Melbourne to Port Fairy road trip via the Great Ocean Road

Melbourne to Port Fairy road trip: Cutting across Cape Otway

The route from Apollo Bay to Port Campbell runs along the boundary of the Great Otway National Park, cutting across the heavily-forested Cape Otway. Going to the cape itself, and the Cape Otway Light Station, requires a reasonably hefty detour. But there are some shorter diversions that stay much closer to the route.

The first comes just as you hit Great Otway National Park, where the Shelly Beach Walking Track is one of the best short walks along the Great Ocean Road. It’s a 2km loop, which goes through blue gum forest and fern gullies on the way to coastal views from rocky platforms. Plenty of koalas and gliders hang out here.

Further along, you’ll come to the Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. This 800 metre boardwalk heads through the rainforest past 300-year-old trees. Again, there are good wildlife-spotting opportunities. The turn-off down Lighthouse Road towards the Cape Otway Light Station comes shortly afterwards.

Cape Otway to Princetown

Stay on the Great Ocean Road, however, and you’ll pass the Aire River Wildlife Reserve around Lake Hordern and reach the coast again at the Castle Cove Lookout.

It’s a very temporary coastal sojourn, however, as the route swiftly veers back inland towards Johanna and Lavers Hill.

In Johanna, the Johanna Ocean View Lookout is worth a photo stop, but surfers will want to take the detour down to Johanna Beach – one of the best surfing beaches in Victoria.

Around Lavers Hill are a couple of waterfalls – South Chapple Falls is very close to the town centre, and Anne’s Cascades is the highlight of Melba Gully. You can also see glowworms at Melba Gully.

From there, keep going past the Crowes Lookout towards Wattle Hill, where there’s another potential beach detour. Wreck Beach and Moonlight Beach are next to each other.

Otherwise, the Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park in Gellibrand Lower provides a basic wildlife park experience, and the Great Ocean Road returns to the coast at Princetown. The Princetown Wetlands Boardwalk is an amiable diversion here.

Click through to the next section: Princetown to Port Campbell.