One of the most well-known highlights of the Great Ocean Road is
The Twelve Apostles. Situated in the Port
Campbell National Park, the massive limestone structures
that tower 45 metres above the tempestuous Southern
Ocean, leave its visitors awe-struck in wonder at their
size and beauty. Behind the eight remaining stacks (five have
fallen since their discovery) are majestic cliffs, around 70 metres
high.
The Port Campbell National Park ranges from Princeton to
Peterborough. Photographs of this historic site have long
represented the Great Ocean Road.
Warrnambool, Port Fairy, & Portland: Quaint
Further along the Great Ocean Road are the three towns closest
to the border between Victoria and South Australia. Warrnambool,
home to wonderful walks including The Lady Bay Foreshore
Promenade and The Mahogany Trail, is the
first. It is known for its cultural and musical events, and also
the Hopkins waterfalls, nicknamed "mini-Niagara".
A landmark in Warrnambool, the Lake Pertobe
Adventure Playground boasts a flying fox, giant slides, sandpits,
paddle boats, a fort, and bridges. A labyrinth of tracks through
the "wetlands" gives bird-watchers an exquisite view of the local
birdlife.
Port Fairy is a quaint town, reminiscent of a
lost era, complete with historic buildings and tearooms. It is
known for its two festivals: the Annual Music
Festival and the Port Fairy Folk
Festival. One of its local attractions is the
Griffiths Island Lighthouse, the
highly-sought-after arts and crafts made and sold locally, and the
picturesque waterfront.
The oldest town in Victoria, Portland, holds
several surprises worth travelling for: the Princess
Margaret Rose Cave in the Lower Glenelg National
Park; seals, blowholes, and a petrified forest at
Discovery Bay. Other sights of interest include
Cape Nelson Lighthouse, Shelly
Beach (ideal for collecting shells or fragments of them!)
and Cape Bridgewater, once a volcanic island, now
a pretty spot 20 minutes' drive from Portland, known for its
swimming and surfing.