Booking Services, Outdoor Activities, Beech Forest, Great Ocean Road and Region, Victoria, Australia

Booking Services

	Holiday Great Ocean Road Ph: 03 5237 4201 Website: www.holidaygor.com.au Great Ocean Road Accommodation Specialists
	Torquay Accommodation Centre Ph: 03 5261 6661 Website: www.surfcoastrentals.com.au Holidays Made Easy, tailored to your individual needs. With over 400 properties to choose from, we offer simply the best choice of accommodation.
	Barwon Grove Holiday Rentals Ph: 03 5254 3263 Website: www.bgholidayrentals.com.au Barwon Grove Holiday Rentals offer a wide range of self contained units, apartments & houses on the Bellarine.
	OzBook Ph: 03 5243 3579 Website: www.ozbook.com.au Ozbook can look after all your accommodation and travel needs on the Bellarine Peninsula and Great Ocean Road & surrounds.
	Beds by the Beach Holiday Rentals Ph: 03 5254 2419 Website: www.bedsbythebeach.com.au Fully serviced holiday and summer rental accommodation by the beach in Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove.
	Queenscliff & Coastal Holiday Bookings Ph: 03 5291 8010 Website: www.queenscliffandcoastal.com Boutique holiday accommodation service offering online reservation system 24hrs / 7 days a week. Servicing Queenscliff and Pt Lonsdale.
	Great Ocean Road Holidays Ph: 03 5289 4233 Website: www.greatoceanroadholidays.com.au Great Ocean Road Holidays offers over 600 holiday rentals from Torquay to Apollo Bay and beyond. With an impressive portfolio of luxury accommodation for those special occasions, right down to budget accommodation for your family beach getaways, Great Ocean Road Holidays have a vacation property to suit any need or budget.
	CJ Keane Ph: 03 5237 6322 Website: www.cjkeane.com.au Large range of holiday accommodation for rent, minimum 2 night bookings. All properties self contained except for linen.
	McCartney & Son Real Estate Ph: 03 5261 2104 Website: www.mccartneyrealestate.com.au A family based business, which commenced trading in Torquay in 1952, we proudly celebrate over 50 years of service in the real estate industry.
	Smyth Real Estate Ph: 03 5289 1278 (Lorne) Ph: 03 5263 2477 (Anglesea) Website: www.smythrealestate.com.au With offices situated in Anglesea, and Lorne, Smyth Estate Agent is committed to providing the best customer service along the Great Ocean Road.

Highlights

Near Beech Forest

Otway Fly Treetop Adventures

Otway Fly Treetop Adventures - One Location two adventures. Located in Victoria's magnificent Otways providing visitors with a unique opportunity to view the forest from a bird's eye view through its two unique eco-adventure experiences, the famous Tree Top walk and Zip Line tour. The Tree Top Walk - the longest and tallest elevated walk of its kind in the world. At 600 metres long and 30 metres above ground level. A 45 metre high lookout is ascended via a spiral stairway through the under story to emerge amongst the crowns of the giants of the forest, whilst the springboard cantilever bounces precariously high over picturesque Young's Creek. The walk is a 1.9 kilometres round walk starting from the visitor centre and takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour to complete. The walk is full of quality interpretive panels educating our visitor on the forest and surrounds on display. For the thrill seeker Zip lining is the perfect adrenaline fuelled activity where you can Zip across the treetops in this unique forest experience, gaining a bird's-eye view of Otways beautiful forests. The Zip Line tour involves traversing from one platform to another connected by tree platforms called 'cloud stations', and attached so steel cable suspended up to 30 metres above the forest floor. This exciting adventure lasts 3 hours and is unlike any other experience, we recommend pre booking the Zip Line Tour via the Otway Fly Tree Top Adventures website. The visitor centre is home to a licensed cafe which seats up to 100 people. The car-park also provides for Campervans, Caravans and Coaches. Group bookings can be made and need to be booked in advance, guided tours and catering are available for these bookings.

Beech Forest

Old Beechy Trail

Running between Colac and Beech Forest, the trail traverses an railway line, rainforest, creeks, streams and open farmland. The 45km track is surfaced with gravel and some dirt road/heavy gravel in shorter sections. A word of advice that may influence your travel direction – Gellibrand is the lowest point and Beech Forest one of the highest.

