What to eat and drink, stay and things to do on your Great Ocean Road weekend away
The regional border has lifted, which means we can plan a trip to the Great Ocean Road. Here’s where to eat, stay and play.
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FOOD AND WINE
COVID-19 has crushed seaside favourite Captain Moonlite, which won’t be reopening at the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club. You can still enjoy fish and chips at sister venueFish by Moonlight in Anglesea, or snack on Spanish tapas at MoVidaat the ground level of Lorne Hotel. Bookings are essential, with takeaway also available.
Ipsos Restaurant, also in Lorne, is another to try. Forrest Brewing Company is anticipating the return of Melburnians to its brewery, which makes beers brewed from Otways Rainforest rainwater. Timboon Distilleryis another hour away from Forrest, and makes whisky on-site. If you make it as far as Port Campbell, then Forage on the Foreshoreis worth a visit.
ACCOMMODATION
Keep to yourself in self-contained Sky Podson the Cape Otway coast. The pods are close to the Great Ocean Walk track, Station Beach and Rainbow Falls. All Sky Pods are booked out for November, and there’s a few mid-week dates still available in December. All weekends are booked until February. Many dates remain for February and March. Alkina Lodge is another place to stay and the closest luxury accommodation to the Twelve Apostles.
The Drift House, in Port Fairy, has six luxury king suites. While most weekends are now booked until January, there’s still some mid-week accommodation available.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Meet koalas, emus, kangaroos and waterbirds roaming freely in Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, inside an extinct volcano. There’s also Worn Gundidj guided-tours to learn about Aboriginal history, available everyday at 11am and 1pm, walking tracks, picnic areas and lookouts.
Budj Bim , a long dormant volcano, is recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage List. Budj Bim is central to the history of the Gunditjmara people and is co-managed by Gunditjmara Traditional Owners and Parks Victoria. You can picnic, camp and bushwalk at Budj Bim.
ANIMAL SPOTTING
Whale watch at Logans Beach in Warrnambool. Victoria’s southern right whales call the nursery home between June and October when the females return to calve and feed their young. The whales can be seen within 100m of the Logans Beach viewing platform.
Experience the dawn-to-dusk Platypus in the Wild Tourcanoe touron Lake Elizabeth.
Wildlife Wonders is another unique animal tour guided by a wildlife conservationist, where you’ll learn about Otway Ranges ecology.
ADVENTURE
Lorne’s Live Wire Parklets you zip-line through a treetop canopy circuit. The course is home to the Shockwave Zip Coaster, as well as a rope courses. Pre-bookings are recommended. Increased safety and sanitisation practices are in place. Surfing is also popular at Bells Beach for the experienced surfers, as the beach is an exposed reef and point breaks. Surfers say it has excellent right hand breaks, which are at their best during autumn and winter.
The Otway Fly Treetop Adventuresgives you a birds-eye-view of the Otway Ranges. The treetop walk is a one-hour, 2km rainforest walk experience — and includes a 600m and 47m tall steel structured treetop canopy walkway. The Zipline Eco-Tour is a Two-and-a-half hour, guided experience. Otway Fly is cashless and now open on weekends.
The state government and Visit Vic have launched a multimillion-dollar Stay Close, Go Further campaign encouraging Victorians to take a break in their home state to support local tourism and jobs.
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