Thread: Great Ocean Road - Melbourne to Adelaide

It is definitely a great drive, but we drove it a year or two ago in my old 911 and were dismayed that the speed limit was 80 for most of it. Lots of speed cameras too, so no good ignoring the posted limits either.

It used to be a good quick road with a 100 limit, but we got so bored doing 80 that we headed off inland to explore. We found this by chance: The Otway Fly Tree Top Walk - Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia and it was fantastic. Rainforest and a treetop walk. If you don't like heights may not be for you but the missus & I thought it was great.

If you are going for the scenery etc, then it doesn't matter about the 80 limit. We wanted an extended blat, and wasn't as much fun as it used to be.

we did it about a month ago, in reverse direction (Adelaide to geelong). In that direction, this is how we did it / things to see.

we stopped one night at mt gambier. Not much before then.

The 12 apostles (A bit overrated IMHO), loch ard gorge and surrounds had some interesting things to see.

Port Fairy is a lovely spot worthy of some time to explore, we stayed there a night.

Otways national park I worked a week in some 10 years back, I would have liked to stop a night there but we didn't have the time this trip.

Apollo bay was our 2nd night, a nice spot, but not heaps to see in the town, but a very nice place again.

Queenscliffe is a lovely spot that we would haev loved to stop at for a night, but we had to be in melbourne so we pushed on. I would especially like to have had a look at the fort museum.

I'm sure that there was more , I'll add them as I think of them.

If you like the bush suggest you spend a bit of time around the Otways.
Cape Otway lighthouse is worth a look.
The Otway Fly is also a great thing to do, and only about 30 minutes drive from the GOR.
At Apollo Bay the Information Centre there will have all the details you need.

If you go to the fly and like short bush walks there are a couple of falls that are nothing spectacular but worth a look.(check with tourist info weather there is water flowing at the moment as i have not been for yrs). Stevensons falls is a nice spot to camp and a nice walk to the falls. Its about 35 mins from apollo bay. There is a couple of museums at the bay, As kids we loved the shell museum but again i have not been for yrs. We holiday at skenes creek(just out of the bay) every christmas and love it.This yr will be my 40th yr there. There are numerous walks around the area if you like that type of thing.
I could go down to the info center here and get some pamplets and send them to you if you like just let me know. I have lived here my whole life and still love the area. Cheers Brett

p.s if you hire a 4wd i could show you some nice bush tracks aswell

Port Fairy is a nice spot, can get windy on the beach. It has been over 10 years since I have been there but remember the Maritime museum is well worth a look and recommend it.

Thanks Ian

Ive been on the tourist site for the area so don't need to put you to the trouble of sending the pamphlets, at least not yet. Short walks and poking around museums are the sort of thing we like until we get thirsty. This might be in March next year.

We'll probably rent a Ford Territory or something like that, that what we did wehn we did the made Brisbane to Longreach run. We'll be motel hopping, won't have the opportunity to do any camping, it is strictly tarmac and easy gravel.

The GOR is a great drive if you've got time. If you're in a hurry go a different way. I must say that I'm glad that the speed limit is now 80. There are many parts of the road that 80 is too fast for - much too fast for some places - and 100 is just dangerous. It is a road and not a racetrack.

If you get a chance to travel the Mt Sabine Road thru the Otways, that is really pleasant. You can do a bit of it by heading up to Erskine Falls from Lorne, and then head north - turn right out of the Erskine Falls Rd - then turn right at the T junction and follow Mt Sabine Rd out to Deans Marsh Rd where you turn right and head back into Lorne. Not spectacular, but a really nice part of the Otways. Erskine Falls is always worth a visit - those 300+ steps will give you your week's exercise in one hit!

Willem

When you visit Port Campbell, visit the Twelve Apostles that I'm sure you are familiar with from all the brochures, it's a great sight, but in my opinion, there are more interesting features in the area, like Lochard Gorge, the Blow Hole etc etc

Murray