Hit the road
Before you leave Melbourne, you’ll pick up your Suzuki Balen and drive to Lorne, where you’ll spend two nights in the central Cumberland Lorne Resort with its mix of contemporary and nostalgic seaside charm. Lorne sits in the middle of the surf coast stretching from Torquay to Cape Otway, with both gentle waves for beginners and competition swells, plus a museum on the history of surfing.
Next up is Apollo Bay, an unspoilt hamlet halfway along the Great Ocean Road, with lovely views and plenty of birds and other wildlife to keep a lookout for – including the occasional koala right outside the front door of your base for two nights: Captain’s at the Bay. With only 12 rooms, this is a charmingly and intimate modern B&B. Within an hour’s drive of Apollo Bay are waterfalls, the Otway Fly Treetop Adventures (a 600 metre-long, 25-30 metre-high elevated walkway through the rainforest), and world-class hikes for different levels.