The Great Ocean Road in Australia
The Great Ocean Road is in Victoria’s south west region. It starts at the coastal township of Torquay which is home to the famous surfing beach of Bells Beach and finishes at the world renowned 12 Apostles; a distance of just over 100 kilometres. If you are travelling to Australia you really should put this destination in your bucket list. It is simply spectacular.
The Great Ocean Road began it’s life as a war memorial for the fallen soldiers of World War One. There is now a large gate near the beginning of the road which dedicates its construction to those who lost their lives in the Great War. Those diggers must have had a very hard time carving a road out of sheer cliff face!
The road today is still only comprised of two lanes which can make for slow driving, especially during peak times but this is not all that much of a problem because the slower you drive the more you can see and boy is there a lot to see!
As I stated earlier the Great Ocean Road begins at Torquay and this small town is definitely worthy of a visit. Australia is a nation of surfers and Torquay is the surfing capital of Australia and home to the world famous Bells Beach. If there is a big swell running when you visit this area you are in for a real treat. Do not miss going to Bells Beach! You might see surfers surfing some of the biggest rideable waves in the world and it is a sight you will never forget.
From Torquay on the road really begins. You’ll pass beach after beach after beach and more often than not there will be no-one on them. Stop if you like, have a swim and create the only footprints in the sand.
You will pass through a few small towns before you arrive at Lorne which is Victoria’s premier seaside resort. This is home to one of the most beautiful bays along the entire road. This is a great place to learn to surf and is one of the safest swimming beaches on the coast. My advice is to stay here for a few days. You’ll love it.
Once past Lorne the coastal road rises towards Cape Paton and rewards drivers with spectacular views in all directions. There are a few pullovers in this section of the road where you can get out of the car and have a good look around. Make sure you take advantage of these. They are worth it.
From here the road meanders down again to sea level and arrives at Apollo Bay. This is a lovely small fishing village and well worth staying for a few days. Best crayfish ( lobster) along the Great Ocean Road can be found here.
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The road will now take you inland through some beautiful forest regions before it again draws near to the coast at Johanna – which is probably the prettiest part of the entire Great Ocean Road region. Make sure you turn off and head down to Johanna Beach – this will be a highlight of your trip. Great fishing here!
From Johanna the road again veers inland and after about one hour you will find yourself at the 12 Apostles. This is one of the most visited places in Australia and for very good reason. Try and get here around sunset to watch the sun sink behind these marvellous icons and allows the sky to turn blood red. Be prepared though for lots of tourists. It can get very busy.
Well, this is where the Great Ocean Road officially ends but don’t let that disappoint you. There are more exceptional coastal sights past here. Namely the Bay of Islands and the Bay of Martyrs which aren’t all that far away and many locals believe these rival the 12 Apostles – and you can get onto the beach at these places as well.
Enjoy your travels along this sensational road and don’t forget to keep left – you have to drive on the left in Australia.
You’ll need some accommodation while you are visiting this area. The following website lists accommodation for your entire journey.
Great Ocean Road Accommodation
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The Great Ocean Road in Australia
