We’ve picked out six of the best beaches on the Great Ocean Road to ensure you don’t miss a thing along this amazing coastal drive.
Our Great Ocean Road day trips from Melbourne are our most popular tours. This incredible destination has so much to offer visitors. There is the scenic drive, the wildlife including koalas, and of course the famous rock formations (heard of the Twelve Apostles – we thought so).
But of course, as this is the Great Ocean Road – there are some fantastic beaches!
Check out this list of our favourite beaches so you know where to step foot on the sand when you visit this famous Australian destination. If you want a memorable day out, be sure to join us on a Go West Tour and we will show you the best beaches the Great Ocean Road has to offer.
Torquay Back Beach
The first stop on our Great Ocean Road Tour from Melbourne is Australia’s surf capital – Torquay. The Surf Beach in Torquay is famous for is waves and provides some great photo opportunities. As you walk up the hill you find yourself atop a grassy hill overlooking the beach. The sand gives way to the ocean where surfers are lined up behind the breaks ready to catch the waves.
Torquay is the starting point for the famous road and it is home to many surf and outdoor brands. It is also known for its many surf breaks, and for being the town in which the surf brand Rip Curl was founded.
Rip Curl began with two mates making surfboards together in the 60’s. The brand has a long and proud history of being based in Torquay ever since. From the beginning, designing surfboards and wetsuits, working out of garages and small workshops. Right through to becoming a household name and leading the way in designing surf gear and sponsoring surf competitions.
Eastern View
Eastern View beach stretches for a few kilometres alongside the Great Ocean Road. Stepping foot onto the sand you can see the ocean stretching into the distance. To one end of the beach you will see the Split Point Lighthouse on the headland. To the other end of the beach you see the Great Ocean Road carved into the cliffs.
Eastern View is also the location of the Memorial Arch. This arch was erected to honour the 3000 service men that worked on and built the road from 1919 to 1932. It was a huge undertaking to carve a road into the rocky coastline, and it provided many jobs for returned servicemen after the First World War.
The Memorial Arch is a popular location to visit on the Great Ocean Road. From the viewing area beside the road you can also check out the memorial statue of soldiers constructing the road. In addition, there are information boards and plaques detailing the construction of the Great Ocean Road.
Lorne Town Beach
The town of Lorne is a popular seaside resort town on the Great Ocean Road. For many Melburnians it is the perfect place to enjoy the long summer break. Lorne’s main beach is right in the middel of town.
It is the only patrolled beach in town, and its the perfect place to take a dip and cool off. You can also walk to Shelley Beach to explore the rock pools. Or take the coastal trail to the Pier which is a popular fishing location. From the pier you can keep an eye out for migrating whales between May and September.
Lorne’s beach is just a few steps from the main shopping strip filled with boutique gift stores, cellars, eateries and galleries. It’s the perfect place to dine on freshly caught seafood, sit down at cafe to watch the world go by, or grab some take-away food to eat at the beach.
Apollo Bay Beach
Apollo Bay’s beach is the perfect place to relax, take a stroll and dip your feet in the ocean. There are some great views back east along the coast. You can see the ocean road stretching into the distance. You can also visit the marina to see the fishing boats coming in with their catch.
The beach is 3 kilometres long, but the south end of the beach is a protected bay that makes the waters great for swimming. This is the area patrolled by the Apollo Bay Life Saving Club during the summer months. Apollo Bay is also a great place to learn to surf as the waves are small and good for beginners.
Apollo Bay is the lunch break stop on our Great Ocean Road tour. It is a great place to take a walk and stretch your legs. There are many food and drink options, including the famous scallop pie at the bakery, fresh fish and chips, or a cold beer at the brewery. You should also make a stop at Dooley’s Icecream to taste their range of award winning flavours.
Gibsons Beach
Located on the Shipwreck Coast, right by the famous Twelve Apostles, is Gibsons Beach. There is a lookout at the cliff edge and step carved into the cliff. From the lookout you can view rock formations and high limestone cliffs, with large waves rolling in below.
You can also descend the cliff via the stairs to reach the beach. Coming face to face with the wild southern ocean gives you real insight into how the coastline has been shaped by the wind and waves over many, many generations.
Loch Ard Gorge
Not far from the Twelve Apostles is an incredible coastal gorge that is the site of the 1878 Loch Ard Shipwreck on the Great Ocean Road.
Stepping foot into Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road, it’s hard not to be in awe of the surrounding cliffs and secluded beach. But when you hear the tale of the Loch Ard Shipwreck, it adds a whole new layer of meaning to your visit.
A visit to the gorge today lets you marvel at the incredible natural surrounds and put yourself in the place of those who survived the shipwreck. It is also a popular photo location, and often described as one of the highlights of our Great Ocean Road tour.
The gorge is particularly spectacular in winter, when big swells send waves crashing into the cliff and rolling into the gorge to wash up high onto the sand. In any weather, when you walk onto the beach in the gorge, you’ll be impressed by the high limestone walls and the beauty of the contrasting colours in the rock and the ocean.
What to visit these beaches?
Join us on a Great Ocean Road Day Tour, or a Sunset Tour of the Great Ocean Road. Both are fun, memorable day trips from Melbourne.
