Three Days Exploring The Great Ocean Road & Otway National Park

The Great Ocean Road has been a bucket-list dream for us for as long as we’ve been together. It’s a place we always said we’d get to “one day,” and finally creating our own Great Ocean Road itinerary — at a gentle, empty-nest pace — felt surreal. In this blog, we’re sharing what our three September days along the coast and through the Otway National Park were really like: the scenery, the rain, the food, the surprises, the learning curves, and the moments that made it absolutely worth the wait. Spoiler: we loved it.

September along the Great Ocean Road is unpredictable. One minute, the sky is bright blue; the next, it’s blowing sideways rain, and then moments of glorious sunshine. It’s classic Victorian spring: cool, moody, and endlessly dramatic. Most of what we did was free, almost everywhere accepted cards, and the drives were long — especially if you base yourself in Kennett River like we did. It’s right in the middle of the coast, so every day becomes a loop with a lot of kilometres and “just one more stop” moments. But if you enjoy that style of travel, it’s magic.

Suppose you want to follow our adventures on YouTube. In that case, we have two videos covering our time, and a third video showing the Kennett River case and some practical information for the campground is coming soon.

 Otway National Park | Walks, Views & Waterfalls | Victorian Road Trip Series

Great Ocean Road – 12 Apostles & Hidden Coastal Gems | Victorian Road Trip Series

Arriving in Kennett River After Leaving Phillip Island

Navigating City Traffic With a 25ft Setup

This part of our trip began as we left Phillip Island and dropped off our grandson on the outskirts of Melbourne. The drive from there toward Kennett River took us through suburban Melbourne streets — many of them narrow, definitely not designed for towing a fully loaded 25-foot setup. It was slow, tense, and required every bit of patience from both of us.

First Impressions of the Great Ocean Road

Hitting the Great Ocean Road itself brought stunning scenery but also sharper bends and narrower shoulders. Anyone towing a longer rig should expect to concentrate and exercise care. Beautiful? Always. Easy? Not really. Even after hours of stressful driving, the excitement and joy were not going to be wiped out by a few sharp bends. Phil was just on guard.

No Drinking Water & A Power Surprise

Rolling into Kennett River just before six brought a couple of surprises. There was no drinking water available at all, so whatever was in our tanks had to last. The power outlet at our site was also too far for the lead we had, so the first night was 12-volt-only—all small things — but solid shakedown lessons for us. The reason I had missed this was that this was the third park I had tried to book at, because it was a public holiday weekend in Victoria and I was having trouble finding a place for the nights.

The park itself was rustic and beautiful, tucked among the trees with a slightly wild feel. It wasn’t quite what Phil expected, but we knew daylight would give us a clearer view.

Day One Great Ocean Road itinerary: Lorne, Colac, and a Coastal Loop

If you’re planning your own Great Ocean Road itinerary, this section covers exactly how our first day unfolded and what surprised us along the way. Even though I had planned our days focusing on regions, the plan changed often, and we ended up covering a lot of ground, often more than twice. This was due to the weather,  crowds at some of the more popular places and our location.

Breakfast at Swing Bridge Café, Lorne

The day started early with a drive into Lorne. Our first café choice, The Swing Bridge Café, was closed due to the public holiday, so we headed back into town to find an alternative. The weather was wet and misty for our first morning, but it was Victoria, and we hoped the rumours of ever-changing weather were true.

A Quick Stop at Lorne Central

Before heading inland, we ducked into the Lorne Central for Breakfast. We had a lovely chat with some English tourists—a quick refresh, simple, pleasant, and classic coastal stop. Lorne has a few sweet spots to enjoy breakfast, but we were happy with our choice.

Colac Errands (and That Crucial Power Lead)

Colac became our practical pit stop, offering Bunnings, Kmart, groceries, and — importantly — a longer power cord, so the Kennett River power issue wouldn’t follow us into the rest of the trip. We left stocked and sorted. This was a detour of a couple of hours, and we hoped it would give the weather time to clear.

Gibson Steps

On our return to the coast, we headed to Gibson Steps. This was the closest we had ever been to the slimestaone stacks known as the 12 Apostles. From here, you get a glimpse of a couple, but we didn’t linger long because the weather was rolling in. It’s a beautiful spot with that classic sweeping shoreline, and it set us up for what was to come. Seeing as the weather had turned again, we decided to wait to visit the 12 Apostles and drove to the other side of Port Campbell.

Loch Ard Gorge

Our first major coastal stop was Loch Ard Gorge. Expansive views, dramatic cliffs, and surprisingly calm corners where you could take in the scenery at your own pace. It became an instant favourite. This stop has so much to offer, and it’s worth your time and the small walk involved to see the other views.

Lunch at Villers Hill

Lunch was at Villers Hill — pies, a vanilla slice, and a welcome chance to regroup. This is a great spot, Lavers Hill is a junction between the Great Ocean Road route and Otway National Park.

Port Campbell Stop

Port Campbell provided us with coffee and tea, although nothing particularly memorable. The town was buzzing thanks to the long weekend, and the weather reminded us of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The 12 Rocks was a great place to sit and have a snack.

Attempt #1 at the Twelve Apostles

By the time we circled back, the Twelve Apostles car park was overflowing and the viewing platform packed. It didn’t look like a pleasant experience, so we skipped it and decided we would try again earlier on another day.

