Known as one of the most spectacular drives on our beautiful and fascinating planet, and famous for being one of Australia’s premier tourist attractions, the Great Ocean Road encompasses varied landscapes, attractions and activities. While possible to take day trips to some of the most famous places along the Great Ocean Road, exploring independently in your own vehicle is the best way to see the sights. You can hit the popular spots and venture away from the main road for even more gems. Can’t drive? Why not spend some time in Australia’s cultural heart and take some driving lessons in Melbourne at the same time? Or perhaps you’d feel more confident with a refresher course?
Melbourne has a great shopping scene, fascinating street art, a thriving café culture, heaps of museums and more to enjoy before setting off on your road trip. In no particular order, here are some top places along the Great Ocean Road to add to your bucket list:
Table of Contents
1. The 12 Apostles
Perhaps the most iconic scene along the famous road is the stone stacks known as the 12 Apostles. The limestone beauties sit along the Shipwreck Coast, close to Port Campbell National Park. Unfortunately, several have succumbed to the elements, so there are now eight stacks to feast your eyes on.
2. Apollo Bay
A pretty bay at the base of the Otway Ranges, be as active or as relaxed at Apollo Bay as you like. There are several scenic walking trails to enjoy and the beach offers good surfing.
3. Warrnambool
Presenting a blend of city life with rustic charm, Warrnambool is particularly popular in the wintertime when you can see many whales in the waters. Watch as whales give birth and nurture their young. In the summer, Warrnambool is a top place for basking on the beaches and scuba diving.
4. Anglesea
A pretty coastal village, Anglesea is a terrific place to combine two interests: nature spotting and golfing. The local golf course is home to a large number of kangaroos!
5. Portland
Visit the first European settlement in Victoria with a stop in Portland. There are myriad historic buildings to admire and olde-worlde charms to enjoy. It’s also a good stop on the Great Ocean Road if you’re into fishing or fresh and tasty seafood.
6. Geelong
Geelong is a top destination to learn more about Aboriginal cultures and traditions. See how to play a didgeridoo, get tips on boomerang throwing and, if you’re up for it, wrap your lips around some bush tucker.
7. The Grotto
Get close to the action and walk down to The Grotto, a picturesque sea cave where the waves bash the nearby rocks.
8. London Arch
Marvel at the large natural stone archway that rises from the water. Now known as London Arch, it was previously a double arch called London Bridge before the ocean claimed its neighbor.
9. Bells Beach
A pretty beach in Torquay, Bells Beach is an ideal stop for lovers of water sports. Learn how to harness the power of the sea and surf like a boss, take long walks along the coast or explore the underwater world with a spot of snorkeling. Soak up the sun and relax on the sands or, for something a bit more high octane, have a go at skydiving. The Australian National Surfing Museum is an interesting local attraction.
10. Tower Hill Volcano
A sleeping giant, Tower Hill Volcano hasn’t erupted for thousands of years. The crater is home to native wildlife, such as kangaroos, koalas and emus. The area has a long history, and many Aboriginal artifacts have been found around the volcano.
11. Melba Gully
Melba Gully can be found within the stretching Great Otway National Park. It is known for its incredible natural illuminations, courtesy of glow worms.
12. Otway Fly
If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush while driving the Great Ocean Road, make a stop at Otway Fly. Whizz through the air on the towering zipline or brave the vertigo-inducing Treetop Walk.
13. Split Point Lighthouse
Made famous in the popular children’s TV show Round the Twist, Split Point Lighthouse is located at Aireys Inlet. Enjoy the views from the top and get plenty of Insta-worthy pictures.
14. Loch Ard Gorge
Two stone columns stand proudly in a gaping gorge, presenting a picturesque sight. The gorge was named after a local shipwreck, with the pillars named after the only two survivors: Tom and Eva.
Other great stops include Port Fairy, Lorne and the Bay of Islands. Take time on your journey for a wealth of immersive experiences. Nature, wildlife, culture, history and beach life are just a few fabulous things to enjoy as you travel along Australia’s iconic Great Ocean Road.
We’d love if you’d comment and share this post.
Get MORE Visitors/Traffic To Your Website!
[pinit color=”red” size=”large” rectangular=”rectangular”]
Add to Flipboard Magazine.
I took an organized tour to 12 Apostles. It was a stormy day and the ocean was very dramatic! I missed most of the other places you mentioned and have more incentive to now return!
