Johanna is a landscape of rolling hills and rugged coastline. Marvel at the intensity of the Southern Ocean at Johanna Beach, accessed from the Great Ocean Road by “Red”Johanna Road or “Blue”Johanna Road – Blue being the side closer to Lavers Hill with the higher rainfall. Seriously.
Surfing Johanna’s beach breaks with its power and reputation for rapid jumps is for the experienced surfer. When waves aren’t breaking at Bells, Johanna is the alternative location for the Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro held each Easter. Johanna Beach also a popular camping, walking and fishing spot, with the Great Ocean Walk traversing the coastline. Take a stroll west along the Great Ocean Walk to see a resident herd of kangaroos admiring the views too.
Johanna is a rural farming settlement stretching along the coast between Glenaire and Lavers Hill. Rolling hills and lush rain forest meet at the foot of the wild Southern Ocean. Johanna is named after the schooner “Joanna” that was wrecked at the mouth of the Johanna River on 22 September 1843.
The area is steeped in history, from the discovery of dinosaur fossils in the Glenaire Valley to the Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest of its type on mainland Australia.
The surf beach at Johanna is a stretch of beach breaks, or beach and reef, noted for its power and reputation for rapid jumps in size. The Bells Beach Surf Classic competition has been moved from Bells Beach to Johanna on occasions as the westerly facing Johanna Beach picks up swell that misses Bells and the Surf Coast. Johanna beach is also a very popular fishing spot particularly for schools of salmon.
For up to date conditions in the Great Otway National Park visit here.
This region is home to spectacular sections of the Great Ocean Walk which can be done independently or with the assistance of guides or tour operators, depending on your requirements.
The big skies and wild nature of the Walk will astound you. Discover the region’s diversity of plants, animals and scenery. Weave your way through tall forests, coastal heathlands, beside wild rocky shores and along windswept cliff-tops presenting amazing views
There are also many diverse choices of accommodation along the way from camping at designated sites to luxury homes and villas.
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
