Accommodation and tours on the Great Ocean Road - tourist information on the Great Ocean Road

The magnificent coastline called the Great Ocean Road stretches from Geelong in Victoria all the way east to the border of South Australia. It is lined with awesome views and spectacular natural attractions, most notably the Twelve Apostles and London Arch.
Accommodation is found along the way in relaxed country beachside towns such as Apollo Bay and Port Fairy, and there are some beautiful beaches, fantastic National Parks, and some great surfing spots around there too, although the water is a bit chilly! Wildlife abounds and you can see fairy penguins along this coastline too.

If you do the Great Ocean Road in an easterly direction the first place you will come across is the Port Campbell National Park, which has some fabulous rock formations. The first formation you will see is London Arch, a natural arch formed through erosion, which used to be called London Bridge due to the close resemblance to the actual bridge, until it collapsed in 1990.

After Port Campbell you will pass Mutton Bird Island and The Blowhole, which is spectacular on a windy day. You will also come across Loch Ard Gorge where the Loch Ard clipper came to grief in 1878, only two people survived. One of the most spectacular sights is the Twelve Apostles, countless photographs have been shot here, possibly the best at sunrise or sunset. You can also get down to Gibson Beach here, but as with all beaches along this wild coastline please be careful, most are too dangerous to swim and you can get stranded when the tide comes in.

Driving further east you'll pass the Melba Gully State Park, before reaching Cape Otway and the Otway National Park, some spectacular lush rainforest grows here. The Pacific Highway heads inland from here through the beautiful rainforest of the national park at this point, but there are several tracks which take you down to coastal spots.

More worthwhile stops are at Blanket Bay which offers bush camping and walking trails, Elliott River picnic area, Maits Rest rainforest boardwalk offer rainforest treks, the Otway Lighthouse, Bimbi Park horse ranch and lots of pretty beaches, including beautiful Shelly Beach.

When the highway meets the coast again you will reach Apollo Bay, a pretty fishing town with some popular beaches. Further east is the popular coastal resort of Lorne and after that you pass through the Angahook-Lorne State Park before reaching the town of Aireys Inlet. There are a few choices in accommodation at Aireys Inlet and also some good beaches. Continue to travel east and arrive at the towns of Anglesea, more great beaches as well as good surf, and Torquay.

London Arch, one of the many striking features on the Great Ocean Road

The children's song "London Bridge has fallen down" became reality in january 1990 when the above rock formation then known as London Bridge suddenly collapsed. For many years day trippers had walked out along this natural bridge to the big rock at the end but after sitting there for possible millions of years the bridge spontaneously collapsed in January 1997 leaving two people stranded on the rock who had to wait several hours for a helicipter to arrive to ferry them back to the mainland. There is an urban myth that these two people were not actually a couple but both cheating on their repective partners and then got caught out getting their faces on national television but we do not know if this holds truth or not.
The rock formation was then renamed to London Arch.
Although the rock formations of the 12 Apostles are very large, they are quite soft and made up of a combination of limestone, sandstone and fossils, and the ocean waves erode them slowly at the rate of a centimetre a year.
The latest big crash happened in 2005, tourists that witnessed it said it was an awesome experience to see the 6000 year old 70 metre high rockformation topple over. Currently there are only eight Apostles, but this can change any time, as the ocean erodes rocky outcropped headlands new ones can be formed, and just as likely other Apostles can fall over, so the name 12 Apostles in never going to be accurate for long.
NEWSFLASH: On 26 September 2009 another Apostle fell over, so now we are down to only seven!

How to get to the Great Ocean Road

Unless you live in Victoria you will have to fly to the nearest airport Melbourne first.
If you are already in Australia then go to our page Cheap Domestic Flights in Australia for a good choice in cheap domestic airfares to Melbourne.

If you are still in your home country then you will need to get an international flight to Melbourne.

To make life easier and save yourself some time (and probably money too) type your flight date and destination in the Jetabroad searchbox below, they offer cheap airfares from anywhere to anywhere on more than 450 airlines, providing millions of cheap flights options around the world.
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Feel more comfortable to book your airfares to Melbourne online with a travel business from your own country that you know and trust?

Rent a car to see the Great Ocean Road

Driving your own car is one of the best ways to see the Great Oean Road and there is a wide choice of car rental companies where you can book your car or campervan online to be assured of a car on your arrival in Melbourne, and most offer one way rentals between major cities. Nothing beats the freedom of having your own car to explore and stop when and where you want.

RentNewCars.com.au is an Australian company that exclusively distributes Europcar & Thrifty's Australian fleet of 16,000 new vehicles and offers access to over 200 locations around Australia via the RentNewCars web site.

Budget Car Hire needs little introduction, the name says it all: car hire at Budget Prices with a car hire company with an international reputation, and this sites makes it even easier to find yourself a cheap hire car, or anything else with wheels: trucks,buses, campervans, utes, four wheel drives etc.

Relax and let someone else do the driving!

