The Great Ocean Road is a 250-kilometre long road that wraps along the southwestern coastline of Victoria from Torquay through to Allansford. It is touted as one of the most beautiful drives in the world and a trip that should feature on any Australian bucket list. Over summer we took the Great Ocean Road Tour with kids and had an amazing trip.
The Catalyst to our Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids
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We rarely delve into the Kid Bucket List backstory, but today it is that history that explains why the impact of our Great Ocean Road trip was so powerful.
When Tee awoke from his coma, he created a bucket list of all the things he wanted to do in life. It included trips and experiences, as well as a long list of life milestones, like get married and have a couple of kids. The Great Ocean Road found itself on that list, somewhere between visiting Tasmania and finding the perfect sunglasses. Yet, driving down this iconic road remained on the list year after year.
Ever since we met, I have made excuse after excuse not to drive down the Great Ocean Road. It’s too far, it’s too long, it costs too much, we need a good amount of time to do it. So many excuses and Tee just went along with it, happy enough to complete other bucket list items.
But this year, our twentieth year, enough was enough. A month-long trip to Victoria was planned and a Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids was one of the main features. I was right about all those things of course. It was too far. It was too long. It did cost a whole heap and we really did need a good amount of time to do it well. But those elements made it one of our most amazing trips yet.
Travelling Along the Great Ocean Road
A Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids is ideally explored over a number of days, however, if you are pressed for time you could fit it into a day trip IF you solely focused on visiting the Twelve Apostles or one of the other natural wonders along the way. In fact, on our trip, it appeared that this is indeed what most tour buses do from Melbourne. Perhaps our coverage will help you decide where to go and what to see. Just remember that the Great Ocean Road is a very popular family holiday destination so accommodation can book out months in advance – a smart traveller will prebook ahead of time to ensure their Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids is a seamless adventure.
If you are thinking about heading to any of the beaches along the Great Ocean Road you may find the Beachsafe website and app a helpful resource to identify which are safe, which are patrolled and which are right for you.
The first part of the Great Ocean Road is on Wathaurong country. Visit the Narana Creations Aboriginal cultural centre to learn more.
Torquay
At just over 100km from Melbourne, Torquay is typically the first township visitors to the Great Ocean Road find themselves. It has stunning beaches, one of the oldest surf cultures in Australia, and is just over an hour from Melbourne making it the perfect getaway. It was the starting point of our own Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids.
Torquay is the largest town on the Great Ocean Road and is brimming with cafes, restaurants, stores and supermarkets. This little town absolutely booms during the school holidays so you do need to plan your trip in advance and perhaps even book dinner reservations.
If you love the beach, Cosy Corner on the Front Beach is the most popular for families with a gentle swell and a lifeguard at watch over the summer months. If you love surfing but have forgotten your board, head to the Australian National Surfing Museum to learn all about the history of surfing in Australia before you head to Bells Beach to watch the waves.
Where to Stay
We were late to book our trip so had limited accommodation options. We booked a 2 bedroom apartment and the Wyndham Resort Torquay which was lovely.
Where to Eat
Fisho’s
A holiday by the beach calls for fish n chips and Fisho’s in Torquay creates quite a good hand-cut chip along with sustainable fish offerings. It’s relaxed. It’s fun. You’ll love it! www.fishostorquay.com.au
Anglesea
Anglesea is a sleepy seaside town which is the perfect mixture of beach, bush and wildlife. Anglesea Beach offers 400 metres of curving white sandy beach and is a great pitstop on your Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids or even one of the spots the find accommodation and stay for a while.
For an interesting experience, walk from Anglesea to Point Addis where you can spot brown coal jutting out from the sand and an abundance of flora and fauna (just watch the tide times!). Otherwise, a day at the beach may be a little more relaxing. Point Roadknight beach is great for families, or head to Anglesea Main Beach for shallow waves perfect for first-time surfers.
Kangaroos are also abundant at Anglesea. Like all wild animals, they really should be given a wide berth, however, if you’re really keen the Anglesea Golf Club offers a Kangaroo Tour via Golf Buggy which is super fun.
Anglesea offers a range of accommodation options from camping through to the luxury end. Again, like all areas on the Great Ocean Road, pre-planning is highly recommended to ensure you can secure accommodation.
