‘Must drive’: Great Ocean Road voted best Aussie road trip for second consecutive year

The Great Ocean Road is the place to be, having been voted Australia’s best road trip, and being home to one of the country’s best beaches.

The Great Ocean Road has once again been voted the best Aussie road trip. Picture: iStock

Geelong’s Great Ocean Road has been voted the Ultimate Aussie Road Trip for the second consecutive year, while one of its beaches has been named among the nation’s best.

Dash Cam manufacturer Nextbase held a public vote, with one in four Aussie road trip fans looking to explore the Surf Coast scenic route over other national options.

It comes as Tourism Australia revealed Apollo Bay was in the top five best beaches for 2023.

Beach expert Brad Farmer ranked the beach, located along the Great Ocean Road, as the fourth best in the country.

Mr Farmer said the three kilometres of “clean, white sandy beach facing the Southern Ocean enjoys a gentle atmosphere with welcoming locals from its golf club to its cafes”.

Koala on the beach at Wild dog creek, Apollo Bay. Picture: Kirsten Jones.

He said there were many reasons to visit the beach, including fishing opportunities and a “generous” grassy foreshore.

“The icing on the cake is the nearby Twelve Apostles, one of Australia’s most iconic coastal features, seen from lookouts or by helicopter charters,” Mr Farmer said.

More than 1000 votes were cast to crown the winning road trip in the Nextbase poll, and among the trips the Great Ocean Road was chosen over were Cairns to Cape York, Queensland, Margaret River Coastline, West Australia, and Tasmanian Ring Road, Tasmania.

There was only one other road trip from within Victoria included in the list, the Great Alpine Road.

Twelve Apostles cliffs along the Great Ocean Road is among the attractions along the Great Ocean Road. Picture: iStock

Nextbase ambassador and Supercar driver David Reynolds said he was looking forward to seeing Australians hit the road throughout 2023 but urged safety, patience and the correct tools to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“We all love hitting the road with family or mates, stopping in at a local bakery on the way – there is no better way to see the country,” Mr Reynolds said.
“The Great Ocean Road has amazing scenery along the coast line and into the Otway’s rainforest.

“It’s a must drive for every Australian.

“Whenever you hit the road for a trip, safety needs to stay top of mind.

“Plenty of cars are parked at the side of the road to capture a view of those breathtaking views, so be careful when passing or rejoining the road.”

Mr Reynolds said a Nextbase Dash Cam was helpful in case of an accident.

He said it was a “must” when travelling with his own family, especially along the long and windy roads of the Great Ocean Road.

So far in 2023, there have been 26 lives lost.

According to the Transport Accident Commission, this is a 36.8 per cent increase from the 19 lives lost in same period last year.

For more information about Nextbase, visit nextbase.com/

Originally published as ‘Must drive’: Great Ocean Road voted best Aussie road trip for second consecutive year