7 Days in the Great Ocean Road Region

Follow this couple’s adventure along the Great Ocean Road stopping at waterfalls, epic lookouts, exploring towns, iconic places and getting in as many ocean sunrises as you can.

DAY 1: Melbourne to Cape Otway

We left Melbourne before sunrise on the first day as we had a pretty tight schedule, but this meant we got to watch the sunrise as we drove along the first stretch of the Great Ocean Road. It happened to be a gorgeous one that totally made it worth getting up while it was still dark! .

Lower Kalimna Falls

This was our first stop and it definitely didn’t disappoint. It took us about 45 minutes walking each way, but it was worth it as the waterfall has a real Jurassic Park feel to it (unfortunately there weren’t any dinosaurs). We didn’t make it to Upper Kalimna Falls, but it just gives us another reason to go back.

Lorne

A road trip isn’t complete without good food stops, plus we’d skipped breakfast, so I was getting pretty hungry by this point! There is plenty of choice at Lorne and we found just what we needed to keep us going with plenty of healthy whole food and smoothie options. Plus the Lorne cafes and shops are right on the beachfront, so you can enjoy your snack and the famous Lorne views at the same time.

Erskine Falls

Re-fueled and content with full bellies, we made our way to Erskine Falls. We walked all 240 steps down and were rewarded with a gorgeous 30m waterfall nestled into the ferns. This is one of the busiest waterfalls so it was recommended to avoid peak times, and it’s not hard to see why, it is as stunning as the walk to get there.

Cape Otway Lightstation

Cape Otway Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse on mainland Australia and interestingly (as we were told by the lighthouse keeper) there were more shipwrecks after it was built in 1848! Although this was due to an increase in ship traffic I thought it was an interesting fact nonetheless.

EAT: Lorne Hotel, Gelato Gelato – Anglesea + Lorne, Apollo Bay Bakery

STAY: Cape Otway Lightstation Accommodation

DAY 2: Cape Otway to Port Campbell

We woke up early for the sunrise at Cape Otway Lightstation (which really in winter isn’t very early). The sunrise was a little cloudy, but it was awesome to be able to watch the lighthouse catch those first rays all to ourselves.

Californian Redwoods

Yep, you read that right, the Great Ocean Road has Redwoods! The California Redwoods were planted in the 1930s and, despite being a non-native species, have even been included within the Great Otway National Park. It’s a truly serene and unique experience to be surrounded by such giants. While these may not be as tall as the towering Mountain Ash trees you can find in the Otways (Maits Rest is a must stop!), they create a magical, dark, serene experience with the trickling of Aire River running right through the middle.

Hopetoun Falls

Close to the Redwoods is this impressive waterfall, Hopetoun Falls. It is a short 30 minute, steep (about 200 stairs!) return walk from the car park and winter is the absolutely perfect time to see it. I seriously couldn’t get enough of all the waterfalls surrounded by ferns, there’s something almost fairytale-like about them.

12 Apostles & Gibson Steps

I’m not sure how much of an introduction the 12 Apostles and Gibson Steps really need as they are undoubtedly the most popular and most photographed stops along the Great Ocean Road.

We had planned to be there for sunset to get some photos and, well, we hadn’t received the memo that sunset was cancelled that night, the weather wasn’t great. So we arranged another night at the end of our trip to come back to them. Tip: If you want the inside scoop on the best times to visit, the weather and everything in between, chat to the local team at the Port Campbell Visitor Information Centre, their knowledge is unparalleled.

EAT: The Perch, Clean Cravings, REAL Pizza, Pasta, Salads

STAY: Anchors Port Campbell

DAY 3: Port Campbell to Warrnambool

Hopkins Falls (near Warrnambool)

Hopkins Falls is just off the road and while it is only 12m tall, it is a massive 90m wide and flows over basalt rock making for some really cool rock features. It is particularly impressive in the winter when there’s been some rainfall, so we had a real treat!

Whale watching at Logan’s Beach

There is a specially constructed platform at Logans Beach for viewing whales that use this area as a nursery during the winter months between May and September. You can often see Southern Right Whales with calves in this area. Unfortunately for us, nature decided not to cooperate and we didn’t see any whales here. Pop in to see the friendly folk at Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre for all the tips on recent whale sightings.

Thunder Point

This spot is just perfect at sunset. There are a lot of rocky outcrops and tide pools, making for a really interesting place to photograph and watch the sun set. This time the weather did turn it on and we even got a rainbow amongst it all!

EAT: Peterborough General Store and Takeaway, The Cally Hotel

STAY: Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs

GROUP STAYS: Logans Beach Apartments

DAY 4: Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Watching the horses at Worm Bay

So here’s that hot tip as promised: get up early and watch the race horses train on the beach at Worm Bay (at Warrnambool’s Breakwater).
I kind of expected to see a few horses, but there seemed to be a non-stop flow from when I arrived at around 7am until we eventually left at around 8am.
There was something so magical about watching the horses and their riders galloping along the beach and splashing in the water.

Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs

Winter on the Great Ocean Road can get cold but there are plenty of ways to warm up, and this is one of the best of them – Deep Blue Hot Springs in Warrnambool. A long soak in a 38.5°c geothermal mineral pool was like heaven. There are a number of different natural pools and some with essential oils that I never wanted to leave. Once we realised we should probably get going to explore some more, we reluctantly left.

Lunch at Koroit

Does being in water make anyone else really hungry? We were supposed to go to Tower Hill next, but my belly demanded we take a detour to Koroit to Noodledoof Brewing co. A wide selection of beers (these guys are IN TO IT!), spirits, and delicious food options – the only decision was to share or not to share!

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

This is definitely the place to be to see some wildlife! We were greeted with three cheeky emus right at the start and even saw koalas and kangaroos. The actual grounds are stunning for a walk too. Make sure to also stop in to experience Tower Hill, a lake in the crater of an extinct volcano, almost 3kms wide.

EAT: The Pavilion, Noodledoof, The Stump Port Fairy

STAY: Southcombe Villas

DAY 5: Port Fairy to Warrnambool

Beach sunrise

As we had a villa close to the beach, we made the most of it and watched the sunrise from the comfort of the deck with a cup of coffee in hand. My favorite sunrises are the ones I can watch in my dressing gown, but sunrises along the Great Ocean Road are always worth getting up for.

Crags Lookout and Whale Watching

The coastline from Crags Lookout is gorgeous. Think crystal blue water swirling around rugged rock formations. And the best part, you can pretty much drive right up to it

Round two of whale watching. Definitely take the time to stop by the Port Fairy Visitor Information Centre for information on recent sightings.

We followed their directions to a spot where a mother and calf Southern Right Whale had been seen that day. We were so excited when we finally spotted them. They were about 300 metres from shore, so realistically we couldn’t see much more than the occasional splash of a tail, but it was amazing to know they were there. Definitely take some binoculars with you!

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape

We drove inland to Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, which is where the Gunditmra indigenous owned and operated business, Budj Bim Culutual Landscape Tourism is based. We took a half day tour on Country at Tae Rak, after we enjoyed a Kooyang (eel) tasting plate at the cafe. This is an experience definitely not to be missed, with our guide talking us through the ways the First People here manipulated the volcanic landscape to farm eels and fish. They’s been doing it for thousands of years and the site has a UNESCO world heritage listing for its significance as the first example of early aquaculture and farming.

This place is a true eye-opener and unforgettable experience for any person, we learnt so much about the way the Gunditjmara people lived, traded and understood the unusual behaviour of eels.

Sunset at Griffiths Island Lighthouse

We didn’t have much time to explore Griffiths Island at Port Fairy, but the lighthouse gave us the perfect subject to photograph from many different angles and different light as the sun set. You can walk or ride across to the lighthouse and in the summer you can also see the shearwater birds return to their nests here!

EAT: Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre Cafe, Lady Bay Resort Restaurant

STAY: Lady Bay Resort

DAY 6: Warrnambool to Port Campbell

Bay of Islands Coastal Park

This 32km coastal reserve covers the area between Warrnambool and Peterborough. The coastline is breathtaking, with limestone stacks and ocean views. There are also several areas where you can gain beach access. The best part about this stretch of the coast, is that there are fewer tourists than the 12 Apostles area. We stopped at Childers Cove, Sandy Cove, Bay of Islands and Bay of Martyrs, all of which are easily accessible and beautiful!

Port Campbell National Park

This park is most famous for the 12 Apostles, but it’s also home to many other amazing spots, including The Grotto, London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps. I would honestly recommend visiting them ALL. They’re all impressive for different reasons, and the walking time is minimal.

We finally got a decent sunset at 12 Apostles and capitalised by photographing at both 12 Apostles and Gibson Steps during sunset, then headed to Loch Ard Gorge to get some shots during ‘blue hour’. We couldn’t have been happier with our decision to come back and try again.

EAT: SOW AND PIGLETS BREWPUB

STAY: Port Cottage

DAY 7: Peterborough to Melbourne

Sunrise at the 12 Apostles

There’s something so magical about watching the sunrise in such an iconic place. Definitely make the effort to get up early for sunrise here, just make sure you rug up! We’d had horses, koalas, whales, waterfalls, lighthouses, and so many sunrises and sunsets, but the Great Ocean Road just felt incomplete until watching the sun rise and set at Victoria’s most iconic spot.

Beauchamp Falls

Now I know I said our trip felt complete, but we couldn’t waste our last day, so we stopped by Beauchamp Falls on the way back to Melbourne. It was about an hour and 20 minute return walk. It’s a really impressive waterfall in a beautiful setting, and we had it all to ourselves for most of our time there. Well worth the walk.

We took the coastal route back to Melbourne, despite it being longer, because it’s just so pretty. We stopped several times along the way to snap some photos and got our final sunset at Aireys Inlet.

We finally arrived back in Melbourne around 7pm, exhausted after such a full itinerary, but bursting with excitement and feeling fully rejuvenated after such an amazing, memorable trip.

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