Apollo Bay

Great Ocean Walk

The Great Ocean Walk, on Victoria's spectacular west coast, stretches 104km from the idyllic resort town of Apollo Bay, to within sight of the magnificent 12 Apostles. Weave through beautiful National Parks, walk deserted beaches and gaze over pristine marine sanctuaries. Step on and off the trail with convenience; enjoy comfortable accommodation and excellent local meals or pitch your tent at wildly picturesque spots along the way. You can walk at your own pace and within your own timeframe along the Great Ocean Walk. Short walks of up to 3 hours long are available and take in old shipwrecks, historic lighthouses and lookouts. Or, take a full-day walk and experience breathtaking ocean views, stunning waterfalls, lush forest, and more natural wonders. The full walk from Apollo Bay to Glenample, within sight of the 12 Apostles, is an 8 day, 7 night walk. There are hike in campsites along the way, or for a more luxurious approach stay in quality accommodation properties nearby and have licensed tour operators shuttle you and your belongings back and forth each day.

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Fishing & Adventure Tours

With 30 years of professional fishing knowledge, the skipper knows the best spots. Apollo Bay Fishing & Adventure Tours generally travel 15-20 mins south of Apollo Bay Harbor, about half to 1km offshore. The area is surrounded by spectacular rugged coastline of the Otway rangers and the beauty of the waters of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. Apollo Bay Fishing & Adventure Tours cater for the inexperienced to the professional fisherman. From baiting up for you and taking your fish off your hooks, to teaching you how to fish. You will fish in 20 fathoms of water using heavy gear, targeting bottom feeding fish, such as flathead or gummy shark, barracouta and snapper. Trips vary from two hours for families to eight hours for the more keen fisherman. The most popular trip is four hours long. This trip usually runs twice a day starting at 7am or 8am in the morning and again at 2pm or 3pm in the afternoon. Apollo Bay Fishing & Adventure Tours supply all the best fishing gear, rod, bait and tackle; Ice for your fishing and to keep your drinks cold; bags to take your catch home. The crew is trained and helpful. The skipper is an expert operator with all the necessary local knowledge.

Apollo Bay

Walk91 Self Guided Great Ocean Walk

Based in Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road, 'Walk 91' will plan your itinerary for your perfect 'Great Ocean Walk'. As Walk91 Self Guided Great Ocean Walk is a self guided walking tour, so you can walk at your own pace. All you have to decide is who to bring along and which date suits you. Before the self guided walk begins, there will be a safety briefing by a previous Parks Victoria Ranger in Apollo Bay, to provide you with expert advice before your walk commences. The walks are well signposted, so perfect for a self-guided walk. All walkers are provided with 'Personal Locator Beacons', so that you are never far from help if it is needed. Before the walk you will be given a personal safety beacon (EPIRB), a small lightweight first aid kit, walking poles, detailed walking notes, photos of flora and fauna and maps. Also on the tour you will receive fly nets, Otway Light Station entry tickets and an experienced driver who lives along the Great Ocean Walk. Walk 91 will transfer your heavy bags, so on your self guided walks you just have a small backpack. While your heavy luggage waiting for you at your chosen accommodation. Enjoy hiking to your accommodation or campsites, changing locations whilst walking. This reduces long transfer times and gives you the opportunity to experience different accommodation and camping spots along the Great Ocean Walk. The 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge visits are available, and are included in several Walk91 Self Guided Great Ocean Walk packages. For further information please visit the website or contact one of the team.

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Fishing

There are loads of great fishing spots in and around Apollo Bay. Try near the harbour, from the beach or just beyond the point towards Marengo. There are also freshwater streams nearby worth a try.

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Foreshore

The sheltered, sandy Apollo Bay main beach is a great place to swim or bodysurf. Just behind the sand dunes, the Apollo Bay foreshore area has a terrific playground, skate park, lots of open space for games and picnic and BBQ facilities. Right opposite the main street food outlets and ice-creameries, it’s perfect for grabbing an al fresco bite to eat.

Forrest

Forrest Mountain Biking

There are 8 separate mountain bike trails in the Forrest Mountain Bike precinct. There is more than 50km of purpose built track in the area ranging from rated from easy trails to extreme and strenuous tracks. The Otway Odyssey, Forrest 6 hr ride and Rainforest Ride events during the year are adding to Forrest’s reputation among the growing Australian mountain bike community.

Near Apollo Bay

Glow worms in the Otways

The Otways has worms. Glorious little glow worms can be found at sites throughout the Otway National Park after dark. They are generally found in dark, damp places - like soil banks with overhanging ledges, along creek embankments and beside walking tracks. The worms are not actually worms, rather they are the larvae of fly-like insects called fungus gnats. The larvae prey on small insects - as such they produce sticky threads. The glow emitted from their abdomen attracts insects who are then trapped in the sticky threads. Glow worms are shy creatures - torches, loud noises or touching them may disturb the glow worms and case them to 'switch off' their light and retreat into a crack. Glow worms are often found at Melba Gully, and near the Grey River Picnic Area at Kennett River. It's a good idea to take a torch to find your way along the tracks after dark, but avoid shining the light directly at the glow worms.

