The Great Ocean Road - Tourist Information

Regional South West Victoria Overview and Attractions

The Great Ocean Road Victoria Australia

Victoria's Great Ocean Road has been recognised as one of the great travel experiences in the World. The prestigious English travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller rated the Great Ocean Road in the Top 20 Journeys of a Lifetime, the American travel bible Frommer's included it in its Top 10 Road Trips and, last but by no means least, the respected Australian Travel writer Lee Atkinson rated the Great Ocean Road as Number One in her recent book "On The Road - 40 Great Driving Holidays in Australia"

The Great Ocean Road itself hugs both lush forested curves of inland mountains and spectacular sheer cliffs overlooking the sea. The Great Ocean Road tourism region of Victoria Australia includes not only the coastline and the road itself but the spectacular and lush hinterland with its cool temperate rainforests, mountains, lakes and old volcanic features.

Abundant Australian Wildlife & Birdlife

Wildlife and birdlife is abundant along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria Australia. See Australian wallabies, kangaroos and echidnas in their native habitats. Observe the spectacular Australian bird - king parrots, eastern rosellas, galahs, grey thrush, blue wrens and wedge tailed eagles.

In the evenings, listen to the ‘mo - poke’ call from the Southern boobook owl and the random crackling from frogs. Be sure to step outside to see how clear the country night sky is - a star gazers dream.

Australian National Parks and State Forests of the Great Ocean Road region:

The Great Otway National Park incorporates the former Otway National Park and Angahook-Lorne, Carlisle and Melba Gully Victorian State Parks, as well as areas of State forest and other Crown land. The new Otways national park covers 103,000 hectares.

Throughout The Great Otway National Park you will discover; tall tree forests, ancient rainforests, diverse heathlands and woodlands, fringed by a spectacular rugged coastline and some of Victoria's most striking waterfalls and other nature tourism attractions.

Australian Marine Parks; visit the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park - 7,500ha and the Point Addis Marine National Park - 4,600ha. See world famous ancient rock formations, sheer cliffs and sandy surfing beachs and dive in to discover the incredible underwater scenery, underwater arches, canyons sloping reefs and marine life.

The Surf Coast

With its official beginning at the famous surf beach of Torquay, the Great Ocean Road winds down along the Victorian Surf Coast through Jan Juc, Bells Beach and Point Addis and Anglesea all within site of the ocean. Passing Point Roadnight the Great Ocean Road arrives at the four hamlets of Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven, Moggs Creek and Eastern View and continues down to another renowned surfing beach, Lorne. This "Surf Coast" region offers Australia's best surf beaches, resort towns, stunning scenery and beach walks.

Surf Coast Hinterland

For a change of scenery the coastal hinterland offers lush rainforests and spectacular waterfalls. Townships and hamlets include Mount Duneed with its rural views sweeping down to the coastline, the idyllic rural settings of Freshwater Creek, Modewarre, Wurdiboluc and Wensleydale and the rich bushland locales of Bamba, Deans Marsh and Pennyroyal.

Winchelsea is one of Victoria's oldest towns and is considered the gateway to the Western Districts of Victoria, one of Australia's oldest, most famous and wealthiest agricultural regions. Originally named Austin's Ford, the history-steeped township then became known as The Barwon and was finally renamed after an old English Port.

Otways Coast

From Lorne, the Great Ocean Road winds into the Otways Coast (see www.otwaycoast.com), through Wye River, Kennet River, Eongara and Skene's Creek, arriving the popular coastal resort town of Apollo Bay.

The Great Ocean Road continues around past the stunning coastland scenery of Morengo, to Cape Otway with its Lightstation Complex, one of the most significant lighthouse installations in Australia, to the small coastal township of Johanna.

Otways Country

In Otways Country, you will find the major inland town of Colac and the townships of Forrest, Deans Marsh, Birregurra, Beeac, Gellibrand, Beech Forest and Lavers Hill. This region contains numerous features and attractions including numerous lakes and waterfalls and the world's third largest volcanic plain surrounding Colac.

The Shipwreck Coast

Rounding Cape Otway, we arrive at the spectacular Shipwreck Coast with Princetown, the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell, Peterborough, Warrnambool and Port Fairy, all part of the Bay of Islands.

The west coast of Victoria has become the final resting place for hundreds of wrecked ships. The rugged coastline combined with the region's characteristic wild weather and inevitable human error have led to the loss of over 700 vessels of various types and many lives.

The Shipwreck Coast hinterland includes the townships of Timboon, Cobden, Camperdown, Lismore, Derinallum, Darlington, Mortlake and Tarang.

The Discovery Coast

Next we travel through the Discovery Coast which includes Portland and its surrounding districts and Cape Bridgewater. This region features rugged coastlines, huge parks and wineries and is home to the Great South West Walk, a 250km tour of bushland and coastal scenery.

Travelling inland from the Discovery Coast you will come to the Grampians Tourism Region with its ancient mountains, spectacular scenery, hidden valleys, waterfalls, flora and fauna, a desert and countless other attractions.