Short Breaks on the Great Ocean Road

Put away the GPS and let the road guide you

Trace the bitumen artery snaking its way from Adelaide to Melbourne (or vice versa) with a Great Ocean Road holiday. Melburnians have easy access to the highway, curving from Torquay to Warrnambool, while travellers from wider Australia may choose to fly into Melbourne or Adelaide and hire a car to make the journey. From Melbourne, head out to the gateway of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong, where you can stop and lunch along the boardwalk or continue on to Torquay – home to world surfing hot spot Bells Beach, which lures international champions keen to tackle its impressive swells.

Lovers of road tripping will relish a Great Ocean Road weekend drive, passing through several small, lovely towns along the way. Wind down the windows and breathe in the fresh salty air as you push on to Lorne, popping in for a quick dose of history – two diggers have been immortalised in bronze, honouring the ANZACS who built the Great Ocean Road after the First World War. On the road again, you might consider bunking down halfway in Apollo Bay where you can surf, swim or sail in the sea you've been admiring from your car.

Continuing your driving holiday in Victoria, your most important pit stop will be at Port Campbell to see the iconic Twelve Apostles jutting from the ocean – the massive limestone towers are especially breathtaking at dawn and dusk. Stretch your legs and walk the coastline or hit the highway again and visit the equally beautiful Bay of Islands. Your journey comes to a close on a romantic note just outside of Warrnambool at Port Fairy, a whitewashed seaside village with a folky ambience. Put away the GPS and let the road guide you along some 250 kilometres of dramatic coastline for a unique weekend holiday in Victoria.