Looking for the ultimate roadtrip? Then look no further than the world’s most scenic coastal drive, The Great Ocean Road. This Australian National Heritage road is only 150 miles (243 kilometres) long, starting at the spring creek bridge in Torquay and finishing just east of Warrnambool.

Most visitors hop on a one-or-two day tour to visit the famous Twelve Apostles and a few other brief stops along the way. But after reading blog posts about this famous road we decided to put aside 5 whole days to do this journey.

I would highly recommend hiring a car so you can stop when you want and set your own pace. This was one of my favourite road-trips, so make sure you have plenty of great music to sing along to and tasty snacks at the ready!

Here are my highlights from our trip…

Torquay

Official start point to the Great Ocean Road. Highlights of the town include:

• Bells Beach, Australia’s most famous surfing beach. Home of the world’s longest-running surfing competition, the Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival
• Surf World Surfing Museum, learn the history of surfing through hands on displays
• Ripcurl and Quicksilver headquarters are based here including shops and outlet stores, which is great for a bargain version of the surfing top-end brands

Point Addis

Drive to the top of the hill to enjoy these short boardwalks that provide great views of the beaches where you can watch surfers catching the big waves! It also provides information on the Point Addis Marine National Park which protects marine and coral life such as this cool creature called the weedy seadragon.

Point Roadknight

I know your thinking this photo must be photoshopped or enhanced, but no this is a real, untouched photo! This beach is stunning and has some awesome rock pools to explore in the far right corner where the ocean crashes in.

Memorial Arch

30 minutes from Torquay is the memorial arch, which is so impressive I found it hard to understand why its not used as the starting point of the Great Ocean Road. This eastern view is a tribute to those who built the road and provides a great opportunity for a tourist picture.

Lorne

Erskine Falls

This town is beautiful and a great place to stop for lunch on your road-trip. Whilst you are here, visit Erskine Falls, 10km inland, which is one of the highest waterfalls in the Otway region.

Sadly the waterfall wasn’t flowing that much as there hadn’t been much rainfall when we visited. There are around 200 steps to the bottom of the waterfall but it’s worth the hike.

Teddy’s Lookout

Above the town of Lorne, Teddy’s Lookout offers the best views of the Great Ocean Road. You can drive up the hill and walk only a few paces, to get this incredible view of the road wrapping around the shoreline of the ocean. Stunning! 

Keep an eye out for these cool looking Australian magpies!

Great Ocean Road Heritage Centre

If you want to learn more of the history of this road, then check out the free exhibition titled ‘The Great Ocean Road Story: Building Australia’s Most Famous Road’.

Kennett River

Want to see wild koalas and king parrots?

Then go to Grey River Road, 500 metres behind the holiday park and look up in to the trees. Spot anything up there?

Bring some seeds for the birds too and watch out for those parrots, they are very friendly!

Apollo Bay

Is a coastal town and a great place for a lunch break and coffee.

• Marriner’s Lookout another location for spectacular views above the town

• Mait’s Rest – A 30 minute circular walk through a sub-tropical rainforest. We really enjoyed this short walk full of beautiful ferns and trees.

Cape Otway Lighthouse

The oldest lighthouse on mainland Australia. It is open daily from 9am, admission is $19.50 but there is lots to see there including an aboriginal centre and a World War 2 bunker.

As you drive down the road to the lighthouse, keep an eye out for wild koalas as there are lots hanging out. The best way to spot a koala, look out for tourists pulled over on the side of the road, looking up into trees! 🙂

Otway Fly Treetop Adventures

Soak up the views of the rainforest from 25 metres above the ground for $25 or zip-line through the trees for $120. We decided not to do this but have heard positive feedback from others who did.

Triplet Falls

Further along this road near Beech Forest, visit Triplet Falls. A one hour loop walk takes you to a three cascading falls.

Melba Gully

Is similar to Mait’s rest but has toilets and picnic facilities and a renowned spot for glowworms. 

Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park 

If you want a break from the road, then go to this animal sanctuary which has emus, eastern grey kangaroos, wombats, wallabies and dingoes.

All of these incredible places to visit and we haven’t reached the famous Twelve Apostles yet!