What to do on your Lorne day trip | Australian Traveller

Planning a day trip to Lorne? This guide is the key on how to spend the ultimate day in this charming Victorian town.

The Details:

Where is Lorne?

Lorne is located a two-hour drive away from South-West Melbourne.

Great Ocean Road to Lorne, VIC — Take the Great Ocean Road for scenic drive down to Lorne.

Population

The 2016 census showed a population of 1,114. But in the summer months, expect flocks of tourists to swarm the area.

What’s it all about?

Beautiful surf and hinterland.

Best months to go?

May to October is prime time for a visit down to Lorne.

Why go?

Lorne is a seaside retreat of Melburnians. A quick weekend down the coast with beaches, vibes and a close proximity to the Otway Ranges.

9am

Head over to Health and Hire (HAH), Lorne’s local lifestyle café. Owned by resident Katie Walker, this café is only five short steps away from the local beach and boasts jaw-dropping views of the area. In summer, head up to order brekkie after your surfing session, but in winter, grab a morning hot chocolate and watch the whales play in the bay.

Health and Hire HAH, Lorne VIC — Head over to HAH for a spot of brekkie right on the beach.

The best thing on the menu here is the acai power smoothie bowl, topped with the freshest seasonal fruit, sided with a slice of freshly baked banana bread drizzled in locally-produced honey. Everything at HAH is sustainably sourced and eco-friendly.

10am

After you’ve licked your bowls clean and mopped up all the crumbs, it’s time to head out for a quick cycle. The good thing about HAH is that you can hire out bikes, stand-up paddle boards and surfboards straight from the café. Cycle out until you reach the beautiful beach path to Lorne Pier. Wave hi to the fisherman as you cycle pass and don’t forget Sammy the Seal, Lorne’s resident seal.

Lorne Pier, VIC — Hop on a bike and cycle through Lorne and down to the pier.

11:30pm

Lorne is known for their boutique shops, so take a wander down Mountjoy Parade to check out all the awesome little stores. La Sirena, Vic and Bert and Lorne Beach Books have all set up shop in this coastal town. Search along the strip to find rare antiques, quirky homewares and of course a souvenir or two.

12:30pm

You must be starved after all of that retail therapy. Luckily, Lorne has a whole heap of epic eateries around for you to choose from. It may not look it, but QDOS Arts (two minutes behind Lorne) is home to an art gallery and cute café. Set amongst bushland, enjoy slices of the tastiest wood-fried pizzas or if you have more of a sweet tooth, try their home-made pastries under the sun. After lunch, take a look through the grounds to search for hidden sculptures and artistic gems.

Qdos Art Gallery, Lorne VIC — Pop into QDOS Art Gallery to roam the grounds for hidden sculptures.

If art isn’t your style and you’re in the mood for an Aussie greasy burger, The Bottle of Milk along Mountjoy Parade will satisfy your cravings. Known grilling up the best burgers in the state, this place has quite the reputation. Situated right across from Anzac Park, ask for takeaway and have a picnic on the grass.

2pm

Now is the time to work off that over-filling lunch and what better way to do that than a brisk walk around the best areas in Lorne’s hinterland. Depending on how far you want to walk, Lorne has got a heap of tracks for you to stroll down.

But the locals all swear by the St Georges River Walk. A 5 kilometre walk through the beautiful apple orchards of Allenvale and up to Phantom Falls. This area is home to the tallest eucalyptus trees in Australia. And where the trickle of St George River meets the falls, it feels like you’ve entered a different tropical world. Surrounded by shady fern gullies, revel in the rocky pools to cool off.

4pm

Take a visit to the Lorne Sea Baths to de-stress. With a mix of activities and wellness sessions you won’t be able to pull yourself away. Mini Golf, Bumper Boats and Aqua Orbs are available if you’re up to the challenges.

Otherwise, head into Lorne Salt therapy for a detoxifying appointment. The rooms are fitted out with reclining chairs and a television, and most importantly a fresh air filter to assist in the elimination of airborne particles. During your session, a halo-generator machine will grind up the salt to a fine dust, allowing it to be absorbed through the skin.

7pm

To finish off what has already been a pretty spectacular day, make a booking for the town’s favourite Greek establishment, IPSOS Restaurant & Bar . Bringing a traditional Greek menu to the table, feast on Kalamata olives, chargrilled octopus and slow cooked lamb shoulder all night long. Grab a seat on the outside deck and enjoy a shot of Ouzo under the stars.

Planning to stay?

If you’re planning on staying in Lorne, that’s a wise choice. Accommodation in the area is really affordable considering you’re basically getting million-dollar views wherever you stay.

Allenvale Cottage Lorne, VIC — Stay at this cosy cottage hideaway located just outside of Lorne.

Three minutes away from the town centre, you’ll find a hideaway cabin that is perfect for making you feel a million miles away from civilisation. Check out our review of Allenvale cottages in Lorne.

Hoping to take a holiday to Victoria? We’ve created a complete guide on absolutely everything you need to know.

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

What to do on your day trip to Lorne, Victoria