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About the Great
Ocean Road - Transport & car rental
- Accommodation - Tours
- Photos
- Map
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.
Airlines that fly straight in to Melbourne include
Qantas,
Singapore
Air , KLM
Royal Dutch Airlines and Air
New Zealand , you can go to their
websites and compare them to find the cheapest flights to Melbourne,
or visit our Cheap
Flights to Australia page for an overview of what is
available in budget airfares 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.
Their four step booking process is simple and quick and they continuously
update airline information - so you won't be quoted a price for
a seat if the airline says it's not available.
Feel more comfortable to book your airfares to Melbourne
online with a travel business from your own country that you know
and trust?
Then choose your home country here:
   
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.

Thrifty
Car Rental is another international car hire business
with a reputation for cheap rental cars.

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....
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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....
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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.... |
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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.... |
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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.... |
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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
About the Great
Ocean Road - Transport & car rental
- Accommodation - Tours
- Photos
- Map
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