Where to Eat
Captain Moonlite
Thanks to the stories of bushrangers when I was kid, the name sold me before I even looked at the menu. You’ll find this spot tucked into the cliff-edge at the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club. The menu is a little pricey ($30 for fish and chips for one!) but I’m told it is delicious. Captainmoonlite.com.au
Aireys Inlet
Aireys Inlet found itself on our Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids itinerary merely because of my desire to climb the Split Point Lighthouse thanks to my obsession with the TV Show Round the Twist. However, we soon discovered that this sleepy little hamlet is a wonderful place to stop and explore, or even just relax.
Located between Anglesea and Lorne, Aireys Inlet never seems as busy as its neighbouring townships, yet boasts a number of spots that are just as beautiful. Below the lighthouse, you will find rock pools to explore in the sandy coves, perfect for snorkelling.
Where to Eat
A le Grecque
You’ve got to love a good family cafe that’s been in the family for years, right? A le Grecque has been run by the Talimanidis family for a good three decades, offering locals and visitors alike a good selection of the freshest and best local seafood and seasonal produce. www.alagrecque.com.au
Lorne
Lorne is known as the place where the bush meets the ocean as it is set between Loutit Bay and the Otway National Park. It is a busy little township with a great array of cafes and restaurants to keep your tummy full, whilst also having a plethora of activities to sink your teeth into.
When it comes to beach fun, Main Beach Lorne is the only patrolled beach during the summer season. Head to Teddy’s Lookout for a spectacular view, and don’t miss the Great Ocean Road Heritage Centre.
What Lorne also offers is access to 10 waterfalls within 10 kilometres of the township. This includes Erskine Falls, Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Upper and Lower Kalimna Falls, Sheoak Falls with Swallow Cave and the Cora Lynn Cascades.
Where to Eat
The Bottle of Milk
An absolute must stop of breakfast or lunch with a bounty of scrumptious burgers to choose from that will fill both big and little tummies www.thebottleofmilk.com
Wye General
Between Lorne and Apollo Bay you will find the Wye General which is one of my top picks to stop along the Great Ocean Road. Touted as a place between the woods and the sea, this General has a lovely menu, great ambience and it also has grocery supplies! www.thewyegeneral.com
MoVida
It started as a popup at the Lorne Hotel back in 2018 and due its popularity morphed into its own permanent eatery. Boasting a dining room, bar and a deli, MoVida focuses on Spanish cuisine so you won’t want to miss snacking on tapas. www.movida.com.au/lorne/
Apollo Bay
Apollo Bay was one of our favourite destinations on the Great Ocean Road Tour with Kids, but we’ve also realised that it can be one of the most expensive if not planned some time in advance. For day-trippers, Apollo Bay is often skipped as cars head inland from Lorne and wrap back through Colac and onto the coast again to visit the Twelve Apostles. If you have time, Apollo Bay is a great town to stay a few nights.
If you need a place to forget the rat race of the city then Apollo Bay is the perfect destination. It is probably the best base if you would like to explore the Great Ocean Walk and surrounding Otways rainforest, and the bay itself is absolutely perfect for building sandcastles, swimming and snorkeling.
Where to Eat
Chris’s Beacon Point
Just over 40 years old, Chris’s Beacon Point brought a little Mediterranean to Apollo Bay and subsequently became an icon of the township. Bringing the cooking style of Southern Europe to the table along with the freshest and purest produce of the area, you’ll find some yummy eats here to enjoy on your trip. www.chriss.com.au
Apollo Bay Bakery
I fell in love with the scallop pie back on our trip to Tasmania so was quite chuffed to find they had arrived over the Strait at the Apollo Bay Bakery – nom nom. This makes it one of the stops I suggest you try just for the pie! www.apollobaybakery.com.au
Port Campbell
Whilst Port Campbell is the farthest of the towns we’ve mentioned from Melbourne, it is one of the closest to the Twelve Apostles and other natural attractions. The township is welcoming with numerous amenities. RIght in the middle of the town centre is Port Campbell Bay which is an inlet of water surrounded by the Port Campbell National Park. It’s a beautiful space with a calm sandy beach swimming area and a jetty.