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Walks

MARRINERS FALLS WALK An easy to moderate, 40-minute return walk. Located at the end of the Barham River Road, with a large car park. You will cross over large stepping stones at 4 creek crossings and view Magnificent tree ferns, lichens and mosses, with a close view of the falls. Dogs on lead. Note: Track is subject to flooding at times, take care after rain. MAITS REST RAINFOREST WALK The walk at Maits Rest is a great introduction to Victoria's tall wet eucalypt forests and rainforests. The forest walk has sections of raised boardwalk, compacted soil and aggregate. Some steep sections lack handrails. There are excellent interpretive signs along the path. Vehicle access to this site is excellent, and the area around the car park is free of obstacles. There are no picnic or toilet facilities. The closest are at Apollo Bay or the Aire River Camping area. SHELLY BEACH CIRCUIT WALK This is one of the best short walks on the Great Ocean Walk. The track traverses through fern gullies, coastal scrub, along Shelly Beach and across rocky platforms to Elliot River. Return through a majestic stand of blue gums, inhabited by koalas and nocturnal Yellow-bellied Gliders. THREE CREEKS CIRCUIT WALK A moderate walk that features coastal forests, sea views, beaches and rock platforms. Start at the Shelley Beach Picnic Area car park and descend to Shelley Beach. Turn left at the Three Creeks junction and walk through coastal scrub with views over the ocean. The small beach is the western end of a larger beach just around the rocks. Note: only attempt the coastal return leg if the tide is low and the seas are calm. ELLIOT RIVER CIRCUIT WALK A moderate walk that features river, forest and ferns. From the carpark follow the Elliot River Track down to the mouth of the river crossing on stepping stones. Climb up the ridge into Blue Gum and Wet Forest. Return via the Management Vehicle Track and road. Note: only attempt the coastal leg if the tide is low and seas are calm. AIRE RIVER ESCARPMENT LOOKOUT Starting from the Aire bridge, discover the peaceful estuarine waters of Aire River, the Hordenvale Wetlands and the impressive view from the Escarpment Lookout over the ocean and wetlands on this moderate walk. Keep an eye out for kangaroos and wallabies in the coastal scrub. KATABANUT CIRCUIT WALK From the north east end of the main Blanket Bay campground the track climbs steeply through foothill forests with a dense understorey of banksia's and small shrubs. The track turns right down over the Blanket Bay creek into a damp environment. Continue to the right descending onto the beach and returning to the campground. PARKER FOREST CIRCUIT WALK From the Parker Hill campground, following the cliff tops to Point Franklin. Watch along the coast as the Cape Otway Lightstation emerges. Step onto the beach but keep a watchful eye out for the Hooded Plovers which need a wide berth. Stringybark Track will bring you back past Koala habitat to your starting point. LIGHTHOUSE CEMETERY AND LOOKOUT WALK From the Cape Otway Lightstation car park, this easy walk leads walkers through the Beard Heath to a lookout point with views across to the lighthouse, telegraph station and the ocean. Visit the historic cemetery which bears witness to the harsh times of early lightstation life. GLORIOUS LOOKOUTS The lookouts close to Apollo Bay provide magnificent views of the countryside and ocean. These are a few that should not be missed: • Cape Patton Lookout: Great Ocean Rd, east of Apollo Bay • Crows Nest Lookout: Tuxion Rd, Apollo Bay • Marriners: Marriners Lookout Rd, Apollo Bay • The Gable: Moonlight Head Rd, Wattle Hill • West Barwon Reservoir: Apollo Bay Forrest Rd, Barramunga • Wongarra: Sunnyside Road, Wongarra

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Harbour

The Apollo Bay Fishing Fleet is moored at the harbour, sheltered by a large breakwater. As a working harbour it is an interesting site to wander through and see the professional fishermen either unloading their catch or preparing to depart on another voyage to sea. Apollo Bay is renowned for crayfish, and the stacks of lobster pots stacked up on the wharves make an interesting spectacle. The daily catch is available fresh from the boat at the local fishermens cooperative.

Skenes Creek

Maits Rest

Maits Rest, renowned for its natural beauty, is a must-see destination. Named after former forestry patrol officer Maitland Bryant, Maits Rest has a short walk that meanders through a tranquil fern garden, past huge moss-covered trees. Some are up to 300 years old. BOARDWALK & WILDLIFE A wooden boardwalk has been built over the tree-fern gullies and moss-covered roots of ancient rainforest trees, protecting the delicate ecosystem while providing visitors with unique views of the forest. If you’re lucky, you may run into some of the local inhabitants, including swamp wallabies, koalas, ring-tailed possums and grey kangaroos. Rarely seen, but often heard at night, are the yellow-bellied gliders screaming out as they glide from tree to tree. How to get there Maits Rest is located 15 minutes west of Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road.

