The Great Ocean Road – Top 5 Spots to visit
The Great Ocean Road – Top 5
Melbourne to Port Fairy
‘Australia’s most scenic drive’
Guvvos Beach – Great Ocean road
The great ocean road is truly Australia’s most scenic drive with its mix of sea and nature. It has some of the most spectacular beaches along the drive and some great coastal towns with hidden waterfalls and trendy boutiques. There are several places you can see along this scenic coastal drive but these are our 5 top recommendations on where to spend just that little more time at.
1. Lorne & Erskine falls
Lorne is a popular seaside town where you can enjoy the beautiful beach and small boutiques. While you are here we highly recommend that you take a 15min detour inland to visit ‘Erskine falls’. It’s only a short 10min walk down to the waterfall from the top and is well worth the view.
2. Apollo Bay
Apollo Bay is a popular tourist stop along the Great Ocean road. There are lots of places to eat and shop and a beautiful beach to enjoy. Some people like to even stay a night or two here before hitting the road again.
3. Cape Otway
We highly recommend driving (1hour return) to see the lighthouse at Cape Otway and enjoying the scenic drive (You might get lucky and see koalas along the way – we did!). Note: When you get to the lighthouse information centre it costs $20 to see the light house. If you don’t decide to pay for the light house don’t worry – the drive is well worth it anyway.
4. The 12 Apostles
The 12 Apostles is a must see tourist stop, it’s simply magical. Walk along the track to catch the view of the 12 apostles and if you have the time enjoy the longer walk along the beach to get a different perspective.
5. Port fairy
A great place to finish the great ocean road and stay for a few nights before heading to Adelaide. We stayed 3 nights and that was a good amount of time.
Recommendations on what to do in Port Fairy (3 nights)
1. Hire a bike for the day ( $10 ) from Daktari Surf/dive shop and explore the town. If you feel like a long ride you can take the old rail way (36km return) where you will see animals in the paddocks and be encountered by many flies. Our tip is to wear insect repellant and lather up with plenty of sunscreen. You can also ride to the lighthouse along the gravel track and explore the streets leading to the beaches.
2. Walk to the light house along the wharf and beach and enjoy the crystal clear water along the way.
3. Walk the streets in the town centre and Treat yourself to a gelato at POCO (They close at 9pm and the line gets quite busy from 8pm so try and get there a little earlier – however it is well worth the wait!) There are also many boutiques to explore in Port fairy but be sure to get there before 4pm before they close up for the day.
4.
Relax and stay a few nights at the Port fairy YHA. It’s a comfortable, family friendly and fun place to get to know other backpackers and relax before heading onto your next destination.
5. Drive to the Grampians (4 hours return) and enjoy their hikes and waterfalls. We suggest that you drive to ‘Halls Gap’ and hike (4km return) to the Pinnacle, and hike (2km return) to the Mackenzie falls).
Continue the journey and discover South Australia’s Hidden Gems
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