Take your time to enjoy the iconic Great Ocean Road, see the sights others miss and skip the crowds at the popular locations and add a touch of adventure along the way. Brief itinerary:
Day 1
- Point Addis- Great Otway National Park
- Aires Inlet Split Point Lighthouse Tour
- Morning tea beachside
- Erskine Falls
- Lorne, lunch and free time
- Teddy lookout
- Sheoak Falls
- Kennett River for afternoon tea and look for Koala’s and birdlife
- Free time: laze on the beach, swim, or go for a walk?
- Check into accommodation (see options)
- o Kennett River Holiday Park Cabins
- o Apollo Bay Eco YHA
- o Hotel
- Dinner at the local pub/ enjoy local brewed beer.
- o Wye River pub
- o Apollo Bay
Day 2
- Explore the inland hinterland: Maits Rest rainforest walk
- Morning tea beside the Gellibrand River
- 12 Apostles
- Loch Ard Gorge
- Port Campbell: Lunch at a local café
- Grotto
- The Arch
- Bay of Islands & afternoon tea
- Return via the inland route
More detail: Day 1 Our first stop on the Great Ocean Road (GOR) is Point Addis. Here we enter the Great Otway National Park and it’s a great place to look out at the spectacular ruggedness of the coastline. Enjoy a guided tour of the Aireys Inlet Split Point Lighthouse. We’ll stop at one of the many popular beaches for morning tea. Next we’ll head to the popular seaside town of Lorne for lunch from your choice of the many eateries and have some free time to wander through the shops of laze on the beach. Head up into the rainforest to marvel at Erskine Falls one of the many spectacular waterfalls the region is famous for and nearby enjoy the view from Teddy Lookout.
Next, we’ll continue on down the road to Kennett River, to look for Koala’s and the local birdlife in the trees. We’ll check into our accommodation here or in 30mins further in Apollo Bay (depending on your choice). Enjoy some free time, maybe go for a quiet stroll along the beach, or maybe a swim. For dinner, we’ll head to one of the local pubs, sample a few ales from the local Prickley Moses Brewery or a glass from the selection of the many famous local wines, cheers!
Day 2 We’ll head inland to explore the hinterland and the heart of the rainforest, marvel at the tall timber on a guided rainforest walk at Maits Rest. We have a quick morning tea beside the beautiful Gellibrand River, before heading on to the iconic Twelve Apostles. During a guided walk, you can ponder and learn what formed and shaped these unique features through time. Next, we’ll stop is at Loch Ard Gorge where you’ll hear the tale of a shipwreck The Loch Ard, one of hundreds which lay below the depth along the Ship Wrick Coast. From here it’s a quick drive into Port Campbell for lunch at one of the excellent cafes. Then depending on our time we’ll squeeze in as many other stops to the lesser visited but also spectacular tail end of the GOR. Then finally you can kick back and relax while we head home the inland way.
Includes: transport, guide, accommodation, lunches, morning and afternoon tea each day.
Costs: $600 each (subject to accommodation availability)
Booking Date: TBC
Times, leave Geelong 9am Day 1, return 5-6pm Day 2.
Meeting place: TBC (Free local pick-ups/drop-offs)
Minimum numbers x5 to 7 or price of (depending on the day).
What you need:
- Comfortable shoes
- Water bottle (1L >full)
- Hat
- Sunscreen & sunnies
- Comfortable clothing (appropriate for the weather for this time of year)
- Rain jacket
- Camera
- Small backpack (for short walks)
- Larger bag for belongings
- Sleeping bag