Luxury holidays in Great Ocean Road

The landscape from Torquay to Port Fairy, about 310 kilometres away, is absolutely stunning: wild surf beaches backed by lush, rolling green hills, and rock formations that explode from the sea. Many of the towns along the coast have grown from sleepy fishing villages to major tourist ports of call, such as Apollo Bay, but they all still have their fair share of low-key charm. Forget rushing; it’s all about taking your time and enjoying the view.

When to go

Spring and autumn are great times to venture here. Winters are very chilly and you’ll need to rug up against the wind when you visit spots like coastal rock stacks the Twelve Apostles. The summer holidays, particularly around Christmas, turn these sleepy towns into heaving hot spots.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Jetstar (www.jetstar.com) flies to the closest local airport, Melbourne Avalon, 22 kilometres from Geelong just north-east of the Great Ocean Road, although most people would start from the Melbourne metropolis.
  • Trains

    V/Line trains (www.vline.com.au) run from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station in the CBD to the town of Geelong, about 50 minutes away, where you can pick u a V/Line bus heading west along the Great Ocean Road stopping at towns such as Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Warrnambool. Bus services are infrequent though, especially at weekends.
  • Automobiles

    To see the best of the Great Ocean Road, a car is an absolute must. Do it in style by hiring an Aston Martin, Ferrari or something similarly stylish from Melbourne Sports Car Rentals (+61 (0)3 9826 6990; www.melbournesportscarrentals.com.au).
  • Taxis

    You can hire a taxi in most of the major towns along the road, such as Lorne (+61 (0)409 892 304) and Apollo Bay (+61 (0)417 109 686), but it’ll cost you a fortune if you use them to travel between towns.