Archive for the ‘Itineraries’ Category


Mark’s three day Great Ocean Road Trip

January 27th, 2009 by Tim

Mark’s Pictures below, thanks Mark. Mark and I had an e-mail conversation that assisted mark in panning his trip. I’m gratified by his response, it’s always rewarding to find that people got value from a conversation. Here is the story:-

Hi Tim,

We’ve just returned on Saturday from the grand adventure and had a fabulous time! As everyone has said the weather sure is unpredictable, but overall we were pretty lucky with hardly any rain during the whole two weeks.

We first drove to Melbourne and had 3 nights there and did the touristy things like the new observation wheel and Eureka Tower, both being a great experience. Then we went on to Geelong and stayed the night there, would have stayed at Torquay but accommodation there was very expensive compared with Geelong. The morning of  5th Jan was pretty cold and as we drove into Torquay it certainly didn’t feel like summer! A quick stop at the surf shops and then we went to have a look at the beaches and stopped at the Nocturnal Donkey for lunch (crazy name for a café, but very memorable and excellent coffee there)!

I have to say Bells beach was a bit of a disappointment, I thought it was more developed and had shops and cafes along the road, but I guess its not a bad thing that its not very commercialised but the thing is that it was totally flat, there was barely a ripple! I spoke to one of the surfies there and he said that he’d been surfing there every day the past week and that was the flattest he’s seen it in a long time!

But the Great Ocean Road in general was amazing, certainly the most stunning scenery I’ve ever seen on any drive. From Torquay to Apollo Bay we were at times stopping every few hundred meters to take photos and enjoy the views. I went for a swim at Point Addis and was surprised at how warm the water was, better than in Sydney! We did the Otway Fly tree top walk, which was pretty nice, but that day was terribly cold, it was only 9C around the tree top area, amazingly cold and then later at Cape Otway lighthouse it was extremely cold, especially on top of the lighthouse where we experienced some of the strongest winds ever, certainly an experience! We also spotted koalas in the trees on the way to Cape Otway which was really amazing to see them in the wild.

Later in the afternoon when we arrived at the Apostles we had glimpses of sun and also strong wind, disappointingly in the evening it got more cloudy and we didn’t get to see the Apostles at sunset, likewise the following morning was very cloudy and we didn’t get to see a sunrise either, however the day warmed up beautifully and cleared, so later we went back and saw the Apostles on a lovely sunny day and the wind from the previous day was almost gone, and in its place the flies we’d been warned about were everywhere!!

The only thing that would have made the journey even better would have been
more time, if we had 2 nights at each stop to give us more time to relax
would have been great, but doing the GOR in 3 days 1 way is not too bad, we
stopped a lot and went to places along the way like the Apostle Whey Cheese
Factory and GORGE Chocolates which are absolutely amazing! We brought back
cheese and chocolate which survived the trip through SA and back to Sydney
via Mildura and still tastes just as good as when we tried it there.

This is certainly a drive that I will do again in the future, I think it’s a
road that you could never get sick of, without a doubt one of the most
amazing parts of our country.

Thanks for all your help. I am sorting through all our photos, if there are
any parts that you’d like to see please let me know and I’d be happy to send
you some, otherwise I’ll see if I can upload them to Flickr or something
similar and will be sure to send you a link.

Thanks again,
Mark

—–Original Message—–
From: Tim Kottek [mailto:tim@experiencetorquay.com.au]
Sent: Thursday, 8 January 2009 10:19 PM
To:
Subject: RE: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Looking forward to hearing how your trip went. You may like to consider
leaving Melbourne towards the EAST and getting the Sorrento Queenscliff
Ferry on your way to Torquay.
Regards
YvonneHunter & TimKottek
Experience Torquay
03 5261 9354; 0409 707 780

—–Original Message—–
From: Mark
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:08 PM
To: Tim Kottek
Subject: Re: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Hi Tim,

Thank you for those ideas, that’s a great list, I just hope we have some
nice weather to enjoy the trip. I’ll let you know how we go.

Thanks again for your help.

