REDISCOVER GREAT OCEAN vistas

The Great Ocean Road now has competition from the Great Ocean Walk, a $2.3 million trail running 91 kilometres from just beyond Apollo Bay to Glenample Homestead.

You don’t even have to rough it on this walk, as there are a number of spots where you can leave the track and sink into luxurious accommodation, some of which you can find in the pages of this issue of Unique Places to Stay.

Whether you take to the road or track, you’re assured some of the most spectacular views of nature you’ll ever experience. Travelling west from Lorne, you have the Great Southern Ocean on your left – famous surf beaches, jagged cliffs and welcoming fishing villages where much of Australia’s best seafood comes ashore.

Luxury accommodation & cottages in Great Ocean Road VIC

Apollo Bay has a permanent crayfish fleet, and if the conditions are good and the fishing season in full swing, you may find yourself tucking into some “red gold” within hours of it being harvested. Pop into the local fisherman’s co-operative and feast your eyes on the freshest bounty from the sea.

Then there are the rainforests and national parks, with their tumbling waterfalls and ancient old-growth forests. The Otway Fly Treetop Walk adjoining the Otway National Park allows you to walk right into the canopy of the forest and is located just 20 minutes drive from Johanna Beach, another jewel along the coast.

The coastline is endlessly fascinating and the natural wonders carved by the sea over millions of years include Pudding Basin Rock, Island Arch, the Razorback, Muttonbird Island, Thunder Cave, the Blowhole, Bakers Oven, London Bridge and the Grotto.

At Wreck Beach and Moonlight Head, historic shipwreck artefacts are visible on the shoreline and the beach is renowned for its rock fishing.