Your guide to the famous Pole House on the Great Ocean Road

Jo Stewart Jo Stewart
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An icon of the Great Ocean Road, The Pole House is one of Australia’s most photographed holiday homes.

A Great Ocean Road landmark marvelled at by visitors from near and far, The Pole House is an astounding architectural masterpiece. And unlike many other trophy homes, this is one you can actually stay in. If you feel like splashing out on a stay with a difference, take yourself to the edge of Australia by booking a couple of nights in this seemingly suspended house overlooking Fairhaven Beach.

Location

One of the best things about the Surf Coast is that it feels completely removed from the city yet is just one, easy car ride away. From Melbourne CBD it’s only a one hour and 40-minute drive to reach the famous Pole House in Fairhaven. If you’ve just jetted in from overseas or interstate and are travelling straight from Melbourne Airport, the drive should take you just under two hours, depending on traffic.

The Pole House Fairhaven perched on a cliff
The Pole House is only a one-hour and 40-minute drive from Melbourne CBD.

Located on the Surf Coast, when you hit the town of Aireys Inlet, you’re getting close to experiencing the glory of the Pole House. Once you pull up outside the house, make your way along the floating walkway. This unique piece of architecture looks and feels as though it’s hovering. Supported by a single, hulking steel pole, the Pole House is something of an icon, perched 40 metres above Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

The Pole House Fairhaven above the beach
This stunning accommodation rises 40 metres above the dunes.

One thing you’ll need to get used to is the attention this special house receives. While you’re enjoying your stay, don’t be surprised to look out onto the beach to see people craning from a distance, admiring the Pole House rising above the dunes. Understandably, this head-turner is a bit of a local landmark.

the front facade and floating walkway at The Pole House Fairhaven
Make your way along the floating walkway.

Style & Character

First built in 1978 by Frank Dixon, the original, mostly wooden structure was compromised by the corrosive effects of the sea air. The new owners made the decision to demolish it in 2013 and replace it with a state-of-the-art construction that stays true to the original architect’s vision. The new incarnation reimagined by Franco Fiorentini from F2 Architecture is a minimalist, luxury take on the previous building that will see it stand the test of time.

the kitchen interior at The Pole House Fairhaven
The interior boasts a luxurious, minimalist aesthetic.

The interior is now a modern masterpiece. One of the major changes that architects made was to install floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls on the ocean-facing side to make the most of the stunning views of Aireys Inlet, stretching all the way to Lorne, with the Southern Ocean beyond. The term ‘million-dollar views’ gets bandied about by real estate agents and hoteliers often, but the Pole House really does have a perspective worth the price tag. Want to be wowed (or wow someone special)? This is the place.

floor-to-ceiling walls with beach views at The Pole House Fairhaven
The views are nothing short of spectacular.

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Facilities

Inside you’ll find a stripped-back studio space which acts as an intimate retreat from the outside world. The star of the show is undoubtedly the phenomenal water views you can take in from every angle thanks to the full-length glass windows designed to maximise your viewing pleasure.

a fireplace near the full-length glass windows at The Pole House Fairhaven
You’ll find a fireplace near the full-length glass windows.

With just one bed, this hideaway is the ultimate place for a romantic weekend, memorable proposal, anniversary stay or cheeky solo retreat. The contemporary kitchenette has a microwave, glassware, kettle, coffee machine and fridge for chilling celebratory Champagne and cheese.

the dining table at The Pole House Fairhaven
Raise a glass while soaking up sweeping beach views.

If you haven’t packed any provisions, the Aireys Inlet General Store is just a five-minute drive up the road and stocks a great range of gourmet goods as well as the basics. Here you can buy fresh local produce and snacks like free-range eggs, marinated olives, milk, bread, dips, terrines, cured meats, wine, beer and artisanal cheese – all perfect additions to your stay.

the living room facing the ocean at The Pole House Fairhaven
The Pole House is filled with futuristic and sleek touches.

Of course, the Pole House also has air-conditioning to keep you cool on those balmy, summer nights and a flatscreen TV for watching movies with a glass of vino or cup of tea after dark. A glass, vertigo-inducing balcony surrounds the property – the perfect spot to take in the next-level ocean views. Other sleek touches include automatic blinds, a futuristic floating wood fireplace (how apt) and a wall of burnt ash timber to hide the supporting steel pole.

the bed with ocean views at The Pole House Fairhaven
Sleep in comfort overlooking Fairhaven Beach.