Mark

—–Original Message—–
From: “Tim Kottek”
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 15:37:03
To: Mark
Subject: RE: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Hi Mark,
The Great Ocean Road is well signed for photo opportunities,
Between Torquay and Apollo Bay I’d recommend:-
o A quick look at Bells Beach,
o Walking into the indigenous interpreted walk off the Point Addis Road
(after leaving Bells)
o Split Point Lighthouse at Aires Inlet – a very short detour.
o Teddy’s Look out in Lorne. Depending on your interests Erskine Falls is a
pleasant walk not too far from Lorne.
o An indulgent lunch at Chris’ Beacon Point Restaurant (for the view as well
as the food).
In Port Campbell see if you can book into Shearwater Haven which has
capacity later this month
o Cape Otway is a worthwhile visit – between Apollo Bay and Port Campbell
unless Split Point fills your need for Lighthouses.
o The tree top walk out of Apollo Bay may be of interest to you, loved by
some, seen as a bit commercial by others.
Let us know if there is more we can do for you
Regards
YvonneHunter & TimKottek
Experience Torquay
03 5261 9354; 0409 707 780

—–Original Message—–
From: Mark
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:03 AM
To: ‘Tim Kottek’
Subject: RE: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your quick reply and sorry I wasn’t very specific initially with
details. Basically I am interested in sightseeing, lookouts and open to
exploring any other interesting attractions along the way.

I would also like to see some of the national parks along the way and
hopefully some wildlife as well as the coastline, in general to get a feel
for the area. Basically places to visit or things to do that would take a
couple of hours to half a day or so would be ideal, so any recommendations
are appreciated.

We have adjusted our plans and agree that spending a night at
Geelong/Torquay is a good idea and will give us more time to explore and
make the trip less rushed.

I have looked into Bruce’s tours, it seems he specialises more in longer
tours of several days, so perhaps we’ll leave this for another time when we
have more time to spend in the area, but certainly seems like his tours
would be very interesting.

Thanks again for your help.

Mark

—–Original Message—–
From: Tim Kottek [mailto:tim@experiencetorquay.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 5 January 2009 5:34 PM
To: Mark
Subject: RE: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Hi Mark,
I’d be able to give you better reply if I had a handle on your interests.
One way for you to come to grips with what’s available is to get the Torquay
to Apostles set of CD’s mentioned at

http://greatoceanroad-torquay.com.au/blog/audio-guided-tour-of-the-great-oce
an-road/ - they have good information.
A possible small change is to have night in Torquay rather than starting our
trip from Melbourne, it can make for a more relaxed drive from there to
Apollo Bay.
You can find accommodation for Torquay, Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, as well
as points beyond at
http://greatoceanroad-torquay.com.au/find-a-room-on-the-great-oceanroad/ .
For a different experience make contact with Bruce at
http://greatoceanroad-torquay.com.au/blog/otway-eco-tours-a-hidden-jewel/ -
we have met Bruce but haven’t found time ourselves to take the tour but
would love to hear of your experience.
A really important note – January is very busy so for a hassle free trip pre
bok your accommodation.
Regards
YvonneHunter & TimKottek
Experience Torquay
03 5261 9354; 0409 707 780

—–Original Message—–
From: Mark
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2009 12:04 PM
To: tim@experiencetorquay.com.au
Subject: Great Ocean Road Information — Torquay on the Great Ocean Road
contact form

Hi Yvonne and Tim,

I came across your website while looking for things to do along the Great
Ocean Road. We are planning a drive down from Sydney to Melbourne and along
the Great Ocean road to Adelaide and I am wondering what are the main
attractions and things to do along the way.

Some local knowledge would be of great assistance so we don’t miss any
great spots or attractions. Also what would be the best towns to stay at
along the way, I was considering 1 night in Apollo Bay and 1 night in Port
Campbell, so that we could see the 12 Apostles both at sunset and sunrise
the next morning because from what I’ve read they are most spectacular
during these times.

Let me know what you’d suggest, we are planning on leaving in about a week
or so, so hopefully you will get my email before then.

