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Christmas is the time of year when the sun shines brightly and the sea is at its inviting best and all of the holiday houses, caravan parks and other accommodation fill up for the whole of January.

If you are thinking of enjoying a true summer beach holiday now is the time to book a place to stay. Surfers know that the whole of the Surf Coast along the Great Ocean Road provides some of the best beaches and surf breaks in the world. If you want quieter waters then the main beaches at Lorne and Torquay are good for paddling in gentle surf in between building sand castles. Anglesea has the benefit of both river and beach for different activities. Airey’s Inlet is a favourite spot for family holidays with the Split Point Light House as a beacon over this small village.

If you are considering abandoning the kitchen this Christmas you could consider a wonderful meal out including all drinks, visit by Santa with gifts for kids and traditional buffet at Hanner’s Restaurant at The Sands at $130 for adults, $64 under 15 and only $25 for under 7 year olds.

New Year - you might be considering the sensational Falls Festival near Lorne (now fully booked) for continuous bands in a bush setting or  if you have missed out on tickets this year you can take part in the activity on the foreshore at Lorne beach.

The popular Torquay Pub will have DJ’s from Melbourne until after the midnight hour, and $40 will get you entry to this event. The Rose Restaurant on the hill with spectacular views over Torquay is hosting a private function but if you want to really splash out on the night you might try Hanner’s at The Sands - a Peppers Hotel- with a $130 per person event including all food and drinks, door prizes and the Melbourne band Blush.

Fireworks are traditionally held on the beach at midnight in Torquay.

Accommodation is filling quickly for this special time.

When we hear of other events we will add to this blog for your information.

As a practising artist myself I love to be inspired by other artists’ work, so I was thrilled to hear about “the littoral edge” - the inaugural Lorne Sculpture Exhibition on the shores of Louttit Bay on the Great Ocean Road.

The event was held over 2 weeks, including the long weekend of the Melbourne Cup which is on the first Tuesday in November.

Strolling in bright sunlight beside the water to enjoy the wonderful creativity and variety of shapes - shiny aluminium “car and caravan”, round dry stone “keep”, fibreglass figures hanging on a clothesline, shaped pieces of rusted steel - is hard to beat.

The open air bayside exhibition is the brainchild of Graeme Wilkie of Qdos Gallery, which itself is worth a visit as it is set amidst tall mountain ash and is a delightful venue for weddings, parties, and anything with a touch of modern art.

We turned our trip into a full day by next visiting the Fisherman’s Co-op to order fresh fish for dinner, and then strolling from the pier to the Surf Club for a brilliant seafood lunch at the iconic Lorne Pub overlooking the horseshoe-shaped bay.

The food and service is always good here, so we knew the scallops would be fresh and the fish local. On a fine day you can see all the way to the Split Point lighthouse as well as watching young surfers below practising in the short waves. Today was unusual in that there was a sea mist that hovered for most of the day, suffusing the air with mystery.

Further down the road on the same day a special event gave a large number of Porsche car drivers the freedom to drive the gorgeous winding road without traffic for three hours. What a treat! After the race they would enjoy a big night out in a huge marquee on the foreshore near the Surf Club.

I’d certainly recommend building this event into your itinerary for next year.