Evening Back at the Van

We returned around 5:30 pm, with Phil cooking dinner, and the caravan park now buzzing with families. A flat caravan tyre joined the to-do list for tomorrow, because why not? We are not sure where the side wall got clipped, but that has now become a job that needs to be done.

Day Two: Triplet Falls, Otway Fly, Forrest Brewery & Forest Drives

A Slow Start and Tyre Fix

The morning began gently. Editing for me, tyre change for Phil. Thankfully, he had the tools, and it wasn’t a drama. Once the Van was sorted, we headed into the Otway National Park. Today, we wanted to focus on this part of the region.

Triplet Falls

Triplet Falls was our first stop — a lush rainforest trail and a beautiful 2km loop filled with stairs. Lots of stairs. For anyone with mobility limitations, it can be done, but expect to take breaks and take it slow. Also… avoid white shoes. This walk was stunning. I am a sucker for rainforest walks, and the reward of a majestic waterfall makes them a must for me.

Lunch at Otway Fly Café

Lunch at the Otway Fly Café was simple (and honestly overpriced), but we had a cheeky little bird for company as we waited for our meal. I tackled the Treetop Walk solo, as Phil had a sore foot—a long, wet, uphill, muddy route. At Otway Fly, they have a couple of draws: one is the zipline tour, and the other is a 600-metre raised treetop walk. This is what I did: it was $27.50 pp for the treetop walk, but it also included a beautiful forest walk.

Forrest Brewery

A tasting paddle from Forest Brewery with a side of pork belly bites was the perfect reward for the exercise of the morning. We ended up taking a four-pack of Irish red ale back and food that hit the spot. Absolute mood-changer. Gave us the energy to push on to our last stop for the day.

Afternoon Coastal Views

Even though it was still raining, we detoured to the Memorial Arch, built to commemorate the WW1 veterans who built the Great Ocean Road. I was surprised we were not the only ones, but another classic viewpoint to visit. Sometimes going to those spots everyone goes to can be a bit cheesy, but I still get a small thrill, and this stop was no different.

By evening, our legs were well and truly spent. A good kind of tired, that reflected the effort of a beautiful day.

Day Three Great Ocean Road itinerary: Twelve Apostles, Bay of Islands, Cape Otway & Erskine Falls

A Perfect Morning at the Twelve Apostles

We left early this morning and arrived at the Twelve Apostles to find perfect weather and lighter crowds — the dream combination. It was peaceful, unhurried, and genuinely breathtaking. The drive out to the formations was around 2 hours, and we arrived just after 10 am. I am so glad we returned and did not make it happen the first time. This had been a bucket list item for so long, and not having to battle huge crowds was so lovely.

Bay of Islands, Bay of Martyrs & The Grotto

We only had a couple of things planned for today, but Phil suggested continuing west to the Bay of Islands, and it proved to be a highlight of the trip. We added the Bay of Martyrs and The Grotto on the way back. The Grotto was busy mid-morning, so earlier is better. The weather was spectacular, and in my opinion, the coast is as breathtaking as the 12 Apostles and is worthy of inclusion on a Great Ocean Road itinerary.

Cape Otway Lightstation

With our day filling up, we got back to the planned stops and headed back into the Otway area.

Lunch was at the café near the wildlife park — food good, coffee terrible.

We needed to have a light house on the itinerary and headed to Cape Otway Lightstation, a place brimming with history and at the right time of year a place to whale spot. The lighthouse tower was closed due to storm damage, so we got in for half price. The grounds were still beautiful to explore. A guide shared that his family worked at the lighthouse in the 1950s, which added a lovely personal touch.

Erskine Falls

Our final stop of the day was Erskine Falls. Despite the internet promising a flat first 80 metres, it was all stairs. Both upper and lower lookouts were stunning, and the lower falls walk is worth doing if you have the stamina. I ended up doing the lower falls on my own.

Kerryn’s Warning: There are lots of stairs, so be prepared if stairs are a challenge for you.

Evening in Lorne

Dinner was classic coastal fare — fish and chips for Phil, a disappointing kebab for me, followed by ice cream on the beach. We strolled the foreshore before heading back, almost eleven hours after leaving the van.

Day three ended up being the heart of our Great Ocean Road itinerary, especially with the perfect weather at the Twelve Apostles that morning. I try to leave space in our itineraries for extra visits or rest, and today, even though the rest did not happen, the extra visit and the space to reschedule proved a Godsend.

Closing Reflections

As we look back on these three days, one of the biggest themes wasn’t the scenery — it was learning to travel at the pace that suits us. Phil’s foot played up at various points; we were both not fit, which meant slowing down, adjusting plans, and building in time to rest. And honestly, that’s part of travelling well as a couple in this empty-nest season. You adapt, you listen, and you choose to keep moving forward together even when the pace changes.

It’s taken us over 30 years of life together to finally see the Great Ocean Road, and doing it gently made it richer. Not the fast, cover-everything pace of our twenties — but the thoughtful, flexible pace that honours where we are now. It lets us enjoy each moment, savour the beauty, and stay connected in the process.

And that’s what vanlife gives us: room to breathe, flexibility to shift when life demands it, and the ability to travel at a pace that strengthens rather than strains. The Great Ocean Road was beautiful, worth the wait, and a reminder that slow travel is still meaningful travel. We’re grateful we allowed enough time to wander, pause, and just be together.

Here’s to more journeys like this — steady, intentional, and filled with beauty around every bend.

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