Thanks in advance for your help, looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Mark

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Australian Tourism Sites – A Gateway

December 2nd, 2008 by Tim

Charles Sturt University

This university has put together the best gateway to Australian Tourism Sites that we have seen.

Who will get value from this site?

The list below is by no means comprehensive,

  • Overseas Visitors wanting to plan their Australian Tour
  • Overseas Students wanting to plan their exploration of Australia
  • The site is alphabetical so Australian Residents wanting to explore OZ can hone in on their area of interest.

Now if you are interested in tourism as a career, perhaps inspired by your own travels, then Charles Sturt has the Tourism courses you need to get your qualification of choice.

For non residents the courses are on this link

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Audio Guided Tour of the Great Ocean Road

September 17th, 2008 by Tim

One way to make sure you don’t miss out on what you want to experience is to plan your trip. It’s important to know what you want out of your trip and there is no better way to be clear on that is to listen to experts describe what you will see where. The link below gives you an opportunity to purchase some audio material the equivalent of four CD’s.

Two “discs” cover the Coast from Torquay to the Apostles, another two overlap from Port Campbell to Porland. The material in both sets is a very detailed map, with the locations of over 30 points of interest that have an audio description including clear directions.

Visualise your trip before you go – listen to detailed descriptions and live your experience before you get there. Listen to a sample

Again – select the mage above to purchase.

Places listed on the Torquay to Apostles Set:-

Torquay, Bells Beach, Point Addis, Anglesea including the Golf course famous (or infamous) for its Kangaroos, Aireys Inlet, five more and then Lorne, must see Teddy’s Lookout, six more to Apollo Bay, Cape Otway, the apostles to the bay of Islands including Port Campbell.

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Planning a two night trip – Pia’s experience

August 29th, 2008 by Tim

The Question

From: tim@experiencetorquay.com.au
Subject: Help me give you a good answer , Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:25:23 +1000
Dear Pia,
There is quite a lot to choose from so it will help me if you can let me know:-
o When and for how long you intend to come
o Something about your interests, e.g. outdoor activities, music, etc

Regards

The Final response

Thank you heaps for that! Its such a big help!
Yes your welcome to publish the question.

Thanks again

The Request

From: Pia
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 8:41 PM, To:Tim Kottek
RE: Help me give you a good answer
Thankyou for the qucik reply. I am planning a two night stay somewhere along the great ocean road. What i would like to know is what kind of outdoor activities there are to do…and some good places to see and do? I you could assist me in anyway that would be great!

The Response

From: tim@experiencetorquay.com.au
Subject: Things to do along Great Ocean road Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:42:43 +1000

Dear Pia
I’ll apologise in advance for the many links – however they do give you the information to put together a unique experience.
One item I’d put on my list (it is on ours – haven’t had time) is to get up close and personal with a platypus. Details at the Blog – Bruce is a really nice guy and the link will get you contact details.
Next you will want to sightsee at the Apostles coming at them from either Apollo Bay or Port Fairy. I’d choose one of these two towns as one of the overnight stops. Our experience is written up at the Blog with links to helicopter flights you can preview before travelling.

The spectacular drive is between Torquay (the start of the Great Ocean Road) and Apollo Bay. So our suggestion is to have Torquay or Lorne as the other town to stay in. You can find details of a compact walk that you will find time to do part of at the Surfcoast Page Link . I’d also try to fit a surfing lesson from Torquay Surf Academy or look at Big Stick adventures Finally choose your accommodation at Find a Room on the Great Ocean Road page where you will find buttons to all the popular towns.

Regards

YvonneHunter & TimKottek
PS – May I publish your question and my answer on our Blog, I’ll make sure you are not directly identified (not show your email or family name)

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Arun’s Experience

March 13th, 2008 by Tim

Practical Example of planning a Great Ocean Road Trip

This started on December 20th with a request from Arun in Hong Kong for accommodation at Wattle Court Retreat for two nights on 28th of December.

Christmas, New Year and all of January is High Season. You can read the whole e-mail exchange, needless to say Wattle Court was not available. We pointed Arun at Find a room on the Great Ocean Road.