ALL these places are paradise beaches and side roads will give you the scenery of sunset, nature and sand.
I have actually never heard of this but it looks so amazing! I would love to stop and see all of these especially the grotto! So beautiful!
I live in Canada so I’ve never seen anything like this before. Talk about beautiful. I would love to take a trip and see all of this for myself. So beautiful.
Oh, my goodness, I’ve never heard of this road before, but now that I have seen all of your gorgeous photos, it is definitely on my travel bucket list! There are so many beautiful places to see along this road, like the Grotto and the Loch Ard Gorge.
These are all very beautiful. It would be nice to see each on personally, especially the Grotto. Seeing the pictures made me miss going to the beach!
I wish I could get there. It has a lot of place to take a pictures! I love it!
Bells Beach reminds me of my favorite place in the Philippines called Batanes!! Soooo beautiful!
I always wanted to get there to take some selfies! Lol! But I swear, this place really awesome.
Wow! Awesome place. This is really fantastic! Wish I could go there someday.
I just did a road trip to Great Ocean Road over summer and what a memorable trip it was! So many beautiful stops! I can’t believe I’m Australian and had never been here before! Lorne was my favourite beachside town + also lived Anglesea and of course Bells Beach as I’m a surfer! You have truly captured all of the other great spots to stop other than the Apostles in this awesome post!
Everyone I know wants to go to Australia. Thank you for sharing the pictures.
Austrailia has always been on my bucket list. This post has just made me want to go that much more! Such beautiful pictures.
I think Australia is one of the best countries for an epic road trip. Great to see so many gorgeous places along the great ocean road. Had not heard of the cave at the Grotto. It looks interesting.
I have not been to Australia. I would love to visit one day and include a drive along the Great Ocean Road. I can’t believe how beautiful it is, to see all those amazing rock formations. And to think it was all carved out by the ocean waves. Wow.
Wow! Those spots are stunning. I have always been drawn to the water and beach. My aunt lives in Australia and keeps wanting me to visit. I’d have to leave my dog at home, which I have not yet. So, it’s still a dilemma. But, with views that that…..
Despite being quite a well known Aussie travel blogger, I’ve never really done the full Great Ocean Road drive properly – a quick drive along it while heading from Melbourne to Adelaide doesn’t really count!! Over the years, I’ve been to a few of the spots you mention – maybe this year is the year to do the whole thing properly!!!
The Grotto looks so cool! I just love nature. It’s so refreshing.
These are all such gorgeous places. I’d love to be at all these locations and just take in the scenery.
I am a lover of all things water and caves and scenic places. I absolutely enjoyed the dynamic pictures you incorporated into this blog!
This looks like a great list here! I love being by the water – there’s something so therapeutic about it. I haven’t been to Australia before, but it is certainly on my bucket list!
This is a wonderful list with beautiful pictures. I can’t wait to visit some of the places you’ve mentioned.
I had never heard of this road before – it sounds amazing! It has me dreaming of visiting Australia – definitely on the bucket list!
These are amazing locations along the coast! I’m hoping to do a road trip in Australia and this is just perfect!
These are dreamy destination. I do have to say the “Grotto” is my favorite one. The water looks so beautiful.
This is the drive I want to do in my next trip. I don’t know if it’s feasible to do in winter though – which is when I probably have to go.
If i would have a chance to visit one or teo of these beautiful places, I would choose The Grotto and the 12 Apostle. They are both majestic.
I am so excited to see this! Even though Australia is my home country, I only just visited the Great Ocean Road a few years ago. I was visiting family in Melbourne and took a one day tour – which was a huge day!!! Of course I wish I had more time to visit all the amazing places that you have listed.
I had no idea there are so many cool places to see on the Great Ocean Road! I’m hoping to go to Australia sometime in the next year, and this is definitely on my list…especially the Grotto! SO pretty.
A gorgeous drive frequented by tourists from all over. That said it’s a windy trek with one lane going each way and no overtaking lanes. You are not the only person on the road. If you are going slower that is absolutely fine.
Great Ocean Road is so beautiful 😀 I was there in 2013. But just a day trip. Really want to go back and explore it more 😀 It is so unique !
Australia is SO beautiful. I can’t even pick which one of these places I’d want to spend a day at. Getting lost on Ocean Road would be fine to me!
Have heard a lot about the ocean road! Would love to visit, if I could. And must say dear amazing pictures loved them 🙂
Thanks for sharing dear!
