Going further inland from the highway, you'll find panoramic views over lakes from atop extinct volcanic peaks; local galleries where you can browse among paintings, pottery, sculptures and craft. There are berry farms that encourage you to pick your own berries, and great golf courses where you can relax with a round of golf. 

Accommodation Along the Great Ocean Road

There's no shortage of accommodation along the Great Ocean Road, with a choice that includes hotels, motels, caravan parks, camping grounds, bed and breakfasts and host farms. Whether you stay in Victorian hotels and motels or South Australian B & Bs, you'll find something to suit your budget and your tastes.

Shipwreck Coast

Rugged coastline, towering cliffs and pounding surf have combined to create The Shipwreck Coast. Dozens of ships and hundreds of people have met a watery end in this section of the Great Ocean Road coast. You can see where the tragedies occurred by following the Historic Shipwreck Trail. It signposts 25 sites where ships foundered - some because of gales, human error or even foul play. You'll be amazed that some people managed to escape the boiling surf and somehow scrambled to safety up the steep cliffs.

The most infamous tragedy is that of the clipper ship the Loch Ard which claimed the life of 52 people. Only two survived and their heroic story has gone into folklore.

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. This recreated seaport recaptures the feel of bustling 19th century Warrnambool, with restored ships and streetscapes. While here, you can take the 22km Mahogany Ship Walking Track and maybe help discover some clues to the mystery of this enigmatic ship, believed by many to predate traditional European settlement.

The town of Warrnambool is famous for the whales that annually visit its waters. They arrive from the cold Antarctic waters around May to give birth at Logans Beach and stay until September or October when they return with their offspring to the colder southern waters. A platform overlooking Logans Beach allows excellent views of the whales.

If you're a nature-lover, you'll be interested in Tower Hill which is the result of an enormous volcanic explosion more than 25,000 years ago. The blast created a funnel-shaped crater which later filled with water to form a lake. The Tower Hill Game Reserve's bush and wetlands today are home to a wide range of birds and animals and you can see these while on one of the self-guided walks around the reserve.