A telephone conversation followed and we responded to Arun with a three night four day itinerary.

  • “Day one is a short drive from Melbourne airport to Queenscliff – a quaint holiday village on the Bellarine Peninsula.
  • Day two is about 300 km to Warrnambool, but as you will be coming back you could do the Great Ocean Road in each direction, on the way down think of Lunch in Apollo Bay, then the Apostles and on to Warrnambool.
  • Day three – take a trip to Port Fairy, Tower Hill if there is time and the Warrnambool waterfront is interesting in it’s own right.
  • Day four, your return to Melbourne for New Year’s eve, focus on the Great Ocean Road between Apollo Bay and Torquay, if you can fit it in lunch at Chris’ Beacon Point Restaurant. It will be a long but great start to New Year’s Eve.”

By December 22nd Arun had confirmed bookings in Queenscliff and near Port Campbell.Debriefing after the trip Arun confirmed that:-

  • “…we enjoyed the great nature experience of this beautiful area, the only distraction was a big traffic jam before we got into Torquay, as there was no escape route ;
  • Booking – after your guidance – was convenient
  • The properties had been fine, except the difficulty to get them during the high season”

We invite your questions and will do what we can to ensure that your experience lives up to your expectation.

And remember – weekends, even off season are often fully booked two weeks or longer in advance.

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Planning your Great Ocean Road drive holiday

November 27th, 2007 by Yvonne

We have been asked by a number of travellers how best to plan their trip along the Great Ocean Road. So we have put together some tips to make your trip easier.

TIP#1 – Distances

The Great Ocean Road fringes the coast of Victoria, which is the most southern mainland state of Australia. To give you an idea of size and distance, Australia could fit over the entire USA, and the State of Victoria is the same size as Great Britain.

When you are looking for accommodation, food or petrol, it is also important to keep in mind that there is a relatively sparse population outside of Melbourne and large towns such as Geelong.

The Great Ocean Road itself is 263 km long with steep inclines, blind hairpin bends and a quite narrow single lane each way. The views are spectacular and distracting if you are the driver. So you will be travelling slower than on a main road or freeway and you need to make allowances for the extra time.

TIP#2 – Choosing when to Travel

Any time is the best time to travel the road, especially before and after the long summer school holiday break (late December till end January). Our summers are long with daylight saving until the end of March, making travel into April extremely pleasant. Our winters are extremely mild by Northern Hemisphere standards and driving is easier because there is less traffic.

The famous Bells Beach professional surfing competition is always held at Easter for those keen on seeing the best surfers at work.

April the 25th is ANZAC day, the day Australia stops to remember those killed in war. Point Danger at Torquay is the biggest rally outside of the capital cities providing a moving and memorable tribute as the lone bugle plays at sunrise. Everyone is welcome to join with the locals at a traditional sausage sizzle for breakfast.

TIP#3 – Safety on the Road

Driving the road is an exciting and spectacular experience. You will be able to stop frequently at designated spots to take photos while soaking up the views.

If you find yourself so besotted by the views that you want to drive slowly there are pull-out points to allow other drivers to pass. This is a great convenience on this narrow road for all travellers.

You will notice signs reminding drivers to keep to the left, and the speed limit is 80 kph (50 mph) along many stretches and during the summer additional speed restrictions apply.

TIP#4 – The Sun

The Australian sun can seem intense to visitors from the Northern Hemisphere, so remember your hat and sunscreen whenever you are outside.

When in England, we walked for a whole sunny day without sunscreen without getting sunburnt – here, an hour without sunscreen will be enough to leave your skin reddened and more could lead to a painful burn.

The late afternoon Western sun can also be a hazard if you are driving into it. Best to plan to be on a beach or in a café at this time of day.

TIP#5 – Book Ahead

Our peak summer period between Christmas and the end of January needs to be booked well ahead. And very few places have single nights available because holidaymakers book for longer periods at this time.

Being desperate for accommodation late on a hot day with the possibility of the nearest room being 200 km away is not pleasant when you have come all this way to see the Apostles.

