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The best Lorne accommodation to add to your travel list

Credit: CMc Conville GOR Authority

Jade Raykovski Jade Raykovski
Where the bush meets the sea, take your pick of Lorne’s diverse accommodation.

Situated about halfway between Geelong and the Twelve Apostles, Lorne is one of the most popular stops along the Great Ocean Road. Stay anywhere from one night to one week, with your choice of holiday rentals, cottages, hotels or caravan parks. We’ve hand-picked some of our favourite accommodation to make your trip planning easier – so come on, the road is calling.

In short

If you only stay at one accommodation in Lorne, make it Perch Lorne. This smartly designed studio provides the perfect balance of value, location and charm.

Hotels

Lorne Hotel

a woman staying at Lorne Hotel
This iconic hotel is one of the most beloved stays in town.

For an unbeatable location in the centre of town, just a stone’s throw from the main beach, look no further than the Lorne Hotel. Yes, it can be noisy – but for a short stay its convenience is unmatched. Come dinnertime, just head downstairs to the coastal Italian vibes at the trattoria-style Totti’s Lorne (book ahead), or to the sunny beer garden for a classic pint and parma.

There’s also something nostalgic about staying at the home of the annual Pier to Pub ocean swim (yes, this is said pub). The light and bright rooms host up to four guests, including conveniences such as a minibar fridge, kettle, and coffee maker; access is stairs only and parking is included.

Address: 176 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne VIC 3232

La Perouse

La Perouse accommodation with sea views
The balcony opens up to ocean views.

Just a ten-minute walk from Lorne’s main strip, this charming boutique hotel is one for the romantics. The four stylish rooms at La Perouse have been lovingly decorated in a timeless Provincial style that will have you thinking you’ve stepped into the French countryside. It’s the little touches of luxury from owners Sue and Laurel we love, from the pottery and paintings by Australian artists to the Aesop products, linen bathrobes and 100% cotton beach towels (handy if you’ve forgotten to bring your own).

Each room has its own private balcony or verandah (hello ocean views), but our favourite is the downstairs Deluxe Room with its outdoor clawfoot bath… heaven. There’s parking onsite and the warm hospitality includes a standout breakfast, served Parisian style in the kitchen or terrace with ingredients sourced locally and from their own garden.

Address: 26 William St, Lorne VIC 3232

Qdos Treehouses

There’s something soothing about being surrounded by nature – and where better to do it than in a treehouse? Qdos Treehouses is a tranquil eco retreat on the site of an arts venue, home to a gallery, garden and cafe (where you’ll enjoy a daily breakfast, with eggs from their own chooks). The five Japanese-style retreats ooze zen vibes, and we don’t know what we love more: the private sundeck or that there’s no TV. And while the beach feels far, it’s only a few minutes’ drive away.

Address: 35 Allenvale Rd, Lorne VIC 3232

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Airbnbs and holiday homes

Kalimna

the interior of Kalimna Airbnb
Enjoy balmy breezes and uninterrupted ocean views.

 If you’re travelling with a group of friends or family, Kalimna is the 5-bedroom-2.5-bathroom stunner everyone will love (and fit). Spread over three levels, this modern home-away-from-home is primed for memorable moments: think breakfasts on the patio with uninterrupted sea views, walks to the beach, feeding the friendly cockatoos and waking up to the sound of the ocean.

It’s just a short drive to the centre of town, but with a full kitchen, pool table, and main living area that begs you to sit back and soak in the sight of that big blue ocean, we think you may not want to leave. Host Robyn is noted for being an excellent communicator, so if you do decide to venture out, she’ll have recommendations ready for you. Oh, and there’s no wi-fi – but with views like these who needs it.

Address: Provided after booking

Perch Lorne

the hillside accommodation at Perch Lorne
Settle into a relaxing hillside accommodation. (Credit: Perch Lorne)

Once you climb the 25 steps to Perch Lorne, all that’s left to do is relax. The one-bed architectural studio pulls off the balance between sleek and cosy, and its picture window, framing an outlook through the trees to the ocean, has us swooning. Switch between the balcony and snug window seat (our ideal book nook), and for cooler nights, the log fireplace creates a warm and comfy ambience.

As the name suggests, the studio is positioned high on a hill, but it’s within central Lorne, making it easy to explore the local restaurants and cafes; while the modern kitchenette has just enough for lazy breakfasts and nibbles with wine. Wi-fi, on-site parking, a smart lock and electric blinds complete this chic and stress-free stay.