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay Fisherman's Co-op

Apollo Bay Fisherman's Co-op is located along Great Ocean Road past Torquay, south of Melbourne and Geelong, in the Otway wine region, in South Western Victoria. Apollo Bay Fisherman's Co-op is the perfect one stop seafood shop and an excellent way to purchase the local seafood. The local fishing fleet of Apollo Bay ensures a fresh supply of seafood throughout the region, especially known for the excellent supply of flake and crayfish (available live from the tank or freshly cooked). Locally caught fish includes flathead, grenadier, king george whiting, couta, sea bream and (in season) snapper. Apollo Bay Fisherman's Co-op also stocks the best available fish from wholesale markets, to supplement the excellent local catches (and inclement weather) so there is an abundance of salmon, oysters, prawns, the list goes on.

Forrest

Ride Forrest

Forrest is one of Australia's best mountain bike destinations. With over 60 kilometres of purpose built single track, there is more than three days of riding here. You can stay in a variety of accommodation options and ride right from your front door of your accommodation. Forrest is the gateway to the Otways, with places to stay, eat and ride. Platypus tours are also available. Visit the Ride Forrest website to find all you need to know about Forrest and Mountain Bike riding in the Otways.

Near Forrest

Planet Mud Outdoor Adventures

Planet Mud Outdoor Adventures are proud to be Victoria's first Paintball, Globeriding and Segway® Adventure Centre offering you a range of exhilarating activities to enjoy. Whichever one you choose, Planet mud outdoor adventures provide a high quality outdoor experience with the friendliest highly trained staff and the promise of a quality and fun experience to remember. For a great Day out in the Otways, the location is set on 53 acres of beautiful bush and just 40 minutes from Lorne, 1hr from Geelong, 30 mins from Apollo Bay, 45 mins from Warrnambool and 15 mins from Colac. They have different scenario paintball games as well as their fabulously popular Tournament style field - grab some mates, bucks / hens show coming up, or a corporate event - they can arrange it all for you. The Segway Nature Trails give you an hours experience with a Segway Off-road X2. It's easy, it's fun and it's an exhilarating new experience when you ride an all-terrain Segway® X2 on our cross country Nature course. A hugely popular activity for everyone aged 10 or over. You get a sense of power and speed, yet you also feel a sense of safety and absolute control. It all feels natural, safe, and instinctive. Globeride in three metre inflatable transparent ball. Zorbing is classed as an extreme sport, but safety is our priority and focus so all you need to worry about is buckling up and enjoying the ride. Planet Mud Outdoor Adventure Vouchers make great gifts and can be purchased all year round and used towards any of the activities that we offer. Booking is essential for all activities so call now to book

Kennett River

Koala and wildlife Spotting

The coastal bushland between Lorne and Apollo Bay is home to a large population of koalas. A short drive up Grey River Road is usually rewarded with a sighting and, as soon as you’ve spotted one, you’ll be an expert spotter! During cooler months whales are often spotted offshore as they migrate from Antarctica or use the sheltered beaches in the region to deliver and nurse calves. A nocturnal visit to the Kennett River picnic ground will also reveal tiny but glorious glow worms.

Lorne

Lorne Fishing

The best fishing spots in Lorne include Reedy Creek, Loutit Bay, Lorne Pier and Lorne Beach. There are also some opportunities for freshwater fishing in the hinterland areas. Fishing licenses are available at the Lorne Visitor Information Centre.

Geelong

More Than A Tour

More than Tour offer their local knowledge will give you the very best opportunity of seeing a range of beautiful native animals in their natural environment. Shorts walks to the scenic attractions, lookouts, beaches and rain forests will be on well-defined tracks and board walks and requires a moderate level of fitness. Their guides will accompany you on all walks and your safety is their priority. Being a boutique tour company they will confirm your pick up point, departure and return times prior to departure. More Than A Tour also offers a Door to Door Service. More Than A Tour can tailor make tours to satisfy your groups desires, including: •Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island two day tours •Great Ocean Road and Grampians two day tours •Tailor made tours also available.

Packages & Offers

See, Do, Stay & Save

Welcome to goTravlr, your passport to great deals in Geelong, the Bellarine and the Great Ocean Road.

BIG 4 Beacon Resort Blues Train Package

A unique musical experience! Toe tapping entertainment, a cool drink and a good laugh. Rock your stay in Queenscliff with Blues Train tickets and award winning accommodation at BIG4 Beacon Resort.

Seahaven Village - Taste of The Bellarine $495

Relax at stunning Barwon Heads Friday and Saturday night in a cosy 4.5 star one bedroom spa suite.

Barwon Heads Golf Club Winter Escape

$240 per couple per night

Wyndham Resort Torquay Couples Spa Indulge Package

$379 per night (Double or Twin share)

Geelong Riverview Tourist Park Summer Special

15% discount per night

Outdoor Activities

Stay Connected