More Than A Great Ocean Road Kirsty Smith / Images courtesy of Kirsty Smith & Escape2 Holiday Parks and Resorts
In one giant loop west of Melbourne you’ll discover historic lighthouses and towns, wild beaches, iconic rocks jutting from the sea, and cool rainforests.
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ome roads give you a greater feeling of freedom than others, especially when you feel comfortable enough to just pull off to the side, whip out the fold-up chairs, salud the sunset and sleep under the stars. The Great Ocean Road breathes and exhales freedom and Torquay is the official starting point. Almost 100 kilometres southwest of Melbourne and just 20 kilometres south of historic town Geelong, Torquay is a quaint coastal town and home to popular surfing brands Ripcurl and Quicksilver for good reason. It’s a town of big surf. It sits on a beautiful sprawling beach bordered by lush green parklands with giant pines. You can’t leave town without a stroll along the beach esplanade listening to the thundering sound of the surf. It’s actually rather therapeutic and a good sign of the many natural wonders to come along the Great Ocean Road. With a lung full of fresh salt air, the surfing tour continues just south of Torquay to the iconic Bells Beach. The beach achieved global recognition from the 1991 film ‘Point Break’, starring Keanu Reeves. Since 1962 Bells Beach has hosted the world’s longest-running surfing competition, the Rip Curl Pro, and is renowned for its roaring swells over dangerous reef, which produce an outstanding righthand break. This beach is best left for the experienced surfer so unless you’re prepared to cop a pounding you may prefer to keep your feet on the sand. Heading further south, the Great Ocean Road passes through Aireys Inlet, another pretty coastal town boasting the historic Split Point Lighthouse, or ‘White Queen’ as she is affectionately known. Completed in 1891 the lighthouse has changed little since its construction. It converted to automatic operation in 1919 and remains a beacon of light for those boats passing Cape Otway. The lighthouse has dailyguided tours but unfortunately the original lighthouse keeper’s quarters, a detached
cottage built in the same year adjacent to the lighthouse, is now a privately-owned residence. Continuing south for approximately 19 kilometres along the Great Ocean Road the next charming seaside town to pull into is Lorne. Here you’ll find gorgeous boutique shops and cafés and of course wide sweeping shores. Whether it’s a picnic in the park overlooking the beach or morning tea at one of the quaint cafés, it’s definitely a lovely spot to absorb the seaside lifestyle. From Lorne to Apollo Bay the Great Ocean Road hugs the rugged cliffs making this the most spectacular section of this 243-kilometre road. With each twist and turn along this scenic route another stunning vista comes into view. On one side you may spot dolphins playing in the clear blue ocean waters of Bass Strait and on the other take in the green forest of the Otway National Park. Wind the window down and inhale the crisp sea air. It is really one of the world’s most picturesque coastal drives. After passing Apollo Bay the Great Ocean Road leaves the ocean behind and steers inland through the heart of the Great Otway National Park. This incredible ecosystem became so named after four parks, forests and land reserves amalgamated in 2004. This 103-squarekilometre park stretches from Torquay in the north to Princetown in the south and inland towards the small city of Colac. It has been a major timber source for over 150 years but has reduced its production since 1961. There are many fantastic picnic and camping spots within the Great Otway National Park. As the park is quite large and covers such a diverse stretch of land
the highlights are wide and varied. They range from magnificent dense forests including spectacular waterfalls, ferny gullies and serene lakes, to the resilient beach scrub atop rocky cliff headlands. Turning off the Great Ocean Road onto the Otway Lighthouse Road leads you to the most amazing sighting of wild koalas in their natural habitat. Chances are these chilled out marsupials will be working their way roadside through the select species of eucalypt tree where close encounters can be experienced. The koalas here are incredibly tame and in one tree alone up to three fuzzy-haired koalas can be seen eating, sleeping or relaxing on the branches. If it’s spring time, listen out for the extraordinary grunts and bellows of the affectionate male koala looking for love. A pleasant sheltered camping spot beside the ocean is Blanket Bay Campground. Continue along the Otway Lighthouse Road and turn left onto Blanket Bay Road and drive for approximately six kilometres to reach this quiet campsite. Enjoy an invigorating stroll along the beach before dinner and keep an eye out for those cute koalas as they also frequent this campground. One of the most spectacular sights to see along the Great Ocean Road is the majestic Twelve Apostles. Of these 12 original limestone stacks only eight remain today as the wind and swell continually shape and sculpt them. To view these natural beauties, park at the visitor centre located on the corner of the Booringa and the Great Ocean Roads and walk via a tunnel under the Great Ocean Road to the viewing platforms. The best time to see these imposing rocky cliffs is at the beginning or end of the day
“With each twist and turn along this scenic route another stunning vista comes into view.“ Go Caravan and Camping Guide
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