Australia is a vast country with countless must-see sights and drives. On my journey, I ended up in Melbourne for a week to watch the Australian Open with some good friends. After we finished watching tennis, we rented a car and drove southwest of Melbourne for two hours where we began a gorgeous coastal drive called the Great Ocean Road. If you ever find yourself in Melbourne make sure you plan two to three days driving along the southwest coast of the Victoria province.
Here is a list of my top 10 sights along the Great Ocean Road:
Twelve Apostles
This is the gem of the Great Ocean Road. These huge rock formations used to be cliffs but Mother Nature has eroded the ground around each exposing the tall columns that stand alone. However, the constant waves crashing into these towers combined with rain water seeping into the surface cracks will eventually erode the beautiful structures away. I believe there are only nine left out of the original twelve. I suggest you go early in the morning before the large tourist buses from Melbourne arrive and the light is best on the rock faces in the morning from the viewing points.
Gibson Steps
Just to the east of the Twelve Apostles is Gibson Steps. These steps along the cliff lead down to a beautiful beach with the cliffs towering above. Once you are on the beach, walk to the right and all the way along the giant rock face. Go at low tide to go past some large rocks. This was probably my favorite of the sights because the beauty of the cliffs is next to you and jutting straight up for many meters.
Loch Ard Gorge
Many things to see at Loch Ard Gorge but the highlight is the beautiful cove that has been carved out over thousands of years and now leaves a dramatic beach positioned as the centerpiece. Take a dip in the water on a hot day or walk to the cave on the right at low tide.
Sherbrooke Estuary Walk to Private Beach
If you want to get away from the tourists and go on your own private beach, head to the Sherbrooke River Estuary positioned on the far west side of Loch Ard Gorge. Go past Thunder Cave and you will walk down a long path to the right. Continue walking when the path ends at the estuary. Keep walking to the left in a big loop and it will lead you to a white sand beach that is all yours!
The Grotto
The Grotto is a great photo opportunity. You climb down into the grotto and then you can look through the natural arch into the ocean.
The Arch
The Arch is not as popular as the other sights but I think the photo opportunity is a great one of the natural arch looking into the sea. Worth the stop!
London Bridge
This sight is right along the route and worth a quick stop to see the giant structure. One of the two arches have fallen showing off the power of Mother Nature and the fragile rock cliffs over time.
Split Point Lighthouse
This quick stop along the route as you make your way west to Port Campbell gives you a quaint lighthouse to visit with a café nearby for lunch. And some great views of the coast on the property.
Port Campbell Coastal Cliffs at Sunset
The coastal part of Port Campbell is a giant cliff face along the ocean and provides some incredible views. I suggest going at sunset to capture the light changes against the cliffs as the sun goes down. Plus, the town of Port Campbell is charming and has many places to stay, including some great AirBNB houses if you are traveling with a large group!
Great Ocean Road (the entire drive)
Yes, this is a top 10 list of the Great Ocean Road, but just making the full drive is worth the trip instead of just going to see one to two sights. Start out in Torquay and drive at least to Warrnambool. It will take a full day by car but I suggest breaking up the trip into two days. All of the sights mentioned above can be done in one full day but requires an overnight in Port Campbell to begin early.
Have you visited the Great Ocean Road? If so, leave a comment below of your favorite sight along this beautiful road.