This popped up in my FB feed with perfect timing. My mom is planning a trip to Australia and debating if she should do this or not. Clearly she should, your pictures are gorgeous!
These pictures are amazing! And The Grotto looks like a Serene little Hideaway that I would love to visit.
You had me at “Great Ocean Road.” I’m a huge fan of taking drives along the coasts whenever I can, and this makes me want to visit Australia even more. I don’t know how I would choose which place to spend the most time in, but the 12 Apostles look fascinating (even though they are only 8 now), and the Grotto looks inviting. Of course, I would also love to see the whales and the Split Point Lighthouse. Let’s face it, I want to see it all!
Truly, these places are really awesome! I haven’t heard most of themand it entice me to pack my bag and traipse my feet along with their innate beauty. Thank you for sharing them to us! You have just brought me to places that I’ve never heard of and never been to by just reading your blog post.
woah the London Arch catches my attention, i dont know why but it looks so nice! anyway, they are all nice!!
I would love to visit all of these places. It’s too bad that the 12 apostles have been dwindled down because of erosion. I would love to see it still even with 8. And I would also love to see those sea caves. I always love the beauty of those magnificent caves.
I’ve never been to Australia mainly because the travel time from NYC but it is totally on my bucket list and I want to visit all these places! Especially the grotto and volcano!!
Beautiful and stunning! I would love to travel to Australia just for this! It’s really lovely. I can imagine just exploring each of these places and enjoying the view.
Wow, these are all breathtaking views! Seeing these in person would be an amazing experience for me.
I am DYING to do this roadtrip!!! Especially seeing your photos…that GROTTO tho!!! Love how it also looks somewhat similar to my California coast, maybe they were once connected, lol!
Even as an Australian, I had no idea of the beauty of the Great Ocean Road. What is Geelong like as a place? I have been to Bells Beach and it is one of the best surf spots in the world!! Thanks for the detailed info on my country!
One of the most scenic and beautiful drives in the world 🙂 Our favorite spot here is Kennett River, highly recommend it to everyone, there’s a huge population of wild koalas in the bush, and you drive through on your journey along the Great Ocean Road 🙂
For travelers who love road trips, Great Ocean Road is a dream. The key attraction being the Apostles but we are glad to know about so many points of interest along the way which makes for a great stopover. Though we wouldn’t want to miss even one of these spots Warrnambool and grotto is definitely a must visit.
Australia looks like a stunning country. I only wish it wasnt so far from Europe.
I love the Great Ocean Road and you’ve definately picked out the best spot to stop on a roadtrip! The 12 Apostles and the Otway Fly are my favorites!
Amazing post! I can’t wait till I finally make it to Aus!
Great Ocean Road! This road will give you the greatest beautiful confusion in your life trying to choose on stopovers! LOL. The 12 Apostles is a must I guess.
I have heard a lot about the Great Ocean Road, but I had no idea there was so much to do and see along the way! Your photos are stunning, and although Australia hasn’t been on my bucket list, I’m realizing it should be! When would you say is the best time of the year to visit?
Awesome, I love all the places you included here. Very useful! I like most was The 12 apostles.
We are considering a road trip along the Great Ocean Road. Some of these spots are specially scenic. My favorite are the all rock formations, foremost being the 12 Apostles.
This is such a great list off all the top spots and a couple of hidden gems! The Great Ocean Road is an absolutely magical spot, I’m just a bit sorry it took me 28 years to get there! You have some terrific pictures and tips!
Kristie – you.theworld.wandering
These places are so very beautiful. I would like to visit them all. Whenever I go to Australia, I sure am going to take this road. Particularly the Split Point Lighthouse fascinates me so much.
All the places along the great ocean road look enamoring. A road trip would be treat to the eyes! Thanks for sharing.
We can’t believe we missed out on the The 12 Apostles when we were in the Melbourne area earlier this year.We are hoping to go back in the near future but this time to drive the Great Ocean Road. Loving your advice on this post and your photos.
I haven’t travelled as much in Australia, but my favourite on this route is The 12 Apostles for sure…they are simply majestic! The Grotto also seems very cool…can you swim in the lake too?
Your photo and the places were really amazing and beautiful, I hope I can see it all when I go visit Australia this year after I’m done processing my travel visa at Australian Government Site (https://www.australia.gov.au/help-and-contact/faqs/visas-and-immigration) for a 2 weeks’ vacation. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Also at https://www.travelvisaaustralia.com/