Victoria Orientation

Though the road itself runs from Torquay to Warrnambool, the Great Ocean Road region encompasses the entire serene and spectacular southwestern coast of Victoria, from Geelong to Nelson. Stretching from Torquay to Lorne, the Surf Coast is the road’s first segment, and it hosts some of the country’s best surfing. The Great Otway National Park, on the 73km stretch from Anglesea to Apollo Bay, is home to one of Victoria’s most breathtaking rainforests, with spectacular pines and waterfalls. Rejoining the shoreline on the other side of the park, the Great Ocean Road follows Shipwreck Coast, where unrelenting winds and unpredictable swells made the region a 19th-century ship graveyard and shaped the famous Twelve Apostles rock formations. Continuing west, visitors can discover Southern Right Whales off Warrnambool (from late May to September), seal colonies at Cape Bridgewater, and stunning caves in Lower Glenelg National Park. Though visitors have been known to complete the entire Road in just a day or two, it’s worth as much time as you’ve got; a week on the Great Ocean Rd. is a week well spent. Most travelers drive the road from Melbourne heading west toward Adelaide, so Let’s Go lists towns and attractions east to west.

When To Go. High season for the Great Ocean Road lasts from December to January, during school holidays. To avoid the crowds but still catch the best of Victoria’s moody weather, try to plan a trip in late November or Feb.-Mar. In winter, the crowds are gone from the Great Ocean Road, but so is the sun. If winter is all you’ve got, head to Warrnambool , where a population of Southern Right whales stops to give birth to their calves in late May, staying near the beach until September. Surfing season in Australia’s surfing capital, Torquay , is Mar.-Sept.

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