LOCATION: The Great Ocean Road (B100) begins near Torquay, 100 km. (60 miles) west of
Melbourne, where the name changes from the
Surfcoast Highway, and follows the coastline for several hundred kilometres to Warrnambool where
it rejoins the
Princes Highway (National Highway 1).
Claims the road extends beyond this are incorrect,
it does not extend beyond a point 12km. east
of Warrnambool.
Along its length are spectacular coastal scenery, rain forests, waterfalls and quaint holiday,
fishing and resort towns.
History of the road
FEATURES: Exceptional coastal and mountain scenery with walks, waterfalls, forests and
numerous species of flora and fauna.
Motels, Hotels, Caravan Parks, Guest Houses and Camping.
Although the road is only a few hundred kilometres long, it is wise to plan at least one overnight
stop along the way. There is so
much to see you will constantly be waylaid at lookouts, waterfalls, forest walks and other attractions.
There is a detailed plan of the things to see and do in these pages
and, if you follow these
guidelines, you will get to see most of the attractions with time to travel the road safely and enjoy
your tour.
Getting There: You can drive your own, or hire a car from Melbourne or Geelong to do the trip,
or organised coach tours are available through many operators in Melbourne and Geelong.
Above left: Spectacular coastline near the 12 Apostles
Centre: Great surf at Bells Beach Right: Along Turtons Track between Beech Forest and Apollo Bay.
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One of Australia's most visited attractions, the Great Ocean Road is renowned for its spectacular scenery
and rugged coastline.
It meanders along the coast of the Southern Ocean between golden beaches with rugged rock outcrops, and
the Otway Ranges, and
passes through the Angahook-Lorne State Park and Otway State Forest, abundant rain-forest areas.
Pretty, well-serviced towns dot the coastline with the most popular being Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port
Campbell. The area is
rich in attractions ranging from cheeseries and quaint restaurants, to raging surf and spectacular
outcrops. Among the most
popular is the Port Campbell National Park, part of which is pictured above. These outcrops, include
'The 12 Apostles'
a spectacular collection of eroded sandstone outcrops and are the centre of the park. Among the many
other features are 'The Grotto',
'London Bridge', and 'Loch Ard Gorge', named for the ship wrecked there in the last century.
Much of this coastline is also known as the 'Shipwreck Coast', a reference to the many ships
which were trapped and sunk on the
many reefs over the past 150 years or so. Plaques and maps will be found which point to their location.
World famous surf beaches will be found along the coastline including 'Bells Beach', near Torquay,
which is a venue for World
Championship surfing. There are also many safe beaches near the towns where the family can enjoy
leisurely swimming and water sports.
Cape Otway features one of several light-houses along the coastline which steered mariners along
their perilous way. Whales may be
seen between May and September at Warrnambool at the western end of the road, and a Maritime Museum
there explains the area with
displays and history.
The forests of the region are among the most prolific in Australia and feature massive eucalypts
and many species of ferns and
shrubs. There are many waterfalls and walks to them are relatively easy
from car parks and bush tracks.
Information centres along
the way provide everything you will need and there is plenty of accommodation to be found, however,
it is wise to book during holiday
periods. Highly recommended as a place to visit and some spectacular scenery.
The main towns along the road are:
Lorne | Apollo Bay | Port Campbell | Anglesea | Geelong | Torquay | Warrnambool | Peterborough |
Princetown
You can click on any of these below for details of all towns along the coast and in the hinterland.
Information Centres
will be found at
Geelong, Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Lavers Hill, Port Campbell and Warrnambool. Click on ths link
for details and addresses.
Some accommodation houses are listed below. There is an accommodation search engine link from
which you can find a suitable establishment
within a price range you can nominate.
Because of its popularity, it is very difficult to gain accommodation along the length of the road
at Easter, Chistmas and some other times.
Even weekends can be difficult sometimes.
Make sure you book well ahead and secure your bed.
MAIN PLACES TO VISIT
Angahook-Lorne State Park
Cape Otway Lighthouse
Erskine Falls near Lorne
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum Warrnambool
Mait's Rest Forest Walk - between Apollo Bay and Lavers Hill
Melba Gully State Park near Lavers Hill
Port Campbell National Park near Port Campbell
The Otway Forest Park
Turton's Track
Whale Watching
Web design by The Aussie Traveller | © Copyright Peter W. Wilkins 2006.
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