Australian Traveller

(Secret) Road trips of the GREAT OCEAN ROA D

If you thought the BEST BITS of a Great Ocean Road trip are the ones beside the sea, you’ve been doing it all wrong, writes LEE ATKINSON.

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THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD might be famous for the coast-hugging section between Lorne and the 12 Apostles, but the entire region is laced with stunning road trips that hardly anyone, other than the lucky locals who live there, knows about and even fewer travellers take the time to drive. Those that do, quickly realise they’ve found gold. Here’s our pick of five of the best.

LORNE TO BIRREGURRA

Resist the urge to hit the road after a big breakfast, because this is one road trip best done on an empty stomach. It takes roughly 45 minutes to drive the C151/152, a lovely winding road that twists through the rainforest hinterland behind Lorne to Birregurra. But once you’re there you’ll be glad you didn’t eat and drive because this tiny little country village, home to about 828, has some seriously good places to eat.

is a true destinatio­n diner, Victoria’s BRAE best regional restaurant and one of only two Australian restaurant­s to make it into the world’s top 100. But it’s also home to YIELD

– and if you’d RESTAURANT YIELD PROVISIONS rather some really fancy takeaway or picnic fare to eat in the park, as well as several other great cafes in the main street. Gluten-free?

has you covered with flaky, OTWAY ARTISAN crusty treats, both sweet and savoury.

APOLLO BAY TO CAPE OTWAY

Not all great drives are long drives. The 15-minute detour from the Great Ocean Road down to the Lightstati­on at CAPE

is one that often gets overlooked in OTWAY the rush to get to the 12 Apostles an hour further down the road. Those that do turn south, about 20 kilometres west of Apollo Bay, soon find themselves immersed in a woodland of towering trees: mountain ash are the world’s tallest flowering plants, and driving through a forest of these giants is guaranteed to change your perspectiv­e. But it’s not just the drive that makes this such a special little road trip: the lighthouse on the cape is the oldest working one on mainland

If you do like to eat and drive ... you’ll enjoy every minute of this road trip.

Australia and there is a range of tours you can do. Built 90 metres above the churning sea, the view from the top is breathtaki­ng, in more ways than one.

LAVERS HILL TO FORREST

There are many fabulous hinterland drives that wind through the Otway forests, but this one, which follows the C159 from Lavers Hill on the Great Ocean Road through the hamlet of Beech Forest and the C119 north to the township of Forrest is a doozie. It’s less than 60 kilometres and sealed all the way but will take you twice as long as you expect. It’s narrow and twisty, so you need to take it slow and be prepared to move over if you meet an oncoming vehicle, but it’s worth the concentrat­ion, because it is incredibly scenic. Most of it is deep within the rainforest, so expect to see lots of giant tree ferns and luxuriousl­y lush undergrowt­h. Stretch your legs along the way at – one HOPETOUN FALLS of the most beautiful cascades in the region – and in the Redwood Forest beside the Aire River, or take a walk through the treetops on an elevated walkway (or ride the zipline if you dare) at FLY. Make it a loop and treat OTWAY yourself to a meal at in Lavers THE PERCH Hill on the way back – the restaurant is the highest point on the Great Ocean Road and almost everything on the menu is sourced from local farms and suppliers.

12 APOSTLES FOOD ARTISANS GOURMET TRAIL

You don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy this food-themed scenic drive across the lush pastures and hilly hinterland of the Great Ocean Road behind the 12 Apostles, which loops up to Timboon and back via Simpson on the C166. But if you do like to eat and drive – or even if you’re just keen to stock the world’s best picnic basket – you’ll love every minute of this road trip. Pick up a

from the visitor centre in Port TRAIL MAP Campbell before you go and follow the trail to cheesemake­rs, a chocolatie­r, fudge maker, whisky distiller, strawberry grower and icecream artist. The driving will take roughly an hour but allow plenty of time for tasting, picking and chatting to the producers along the way. And wear your best stretchy pants.

LAKEVIEW ROAD,TOWER HILL

Another shortie but one that you’ll remember for much longer – after all, how often do you drive inside the rim of a dormant volcano? Roughly halfway between Warrnamboo­l and Port Fairy, just south of Koroit, is a nested maar, geology TOWER HILL speak for a volcanic crater. It last erupted, they think, about 32,000 years ago. The crater has since filled with water, and it became a national park in 1892, making it one of the oldest in Victoria. To get there via the scenic route, take the Koroit-Port Fairy Road (turn off the Princes Highway east of Port Fairy) and then follow Lake View Road around the rim before winding down to the wildlife reserve and visitor informatio­n centre in the middle of the crater. It’s rich in Indigenous history, crowded with wildlife and laced with walking tracks. Join a guided walk with an Indigenous guide from WORN

at Tower Hill for a different view: GUNDIDJ there are bush and nature tours during the day as well as nocturnal wildlife walks. You could easily spend the best part of a day here – especially if you’ve got goodies from the

Plan your road trip along the Great Ocean Road at visitgreat­oceanroad.org.au

 ??  ?? CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The road trip of a lifetime; Dining at Brae; From plot-to-plate; A Wildlife Wonders’ koala.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The road trip of a lifetime; Dining at Brae; From plot-to-plate; A Wildlife Wonders’ koala.
 ??  ?? CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Cape Otway Lightstati­on is a top spot for picnics; The view from Teddys Lookout near Lorne; Cycle along Warrnamboo­l Promenade; Walk through beech myrtle forest at Otway Fly Treetop Walks.
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Cape Otway Lightstati­on is a top spot for picnics; The view from Teddys Lookout near Lorne; Cycle along Warrnamboo­l Promenade; Walk through beech myrtle forest at Otway Fly Treetop Walks.

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