Melbourne

• Apollo Motorhomes
• 189A S Centre Rd
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Australian 4WD Hire
• 2 Freight Rd, Tullamarine
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Britz Motorhomes
• 220 Stuart Highway
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Jucy Campers
• 87 Inkerman St, St Kilda
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Mighty Campers
• 2/9 Ashley Street
• Central West Business Park Building
• Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

• Rouge Rentals
• 195 Kensington Road
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Spaceships Rentals
• 42 Macaulay St
• Williamstown North
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Travellers Autobarn
• 55 King St, Airport West
• Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Wicked Campers
• 195 Kensington Road
• West Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Best Short Trip From Melbourne: Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road stretches about 300 km (180 miles) from just past Geelong, an hour’s drive southwest of Melbourne, to Warrnambool. Construction of the road started in 1919, as employment for Australian servicemen returned from the First World War, and was completed in 1932. Often using picks and hovels, the workmen carved the road into cliffs and mountains along Victoria’s southwest coast.

The Great Ocean Road hugs the coastline, overlooking sheer cliffs, and takes in some breathtaking coastal scenery. It plunges down to empty bays and passes through small seaside holiday towns. Occasionally the road takes a turn inland, passing through virtually untouched remnants of dense in forest, providing contrast to ocean views. The Great Ocean Road starts at Torquay, and heads southwest through Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne and Apollo Bay, which are popular seaside resorts situated on clean sandy beaches and separated by rocky headlands. There are good surf beaches along this stretch coastline, and hardy surfers can be seen in their wetsuits riding a wave even in the depths of winter.

Just after Apollo Bay the road turns inland, climbing up the Otway Ranges, providing memorable views of the ocean and rugged cliffs. Lorne is a good base for exploring the Otway National Park. Walk through a rain forest of towering mountain ash and gullies of myrtle, beech, mosses and fems. Take in the beauty of waterfalls that tumble down mountain sides. The Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre in Apollo Bay, can give you advice and maps on the best walks.

After cutting the corner at Cape Otway, the road returns towards the coast at Princetown, which is at the eastern end of Port Campbell National Park. This is the place I like to stop, camping at Port Campbell and getting up early in the morning to watch the rising sun reflect off the Twelve Apostles, rock formations carved by the crashing sea and the winds that whip this part of the coast. There are in fact only eight rock outcrops still standing, the other Apostles having been claimed by the sea.

At this point, the road follows the tops of sheer cliffs which have been cut away by the raging sea below. It is not difficult to see why this section of coast is called the Shipwreck Coast, as over 30 ships foundered here. Some can still be seen today between Warmambool and Port Fairy.

The most mysterious wreck is one that has yet to be found. A grounded mahogany ship was seen in the sand dunes in 1880. It has been suggested that it is a Portuguese ship that made its way to the, east coast in 1522 only to founder on this treacherous coastline. The sand dunes in this part of the coastline are constantly moving, and the boat has been buried again. If found, this wreck would rewrite the history book on the discovery of the cast coast by Europeans. To resolve this mystery, the Victorian Gnvernment offered a reward for the discovery of Mahogany Ship. The reward is still unclaimed so you might want to take a stop here and do a little beachcombing along Armstrong Bay, the last sighting of the phantom wreck.

Take a short detour in Warrnambool, and prepare to see one of the great creatures of the sea. From the lookout it is often possible to see great southern whales, which frequent this part of the coast between June and October.