GREAT OCEAN ROAD

A world

away

The windswept coastline along Great Ocean Road is brimming with treasures, from majestic limestone cliffs to encounters with whales in season

THE 12 APOSTLES Rising out of the Southern Ocean, alongside Australia’s famous Great Ocean Road, you’ll find the 12 Apostles – limestone pillars that were once connected to the mainland cliffs. Waves and wind carved them into caves, then arches, and eventually battered them down into 45 metre tall columns. There are, in fact, only eight Apostles at the moment, but who knows when the next stretches of cliff will become pillars.

Admire the 12 Apostles from the viewing platform at dawn or dusk, and you might also catch a glimpse of little penguins. Enjoy the self-guided walks at Loch Ard Gorge, which introduce shipwreck history, geology, and coastal ecology. It was here that the Loch Ard, probably Victoria’s most famous shipwreck, was smashed against Muttonbird Island in 1878 with only two young survivors. Visit the Grotto (keep an eye out for rainbows made from wave spray and sunshine), the Arch (with its spectacular views of the 12 Apostles in the late afternoon), London Bridge (originally a natural archway, which collapsed in 1990, becoming a bridge without a middle), and the Bay of Islands. Climb down the 86 stairs of Gibson Steps to the beach, which is backed by 70 metre limestone cliffs, and watch for the enormous offshore rock stacks of Gog and Magog. Be sure to check tide times and ocean conditions before visiting.

If you’re up for a longer walk, the four day 12 Apostles Lodge Walk with superb eco-retreat accommodation (twelveapostleslodgewalk.com.au), or take on the entire 104 kilometre Great Ocean Walk any number of ways (greatoceanwalk.com.au). For an even more adventurous encounter with Australia’s most spectacular coastal scenery take a helicopter flight over the 12 Apostles. Flights depart throughout the day from the heliport behind the 12 Apostles Visitor Centre.

Depending on the length of your flight, you may be able to take in the world-famous limestone along with the shipwrecks and natural wonders along the entire Shipwreck Coast all the way to Cape Otway, site of the oldest lighthouse in Australia (12apostleshelicopters.com.au).

WHALE WATCH An hour’s drive northwest along the coast is Warrnambool, where you can spot southern right whales and humpback whales as they make their annual migration along Australia’s coast between May and November. Southern right whales journey to the temperate breeding waters off Southern Australia and Victoria, while energetic humpback whales continue north to the Great Barrier Reef and Kimberley, to mate and calve.

Head to Logans Beach in Warrnambool to see whales calve in a nursery close to shore. They stay here for several weeks, helping their babies build strength for the long journey back to sub-Antarctic waters. You can capture the mother-and-calf interactions from the viewing platform on the sand dunes. Also try Lady Bay in Warrnambool, where the new mums often come close enough to spray you with breakwater. Travel a further hour-and-a-half along the Great Ocean Road to see rare blue whales in their last feeding month at Cape Nelson near Portland. Or book a cruise with Southern Coast Charters to get even closer to the action, and maybe catch a glimpse of bottlenose dolphins and Australian fur seals along with the whales (southerncoastcharters.com.au).

MAIN IMAGE: The Twelve Apostles at sunset FROM LEFT: Couple hiking on the Great Ocean Walk ; Historic White Lighthouse on Cape Otway; Great Ocean Road.

Getting there

The scenic drive from Melbourne along Great Ocean Road takes roughly four-and-a-half hours to the 12 Apostles, and five-and-a-half hours to Warrnambool – shorter inland routes are also available. Or let someone else do the driving and visit on a day tour from Melbourne. Go to visitgreatoceanroad.org.au for more information, or to plan your trip.inland routes are also available. Or let someone else do the driving and visit on a day tour from Melbourne. Go to visitgreatoceanroad.org.au for more information, or to plan your trip.

On the

Road

From world-famous surf beaches to amazing rock formations, Australia’s most dramatic coastal drive has plenty of highlights

Timboon Cafe & Distillery

Indigenous Tour guide at Tower Hill

Home to the world-class surf at Bells Beach and the craggy limestone spires of the 12 Apostles, this diverse and dramatic region is best explored over the course of a few days. This dramatic region also offers fishing villages, migrating whales, shipwrecks, golden beaches, rainforests and national parks. Tackle the Great Ocean Walk or drive the Great Southern Touring Route between Melbourne and Adelaide.

EAT & DRINK Set high in the Otways above Great Ocean Road, Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant dishes up contemporary cuisine with Southern European and Middle Eastern influences, and a focus on fresh seafood (chriss.com.au). Tuck into relaxed dishes, charcuteries, terrines, parfaits and larger plates at Inverleigh Cellar & Kitchen (14 High Street, Inverleigh), while the Merrijig Kitchen in Port Fairy is Victoria’s oldest inn and makes for a memorable gourmet experience, with a Frenchinspired menu that changes daily and features seasonal, local produce (merrijiginn.com). Follow the Otway Harvest Trail to discover fresh produce at farm gates and providores, wineries and breweries, (otwayharvesttrail.org.au) or treat yourself to a meal at one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Birregurra’s Brae (braerestaurant.com). Wet your whistle at indie brewers Blackman’s Brewery in Torquay (blackmansbrewery.com.au), or winery, cidery and brewery Otway Estate in the magnificent Otway Ranges (otwayestate.com.au). For something a little stronger, try award winning single malt whisky, vodka and schnapps at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery, where you can meet the distiller and learn about the area’s formerly illicit spirit trade (timboondistillery.com.au).

SEE & DO Explore local museums dedicated to the region’s maritime history including award winning Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum (flagstaffhill.com), or view art spanning from Indigenous artefacts through to 1940s Melbourne modernists at Warrnambool Art Gallery (thewag.com.au). Merrijig Inn, Port Fairy

Join in the fun at cultural events all year round, from literary and music festivals to art exhibitions and historical events. Music fans will want to time their visit to coincide with the famous Port Fairy Folk Festival (portfairyfolkfestival.com), Falls Festival (fallsfestival.com/lorne), or the Lorne Festival of Performing Arts (fopa.com.au). See koalas, kangaroos and emus at Tower Hill, a wildlife haven in an extinct volcano (towerhill.org.au), or visit Victoria’s Southern Right Whale Nursery between June and September and catch all the action from a special viewing platform on Warrnambool’s Logans Beach. There are a number of excellent learn-to-surf schools along the coast and most students find themselves standing on a board by the end of a two-hour session. Get started with waves ideal for beginners at Torquay, Anglesea, Fairhaven and Lorne. Experienced surfers can make a beeline for Bells Beach, Winki Pop and Southside. DV