5 of my Favourite Stops on The Great Ocean Road
We have lived on the door step of the Great Ocean Road ( Geelong incase you’re wondering) for the past 6 years, and our family will happily escape down the Great Ocean Road at any opportunity we get. You know, whenever we get one of those rare weekends that doesn’t have kids sport. We love a day trip or staying in the caravan parks and camp grounds and exploring all of the lovely coastal towns. So, I thought I’d share some of my favourite spots, that hopefully will help anyone looking to plan a trip to Victoria or if you already live locally and just need some inspiration on where to head out for a day/holiday escape.
Kennett River - This little slice of heaven doesn’t really have shops (apart from one Cafe so there is definitely coffee available don’t panic) but what it lacks in shopping conveniences it more than makes up for with stunning views and lots of wildlife. It was here that this WA girl spotted her first Koala in the wild. It literally was walking down the middle of the road (fun fact, did you know there isn’t any wild Koalas in Western Australia?) and extra bonus, I had my camera with me. There are also Kangaroos and amazing birdlife, like King Parrots and Kookaburras just hanging around. We have stayed a couple of nights in the caravan park, the caravan park isn’t much, but what it has it is LOCATION. All you have to do is cross the road and you are at a gorgeous quiet beach, great for the kids to swim and play, and plenty of surf on offer as well if the swell is up! I love that I could roll out of my camper bed with my camera and be on the beach photographing the sunrise within 2 minutes!
2. The 12 Apostles - Well, you can’t explore the Great Ocean road without visiting one of its most famous attractions - The 12 Apostles, which are just outside of the town of Port Campbell. My advice is to check the weather before planning your visit, because it can get so, so windy down there, and it is much more enjoyable when the weather is good. The first time I visited the 12 Apostles it was the day after Covid lockdowns ended in Regional Victoria and we were lucky enough to witness the most stunning sunset and have the place completely to ourselves. I don’t imagine that would ever happy again. But, that was in September and the angle of the Sun for sunset was just incredible.
3. Anglesea - This is one of the first stops along the Great Ocean road, and I don’t know what it is about this little town and beach, but I just love it. It feels a little bit like the South West to me, which is maybe why I feel some affinity with it. Anglesea beach has stunning massive cliff faces, and Point Roadknight is one of my kids favourite spots to swim and play, it’s also great if you have a longboard. There’s a number of shops and cafes in town, a skate park, MTB jumps and some great graded Mountain Bike Tracks a little further back into the bush. We often hit the MTB trails and then the kids convince us to head to the Chocolate factory for the biggest ice creams I have ever had!
4, Yambuk Lake Caravan Park - This quiet little caravan park about 15 mins drive from Port Fairy is a gorgeous quiet little spot. The caravan park again doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, its little and the managers are great, and it is just a short walk to the beach or to the lake for paddleboarding/fishing etc. If you walk down the beach during the right tide you can also find amazing rock pools that are lovely and calm and perfect for swimming on a Summers day (the rest of the beach is pretty rough and swimming is not recommended). And you absolutely can’t forget the giant metal Yambuk Slide that is near the beach entrance and will exhaust the kids, and give the Mums nervous breakdowns (may be talking from experience).
5. Loch Ard Gorge, The Razor Back + Tom & Eva Lookout - I’ve included the three of these spots as one because they share the same carpark. Loch Art Gorge beach is Currently closed due to unstable cliffs, but it really is a stunning Gorge to view even from the top. If you follow a path to the left of the Loch Ard Gorge entrance you will find yourself at the Razor Back. We visited Loch Art Gorge in the afternoon, but I went back early the following morning for Sunrise and the sun coming up over the ocean lit up the massive Rock structures beautifully. It’s definitely worth the early morning. We stayed in Port Campbell and so it was only a 10 minute drive to get there. I also found the history of these lookouts quite extraordinary, and spent extra time looking up Tom & Eva and their remarkable story, definitely take the time to read the plaques at each location.
The Great Ocean Road has so many amazing stops, and I could probably keep going with another 10 or more places that I love along this coastline. Like Blanket Bay, Port Fairy, Lorne, Point Addis, Marengo, Bay of Islands, London Bridge… and the list continues.