Where to Eat
Forage on the Foreshore
The idea of this restaurant totally blew me away with all ingredients that go into each meal either grown, produced or foraged locally on the Great Ocean Road and Hinterland. It’s a family affair with all members of the family, including the four children, working in the garden and kitchen. It’s fresh. It’s tasty. It’s yummy! www.forageontheforeshore.com.au
Sights to See
Bells Beach
For those who love either surfing or the movie Point Break it is also where you will find Bells Beach. Bells Beach is home to the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach which is the world’s longest continuously running pro surfing competition.
Split Point Lighthouse
Around thirty years ago I became quite obsessed with a TV Show called Round the Twist written by one of favourite childhood authors, Paul Jennings. The stories all revolved around the Twist family who lived in a lighthouse. It seemed, despite being haunted, the perfect place to live.
When I learned that Split Point Lighthouse was THE lighthouse from Round the Twist and it was possible to climb it, I added Aireys Inlet to our itinerary so I could climb it.
Built in 1891, it is a lot younger than Cape Otway Lightstation however it provides a stunning 360-degree look over Shipwreck Coast.
Head to the Split Point Lighthouse website for more information on the daily tours.
Memorial Arch at Eastern View
The Memorial Arch can be found between Lorne and Aireys Inlet. We spotted it by chance and found safe parking nearby so we could walk back and take a snap. It’s quite popular however I would hesitate to capture an image here if the traffic is busy.
Cape Otway Lightstation
Built in 1848, the Cape Otway Lightstation is Victoria’s oldest working lighthouse, and the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. Open daily, you can enjoy a self-guided experience where your family can explore not only the lighthouse, but the Keepers Quarters and Workshop, Telegraph Station, WWII Radar Bunker, Whale Interpretation Site and the Aboriginal Talking Hut.
Head to the Cape Otway Lightstation Website for further details and to book your tour.
Twelve Apostles
The Twelve Apostles are an iconic Australian landmark, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to look upon them each year. This is one of the reasons I have always been reluctant to visit as I hate crowds! However, I was pleasantly surprised that this was somewhat easily avoided on our trip.
The Australian weather and the ocean combined their forces some 10–20 million years ago to begin crafting the Twelve Apostles. Through the constant erosion of the cliffs along the coastline, the soft limestone has eroded to form caves in the cliffs which over time become arches, before the middle has collapsed leaving behind rock stacks. They are certainly impressive.
Today there are seven stacks to view. There has been a significant upgrade to the area since I last visited, with an impressive Twelve Apostles Tourist Centre and car park area. The boardwalk, signage and amenities make the walk from your car out to the cliffs quite an easy stroll, and the crowds are much more manageable than I anticipated as a consequence. There are even bathrooms!
Loch Ard Gorge
Back in 1878 the Loch Ard clipper ship ran aground on the Shipwreck coast of Victoria. Of all those on board, only Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael successfully made it to shore, dragging themselves onto the safety of the beach inside what is now known as Loch Ard Gorge.
When visiting Loch Ard Gorge you can watch the waves crash onto Mutton Bird Island (once known as the Sow – the Twelve Apostles, the piglets, and home to a large colony of mutton birds) or visit the cemetery where the other passengers of the Loch Ard were laid to rest.
London Arch
Last time I visited the Great Ocean Road this natural wonder was called London Bridge however in 1990 it collapsed forming an isolated arch which is now called London Arch. It provides a great way of explaining how the different formations come to be to the kids.
I am told, although I haven’t seen in myself, that a small colony of Little Penguins come to shore here each night, but I’m unsure if that’s authenticated!
The Grotto
The Grotto is a weathered hollow limestone formation that can be found 9km west of Port Campbell. It is described as part-blowhole, part-archway, part-cave and truly enchanting. It can be spotted either via the viewing platform at the top or from down below. This is one not to miss.
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Other spots to visit in Victoria:
Enjoy our ultimate guide to Melbourne with kids.
Take a trip to Phillip Island. Make sure to book your Penguin Parade visit in advance (don’t miss our Guide to the Phillip Island Penguin Parade).
Head to the Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs with the kids – this was one of our TOP experiences on our Victorian road trip. Check out the farm gates on the way and enjoy a little strawberry picking.
Find out what activities are heading to Melbourne for the school holidays.
Visit the Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill or explore the Gold Rush at Sovereign Hill.
Find things to do in Mildura. Or take a paddle steamer adventure at Echuca.