Address: 71 Polwarth Rd, Lorne VIC 3232

Front Row Apartment in Lorne

an outdoor dining space at Front Row Apartment in Lorne
The ocean is a stunning backdrop to your stay.

The bewitching sea views from this Airbnb make its name clear. Whether you’re eating breakfast at the dining table or enjoying drinks on the deck, the ocean will be a constant backdrop to your stay. This spacious two-bedder is bright and airy, with a full kitchen and on-site parking – but you may not need much of either, as the renovated Grand Pacific Hotel is next door. It’s a 20-minute stroll into town, but we think the serenity of the location is part of its charm.

Address: Provided after booking

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Camping and caravan parks

Erskine River Park

Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park from above
The Erskine River Park is one of five distinct, interconnected camping areas within the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park. (Credit: CMc Conville GOR Authority)

This park (part of the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park) boasts a prime location alongside the beautiful Erskine River, and is just a short stroll to the shops and beach. Love fishing? You’ll have access to three fishing platforms plus amenities aplenty, from a camp kitchen and BBQ area to a playground, laundry and shower block (including accessible toilet).

Powered sites sleep six; campfires are restricted to off-peak times, and dogs aren’t allowed. If you’re not the camping or caravanning type, never fear – you can still relish the riverside lifestyle with cabins featuring creature comforts like a kitchenette, ensuite and heating/cooling. We can’t get enough of afternoon drinks on the deck.

Address: 2 Great Ocean Rd, Lorne VIC 3232  

Queens Park

Queens Park, Lorne
Queens Park offers the ideal vantage point for dreamy ocean views. (Credit: Great Ocean Road Parks)

Also part of the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park, Queens Park is tucked into the bushy hillside above the Lorne Pier, offering the ideal vantage point for dreamy sea views. Being built on a hill, the park is terraced with narrow, steep roads, so it’s best suited to tents, camper trailers and small camper vans rather than caravans. It’s a bit of a walk to the updated facilities if you’re in one of the top sites, but when you arrive you’ll find a shiny new camp kitchen, laundry and shower/toilet block, plus a playground and BBQ area (view included, of course).

For even better vistas, head to the nearby Teddy’s Lookout just a half hour hike away. If you’re after a more luxurious camping experience – and romantic – check out the eco safari tent for two. No campfires, charcoal BBQs or dogs allowed; note this park is seasonal, and often closed in winter.

Address: 18 Armytage St, Lorne VIC 3232

Allenvale Mill Campground

This tent-only campground is ideal for those who want to immerse themselves in a natural bush setting (and who don’t mind living without life’s luxuries for a little while). There are 20 unpowered sites, non-flush toilets and low tables and seating; fires aren’t allowed, so bring your own fuel stove or gas barbecue.

There’s no direct vehicle access here; the car park is about 230 metres away, and bring a hammer for setup, as the surface can be hard. Once you’ve settled in, however, all that’s left to do is relax. Enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature, look out for wildlife, or explore one of the many walking trails in the area.

Address: Allenvale Rd, Lorne (look for Allenvale Road Carpark in Google Maps)

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Jade Raykovski
Jade Raykovski is a freelance travel writer from Melbourne, Australia whose wanderlust began from immersing herself in the fantasy worlds of her favourite books as a kid. She started off her career as a graphic designer, before making the switch to copywriter, and now – in what you could say is the role she was always destined for – travel writer. Along with Australian Traveller, her bylines include National Geographic, BBC Travel, Escape and NZ Herald. And while she loves writing about home, she'll never pass up the chance to sip a spritz in Italy.
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This scenic Victorian region is the perfect antidote to city life

    Craig Tansley Craig Tansley
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    Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

    The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

    There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd. In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

    Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

    ‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

    Exchanging city chaos for country calm

    kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park
    The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

    I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

    The trails and treasures of the Grampians

    sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd
    Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

    Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

    Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles. I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

    walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain
    Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

    There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail, Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

    Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

    “There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

    wildflowers in Grampians National Park
    Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

    Grampians National Park at sunset
    Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

    The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

    What else is on offer in The Grampians?

    a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola
    Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

    You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

    And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

    dining at Pomonal Estate
    Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

    The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

    Salingers of Great Western
    Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

    There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

    The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

    Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

    And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

    Kookaburras on a tree
    Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

    You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity.

    Playing there

    abseiling down Hollow Mountain
    Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

    Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors. Visit Wama, Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium.

    Eating there

    steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap
    Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

    Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate. Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock, can’t be beat.

    Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park
    The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

    For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe. Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines, Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines.

    two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap
    Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.