We hope these tips will help you with your next trip to the Great Ocean Road.

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Driving the Great Ocean Road: The Twelve Apostles to Torquay

September 19th, 2007 by Yvonne

Tim & Yvonne at London BridgeThe second of our two-day Great Ocean Road return trip sees us leave the Twelve Apostles after a morning of photo stops, followed by an hour’s delay while we search fruitlessly for a lost earring!

So by the time we drive back to Apollo Bay and up into the hills to Forrest, it’s a late lunch for us. What we do know now is that in winter the one place you can grab a warm bite to eat after 2pm is La Bimba.

We have arranged to chat with Bruce Jackson at Otway Eco Tours on our way home. I have seen platypus at Healesville Sanctuary in the Dandenongs on the other side of Melbourne, but never in the wild.

So, here we are sitting on Bruce’s porch in Forrest, chatting about the wonderful wildlife that he regularly shows people in the area around his home.

Bruce and his family moved from Melbourne via Torquay – as a keen surfer he still visits Torquay often. He has a degree in biological science and chooses to utilise his knowledge by showing people the secret lives of our native animals.

While we’re with Bruce, we get to see both a male and female bowerbird – a thrill for me as I am mad about birds and didn’t even know that bowerbirds are common in the Otways. Bruce says we were particularly lucky to see the male as he is quite shy and there are fewer males around.

We make plans to return to Forrest with our family in the summer to paddle along Lake Elizabeth and see the platypus.

Around 4pm we’re on the road again, in an attempt to reach Birregurra before the shops close. There are two shops I particularly want to visit: Chez Georgie and Mr Ted and The Birregurra Bower. Don’t worry boys, there is a good café and a bookshop too!

This is real country driving and it’s essential to follow the map and the signs carefully. This tiny town once had one of the most famous country restaurants run by George Biron at Sunnybrae – one of our favourite haunts. George only runs occasional events now, and we always try to book because his style of cooking relates so strongly to place, so the food is always fresh and beautifully presented. Get in touch with us for more information if this sounds like your kind of thing.

An hour and a half of clothes and handbag shopping later, I am very happy and Tim has been engagingly entertained by another George, the dress shop owner’s husband, with good coffee and chat.

Our final leg home is in the dark and takes us another 45 minutes.

Along with some special purchases, we have brought back to Torquay a fresh appreciation of the wonderful area we are privileged to live in. This is why we have chosen to devote ourselves to showing visitors the real experience of the Great Ocean Road, not just a fleeting view of the sights from the window of a bus.

While this is a great two-day tour, it really isn’t long enough. If you are coming a long distance to see this wonderful region, we advise staying an extra day or two. Start out with us in Torquay and take your time exploring the region with day trips out of Torquay, or a 2-4-day tour of the road, returning to Torquay for a few more days of R&R at the end.

If you can spare no more than a day, you could drive from Torquay to Apollo Bay and fly over the Apostles before driving back. But staying a while is far more preferable. We can help with bookings for accommodation, meals and tours – just get in touch to discuss your requirements with us.

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Driving the Great Ocean Road: Allansford to the Twelve Apostles

September 16th, 2007 by Yvonne

Well, we made it from Torquay to the official “end of the road” (Allansford) in a day, and now we’re driving back thinking about where we might stay the night. Port Campbell is the obvious choice.

This is the point where we learn that, even in the off-season, it’s a good idea to book ahead as Port Campbell is quite isolated – two hours’ drive either way to Apollo Bay one way or to Warrnambool or Port Fairy the other.

Shearwater Haven Garden on the Great Ocean RoadWe call Chris at Shearwater Haven who is unfortunately booked out but graciously invites us to view the lovingly built B and B that she and her husband, Hans, have now run for eight years.

We would love to have stayed at this comfortable place with its picturesque views of the valley where birds can be seen quite close up in the splendid native garden.

The place recommended by Chris and Hans is fully booked too (we’re talking a Thursday night mid-winter!), but we finally find a self-contained apartment and eat at the pub.

