10 Things You Can't Miss On The Great Ocean Road • Travel the Rainbow

10 Things You Can’t Miss On The Great Ocean Road

One thing you definitely can´t miss while visiting Australia is Great Ocean Road. The 243-kilometer road stretches along the Southeastern coast of Australia. The road goes between the cities of Torquay and Allansford and was built by soldiers between 1919 and 1932. It is dedicated to the soldiers that got killed during world war 1. Great Ocean Road is the largest war memorial in the world.

This winding road goes through varying terrain along the coast and you will along the road see different landmarks, including the Twelve Apostles. You will find epic surf, empty beaches, and amazing hikes, you will find adventure around every corner!

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How much time should you spend on Great Ocean Road

Even if Great Ocean Road is quite short and you can manage to do it in one day, we really recommend you to take at least three days to really get the chance to enjoy this super scenic drive along the coast. You will be amazed by the beauty around here and you will probably want to snap a photo of more than one thing while driving here which will end up in quite a few stops along the way.

Except for all the landmarks along the way you will also find a BEAUTIFUL national park called Cape Otway. We highly recommend you to stop by and witness one of our favorite waterfalls in all of Australia, and we saw quite a few we can tell you.

How to get here

Great Ocean Road Begins a 90 minutes drive from Melbournes city center. If you don’t have your own car you can choose to rent a car or book one of the tours, you can find them HERE. As we love exploring on our own and taking our time, a car is an alternative we recommend. But if you want to have everything planned for you and just relax, a tour is definitely a good option.

Bells beach

Torquay is home to Quicksilver and Rip Curl, some of the world’s most famous surf brands. It is also home to some surf beaches which one of them is Bells beach. This is the beach that people from all over the world come to because of its waves. It is also a home to the Rip Curl Pro Surf Competition that is held every year in March/April. If you are a surfer, you definitely can´t miss this spot on the Great Ocean Road. Even if you’re not into surfing, we still recommend you to stop by here. Just stroll around and take in the relaxed surf vibe or go and watch the action down the beach.

Teddys Lookout

In Loren, you can find Teddys Lookout. Teddy’s lookout gives you a spectacular view over the Great Ocean Road that you can´t miss. From this gorgeous lookout gives you can admire the clear blue water and the mountains that lie ahead of you.

Koalas In Kennet River

You can’t visit Australia without seeing some of the beautiful wildlife this country has. Koalas can be a bit tricky to see in the wild since they are most of the time hiding out in the trees but luckily you can find some koalas along the Great Ocean Road. The best place to see them is in the Kennet River. If you look up into the eucalyptus trees you should be able to see them but look carefully because sometimes they can be hard to spot. Another great place to see Koalas in the road towards Cape Otway.

Great Otway National Park

Great Otway National Park is a small detour from the Great Ocean Road but something we would really recommend you to squeeze in during your drive along the Great Ocean Road. Count with that it is going to take you at least one day to explore this national park. If you take the time you will be rewarded with lush, green rainforest, waterfalls and amazing nature. Great Otway is actually home to one of our favorite waterfalls in all of Australia.

Gibson Steps

After walking the 86 steps down to the beach you will be amazed by how tiny you seem to be in comparison to the 70-meter vertical cliffs that surround you. Before going here you need to keep yourself updated with weather since the conditions on this beach can change rapidly and they can close the beach. You can find I information on Park Victoria.

The Twelve Apostles

This is definitely the most popular spot along the Great Ocean Road and it is impossible to miss this one! The Twelve Apostles are a collection of limestone pillars that back in the days were connected to the mainland. During the years waves and wind has carved them into caves and then eventually into 45-meter tall columns. You can either see the 12 Apostles via a helicopter flight or from the viewing platform. The best time to see the apostles is in dawn or dusk and you can then also be lucky enough to see some penguins. During the day time, this place is guaranteed to be super crowded (like busloads of people crowded).

Loch Ard Gorge

Only three minutes from the Twelve Apostles you will find the Loch Ard Gorge. This gorge is home to a beautiful bay and clear, blue water. It is surrounded by two yellow/washed cliff faces and it looks like it is out of a dream. The name of this place is said to come from a ship called Loch Arched that collided with the rocky reef, back in 1878.

You can explore Loch Ard Gorge via the coastlands walking paths that take you around the area. There is one shorter walk if you are short on time called Geology Walk, this walk is only 900 meters. Geology walk is the shortest and the easiest walk in the area.

There is also a lookout nearby the carpark which gives you the opportunity to see the Loch Ard Gorge from a different perspective.

London Bridge

London Bridge is a popular stop during the road trip along Great Ocean Road you can´t miss. It is popular only for its beauty but also for its history. Back in 1990 London Bridge connected the arch of land with the mainland but on the 15th of January 1990 parts of the bridge collapsed into the ocean. It collapsed because of the weather condition and also because of the sea.

London Bridge is located close to the Twelve Apostles and offers stunning views. In the area, there are two viewing platforms and they are both quite close to the carpark which makes it easy to explore and enjoy the area around London Bridge.

If you want the perfect light and also don’t want to share the experience with hundreds of other tourists we recommend to go right when the sun starts to rise or set. Most people visit this place during mid-day and this place gets then really crowded.

The Grotto

Located 3km east of Peterborough you’ll find the Grotto, one of the most beautiful spots on the Great Ocean Road. The Grotto is an open cave and is the perfect place for that Instagram photo of yours. It is the perfect frame with the ocean as a beautiful backdrop.

There is a viewing platform halfway down to the cave where you can enjoy the spectacular view over the ocean, the coastline and the Grotto from above. You can also choose to head down to it and see it from eye-level.

Inside of the Grotto, you will find smooth boulders and rock pools that have been carved out of the limestone. From the lower viewing platform, you can see the horizon, the pools, and the stunning rock formation, all at once.

Like many other places on the Great Ocean Road, this place is best to visit in sunrise or sunset. If you do so you can see the sun through the archway and see it reflect warm colors in the rock pools inside of the Grotto. Make sure to visit the Grotto when there is low tide and when the wind isn’t too strong since that can make it dangerous to see it from eye-level.

Bay Of Islands Coastal Park

After you drive past Port Campbell you will find this amazing place, probably one of our favorites on the Great Ocean Road that you should make sure not to miss. This is not only a beautiful place but also a bit less known among the tourists which can result in that you have the place for yourself which happened to us. Many people finish their road trip in port Campbell and head back to Melbourne but if you have the time and energy we really recommend you to keep on driving until you reach this stunning park.

The area is traditionally Aboriginal and the parkland is still owned by the Aboriginal people, who have lived here for centuries. You can learn about the history of the area walking the heritage walks and read the displays along the Great Ocean Road.

At the Bay of Islands, there are two viewing points and they are both close to the designated parking area. There are a few different things to see at the Bay Islands, for example, Wild Dog Cove, Bay of Martyrs and Massacre Point.

The scenery in the area reminds a bit of the Twelve Apostles but far fewer tourists. Once again, this place is best to visit during sunrise or sunset, when the light is soft.