Great Ocean Road in a day		The Twelve Apostles © Tourism Victoria
There's a kaleidoscope of experiences awaiting you along Victoria's Great Ocean Road on this private excursion with Parkwood Tours. See some of the world's most spectacular coastal scenery, visit sites brimming with history, wonder at the beauty of nature at it's best. Follow the Great Ocean Road to the surging Surf coast and magnificent Otways rainforest. See hundreds of kangaroos living on the fairways at the Anglesea Golf Course, try spotting koalas in the wild !!! Let your imagination run wild along the rugged Shipwreck Coast. Linger a while to take in some of nature's handiwork - the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge and the huge limestone cliffs. Lunch is at one of many gourmet cafes at Lorne or Apollo Bay. This afternoon, you return to Melbourne through the rich farming regions of Colac and Geelong. More info....

Great Ocean Road in a day		Twelve Apostles © Australian Pacific Touring
Enjoy one of the world's greatest coastal drives with its dramatic scenery of striking contrasts. The region boasts powerful seas, golden beaches, peaceful townships, giant cliffs and lush forests. Enjoy views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay from the West Gate Bridge. Stroll along the pristine sandy beaches and wander through sleepy seaside holiday towns. View majestic monoliths abruptly rising from the sea. Discover the deep fern gullies and eucalypt trees as they meet the sheer coast that plunges into the sparking Southern Ocean. Hear the legends of the 'Shipwreck Coast', enjoy traditional Aussie billy tea, stop for photos and relax while watching breathtaking coastal panoramas. Bring spare camera film and prepare yourself for a wonderful day. More info....

Great Ocean Road & Grampians		The Twelve Apostles © Tourism Victoria
Travel by private vehicle with your Parkwood Tours guide and explore the Great Southern Touring Route and country Victoria. Enjoy the stunning scenery of one of the most famous drives in the world – the Great Ocean Road and overnight at a historic restored property. Visit the Grampians National Park, rich in natural beauty and then overnight in Ballarat, well known for its Goldmining heritage. Explore Sovereign Hill and the Ballarat Wildlife Park, with Australian native animals before returning to Melbourne. More info....

The Great Ocean Road on a Harley Davidson		© HD Chauffeur Ride PtyLtd
Experience the exhilaration of cruising the open road on a classic, Harley Davidson Motorbike… Feel the wind on your face; hear the classic Harley rumble as we accelerate past the city and suburban crowds onto the open road. Spend a day on the Great Ocean Road, the world's best motorcycle touring route. Experience the thrill of a winding road that hugs the famous Shipwreck Coast. Travel down the Princess Highway to Geelong, stopping over at Torquay. From here travel on to Apollo Bay for lunch and enjoy a scenic stop at Anglesea to catch your breath! There is no better way to experience the beauty of the Great Ocean Road More info....

Adelaide to Melbourne

The Twelve Apostles - Great Ocean Road
© Tourism Victoria

Need to get from Adelaide to Melbourne? This 3 day / 2 night tour will get you from A to B (or is that A to M?) and show you the spectacular Great Ocean Road at the same time! Witness some of Victoria's spectacular scenery - from the lofty lookouts in the Grampians National Park to the rugged coastline of the Great Ocean Road. Learn about the razor blade sharp lime stone cliffs at 'The Grotto' and 'The London Bridge', intriguing stories of the great ship 'Lord Ard' on her fatal journey when she crashed into the cliffs of Mutton Bird Island in 1878… More info....

More info on Melbourne to Adelaide....

Great Ocean Road accommodation

Standbyrates.com.au is a great place to shop for some last minute discounts,
find luxury accommodation for the price of budget accommodation !

WYTONIA 1 , Port Fairy - Watch the sunset from WYTONIA 1, a luxury ground floor self contained suite located on 10 acres of beachfront with magnificent views. Spectacular as it is,the location is within easy walking distance of Port Fairy's main attractions.

AMHURST , Port Fairy - AMHURST offers spectacular views of the mighty Southern Ocean with direct access to our sandy beach, rock pools and lagoon. Stroll on the beach, curl up with a book, or just sit in peace on your own private verandah.

Horizons Beachfront Apartment , Port Fairy - Imagine this Perched in the middle, overlooking popular East Beach bay, you have uninterrupted views out over the Ocean and along the coast Relax inside or outside and enjoy the ever-changing moods of the sea.

Killara Bed & Breakfast , Killarney - Killara is located by the ocean along the Great Ocean Road, this beautiful, stylish, peaceful 4 star bed & breakfast accommodation with rural views by the ocean. within walking distance to secluded sandy beaches ideal for swimming, surfing,fishing.

Southern Heights Bed & Breakfast , Lavers Hill - We offer an EXCLUSIVELY FOR ADULTS modern, peaceful smoke-free environment set in landscaped gardens high atop a ridge with sumptuous views across valleys of rainforest to the Great Southern Ocean, close to most of the regions greatest attractions.

Great Ocean Road accommodation - Apollo Bay at Apollos View. Balcony views of Apollo Bay beaches and country, Villa accommodation on the great ocean road.

SEE THE FULL RANGE OF GREAT OCEAN ROAD ACCOMMODATION HERE

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