heading west again the next day to explore the Otways, Mait's Rest rainforest walk, the Otway Lighthouse, several lookouts, and finish the day exploring the wonderful Port Campbell National Park, staying the night in Port Campbell. There is also an excellent motel on the road leading from the Twelve Apostles Interpretive Centre. Helicopter joy-flights operate from a strip behind the car park and offer spectacular views of the park.
For a detail map and more information on the park see the Port Campbell National Park section or download our pdf guide.
the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge are the main features on this eastern side of the park from Port Campbell.
On the western side, as you leave the next day you can see the London Bridge, The Grotto, and the Bay of Fires, near Peterborough.
North of Port Campbell there is a cheesery aat Timboon and some interesting sights including the old railway station and bridge.
From Peterborough the road leads inland towards Warrnambool through rolling dairy country with small towns along the way before you rejoin the Highway from Melbourne to Adelaide thorough Warrnambool. For detail on the next section see 'South West Discovery'. Warrnambool has many attractions to visit including the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and the old Wollaston Bridge. For details see Warrnambool from the towns link.

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