The pub is reasonable value at $20 for a generous meal. While breakfasting the next morning at Waves, we figure we would have preferred their menu to pub food for dinner too, but it depends on your taste and budget.

Our second day brings Southern Ocean wind and cold rain showers. The weather seems most appropriate for the Shipwreck Coast, where so many old sailing ships perished in the ferocious gales this coast is known for – much worse than we are encountering today.

19 Twelve Apostles and London Bridge on the Great Ocean RoadThe rock formations along this coast that are responsible for the wrecks are nevertheless a dream for photographers.

These are the famous formations by name:

The Arch
The Grotto
Bay of Islands
Bay of Martyrs
London Bridge
Loch Ard Gorge
The Apostles

This time we don’t visit the Loch Ard Gorge – where the two sole survivors of a famous shipwreck were found. It is an inhospitable place, and a truly remarkable story – worth absorbing, especially on a stormy day, to allow your imagination run riot with sheer melodrama.

Instead, we pause at the Twelve Apostles and London Bridge for some misty yet atmospheric photos and lots of beautiful fresh air! On a clearer day we would have taken a flip over the view with 12 Apostles Helicopters ($90 for 10 mins and $195 for 30 mins).

Next post: Back to Torquay via The Otways

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Driving the Great Ocean Road: Lorne to Allansford

September 12th, 2007 by Yvonne

Still on the first of our two-day trip along the Great Ocean Road, we’re an hour out of Lorne driving west.

The most wonderful vistas have continually begged us to stop and take yet another photo of the most fabulous beaches, but we have pressed on to our lunch destination.

Blue-eye fillet on mash with red wine jusWe have a very soft spot for the brilliant fresh food served in the spectacular Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant up the hill at Skenes Creek. Impossible to drive past here without sampling something – and the view is to die for too.

Today I have blue eye fillet on mash with red wine jus. Mmmmmm! Tim has calamari with blue cheese and walnut dressing and a Greek salad.

This restaurant was rebuilt after being totally destroyed by a bushfire four years ago. The refurbishment has ensured that every diner has access to that spectacular view, yet they have managed to maintain the warm feeling of a Greek taverna that it has always had.

Chris is 70 now, having migrated from Greece as a young man, and he still pops into the restaurant every day. The next party of diners arrives as we leave. Any weekend and all summer this place is packed to the rafters day and night.

There are cottages right outside the door if you don’t want to drive after your delicious meal. (Contact us for more information.) We, however, are on a mission and must press on – without dessert.

Skene’s Creek is only 6 km from Apollo Bay, which we slip through today, but is worth a stop for the beach, the pub and La Bimba – a warmly welcoming café. And if you have very little time, this is where you can catch a plane for “flightseeing” over the Twelve Apostles with Apollo Bay Aviation.

We want to see how far we can comfortably travel today. Can we get to the end of the road, or even to Warrnambool or Port Fairy?

By the way, if you’re intending to drive to Warrnambool in winter, call ahead (1800 637 725) to find out if the southern right whales are swimming off Logan’s Beach. You can often see them just 100 metres offshore – a real treat.

Our drive now covers the wettest area of the state of Victoria, where rainfall is normally measured in feet rather than inches! And yes, it’s raining – and everything is green. Cows graze in the valleys, and eucalypts, ferns, beech and wattle line the roads, which are single lane with double lines frequently reminding us not to pass. There are plenty of rest stops so you can pull in and appreciate the scenery.

We pass signs for Mait’s Rest Forest Walk, which gives you easy access to wonderful temperate rainforest, Cape Otway Lighthouse and Johanna Beach (often used as an alternative to Bells Beach for the Easter Surf Pro Competition). These would all be worthwhile diversions with time to spare. Not for us today.

Pine plantations surround us as we head over the hills to Port Campbell. Gibson’s Steps provide our first opportunity to view the rocky outcrops that this coast is famous for – the Twelve Apostles – and it’s easy to see why everyone gets excited about them. Their naturally sculpted beauty is magnetic.

Cream separator at Cheese WorldBut once again, because of our mission, we decide to savour the Apostles on the way back, and instead we cruise past each outcrop to the “end of the road” at Allansford, and Cheese World – a free museum devoted to the dairy industry!

It takes us an extra hour of driving, including a stop to allow milking cows to cross the road, and it’s really only worth doing this last stretch if you have a particular interest in dairying or want to buy some delicious cheeses and chocolates for the return journey – as we do!

Next post: Overnight stop and The Twelve Apostles

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Driving the Great Ocean Road: Torquay to Lorne

September 5th, 2007 by Yvonne

Teddy’s Lookout, Lorne, Great Ocean Road, Victoria.Well, here we are driving our beloved Great Ocean Road once again. We are testing a two-day itinerary from our home in Torquay – at the start of the road – and we’re interested to see how far along we can get, comfortably.

Along the way, we’ll bring a few tips for places to stop, admire, photograph, shop, dine or sleep.

This first post sees us leave Torquay and make our way along the road (the B100) to the seaside township of Lorne – a stretch known as the Surf Coast.

Naturally we start by paying homage to the famous Bells Beach where a dozen or so keen surfers in thick winter wetsuits are making the most of some reliable waves.

The first tourist bus of the day has already departed ahead of us as we join the winding road through the Great Otway Park. It’s a quiet stretch, and we have to work hard to remember that some folks might need the other side of the road to come the opposite way. Luckily, regular signs remind us to keep to the left!

Most of the road is now limited to 80 kilometres per hour, and in many places we drive slower due to the curves and switchbacks. These are what make the road beloved by motorbike riders, who come in their hundreds at weekends. Their favourite haunt is the Arab Café in Lorne, where you will see every kind of bike lined up as the riders drink coffee and compare notes.

Today we slip past Point Addis and the Ironbark Forest Koori Walk, which we already know to have a spectacular cliff-top view over glorious beaches – worth a stop and an uphill walk on a fine day.

Anglesea, sitting at the join of the Anglesea River and the sea, is a big favourite with Melbourne holidaymakers. The heath-covered slopes provide a backdrop on one side of the road to the ocean on the other.

Today we are lucky to have few fellow travellers. The grey day is contrasted with the bright yellow of the first wattles heralding spring just around the corner. It has been a long, cold winter and we’re looking forward to some warm sunshine. The temperature today is predicted to reach about 14C.

We pass by Aireys Inlet Lighthouse as we have been there before. We used to holiday in this town prior to our move from Melbourne to Torquay, so we’re already familiar with the lovely view from the lighthouse down the coast to Lorne.

Tim Kottek at Memorial Arch - Great Ocean Road, VictoriaInstead, we stop in a parking bay to take pictures of the new Memorial Arch sculpture completed this year to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the building of the Great Ocean Road by soldiers returned from World War 1.

There are a number of smaller commemorative plaques along the road. We stop to photograph one about a white man named Buckley who lived for many years with the Wathaurung Aboriginal people of this area.

I love the way the view of Lorne peeps out and then hides as we weave our way around the bends – this is one of my favourite views because we are right against a cliff face on one side with the swirling ocean on our other side. Awaiting us ahead are Lorne’s horseshoe shaped Louttit Bay, accessible sands and groovy shops.

The Visitor Information Centre is just round the corner after you cross the little bridge at the entrance to the town and is well worth a visit. We buy some souvenirs to take when we visit Canada later this year – a platypus, koala and kangaroo. Maps, DVDs, books and other information about the Great Ocean Road are available here too. And there’s a toilet.

Next, we climb up the VERY steep back streets of Lorne to visit Teddy’s Lookout (follow the signs and keep going to the end of the road). This is a lovely surprise – we stand as if hovering like birds viewing the winding road to the west (the photo at the top of this post is taken from the Lookout). Viewing platforms and tables for morning tea make this a delightful detour.

Next post: stopping for lunch and continuing on to Allansford.

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Posted by Yvonne Posted in Beaches, Great Ocean Road, Itineraries, Lorne, Surfing, Torquay, Travel tips | 1 Comment »


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