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Accessibility

This property is wheelchair-accessible but not suitable for children or pets.

Details

Address: 60 Banool Road, Fairhaven, Victoria.

Cost: Stay from $1400 per night, for a minimum of two nights, year-round. Planning a road trip through the Great Ocean Road? Hit here to read our guide on one of the greatest roads in Australia.

the exterior view of The Pole House Fairhaven
Take yourself to the edge of Australia in this seemingly suspended house.

Discover the best things to do on the Great Ocean Road.

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Jo Stewart
Jo Stewart is a freelance features writer who pens stories about nature, pop culture, music, art, design and more from her home in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria. When not writing, you can find her trawling through vinyl records and vintage fashion at op shops, antique stores and garage sales.
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Good food, beautiful nature & history: your guide to a long weekend in West Gippsland

(Credit: Rob Blackburn)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    From rainforest walks and scenic drives to historic gold-rush towns and standout regional dining experiences, you can find it all in West Gippsland.

    Hover over West Gippsland on Google Earth and you’ll see vast tracts of land spread out like green velveteen around the Toorongo Falls Reserve. It’s a landscape that feels almost impossibly lush for a region sitting little more than an hour from Melbourne.

    Track southeast in late autumn and early winter and you’ll see pockets of the Mt Baw Baw Plateau dusted in snow. In addition to the forests of mountain ash veined with creeks and rivers, there are pastures and farmland cross-stitched together to form pretty patchworks.

    But West Gippsland isn’t defined by scenery alone: in addition to its awe-inspiring nature, a Venn diagram of the region includes gold-rush history and great culinary experiences.  Spend a long weekend here and it quickly becomes clear how often these three overlap.

    Getting there

    Messmates Dining west gippsland
    Spend the weekend eating and exploring in West Gippsland. (Credit: Messmates Dining)

    Getting to West Gippsland involves as easy drive – it’s just over an hour out of Melbourne along the Monash Freeway.

    Not driving? Catch the train from Melbourne on the Gippsland line, terminating at either Traralgon or Bairnsdale, and hop off at Warragul or Drouin.

    Visit historic villages

    Walhalla historic township
    Wander into Australia’s Gold Rush history at Walhalla. (Credit: Rob Blackburn)

    The West Gippsland region is on the Traditional Lands of the Kulin and Kurnai nations, specifically linked to the Bunurong, Gunaikurnai and Wurundjeri Peoples, whose connection to Country stretches back thousands of years.

    European settlement occurred in the 19th century as timber cutters, farmers and gold seekers pushed into the region’s dense forests. Small towns grew around sawmills and railway lines, and many of those gold rush settlements, timber towns and railway villages still shape the character of the region today.

    The most evocative of these is Walhalla Historic Township, a remarkably preserved gold-rush township tucked deep in the mountains. In the late 1800s, it was one of Victoria’s richest goldfields. Today visitors can step inside that history at the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine, where underground tours reveal the scale of the mining operation that once powered the town’s prosperity. Nearby, the Walhalla Goldfields Railway retraces part of the original narrow-gauge line through the valley, offering a slow journey past forest and river scenery.

    Further west, Noojee is a classic mountain village. It’s surrounded by dense forest and waterfalls and has become a natural base for exploring the Baw Baw region. Just outside town, Noojee Trestle Bridge stands as one of West Gippsland’s most striking relics of the rail era. The towering wooden structure is the tallest surviving trestle bridge in Victoria and today forms the centrepiece of an easy scenic walk with wide views across the valley.

    Alpine Trout Farm west gippsland
    Catch your own lunch at Alpine Trout Farm. (Credit: Nicky Cawood)

    At Alpine Trout Farm near Noojee, visitors can fish for trout in mountain-fed ponds before enjoying the catch prepared fresh onsite. It’s a simple experience that reflects the area’s long connection to the surrounding waterways.

    Back in Warragul, the region’s main service town, the story shifts from heritage to modern regional life. With galleries, restaurants and sweeping views across the rolling farmland of Gippsland, the town has become a lively hub linking the district’s past with its evolving food and cultural scene. Drive through the town and you’ll find heritage buildings, old pubs and weatherboard cottages that hint at the area’s early days as a frontier landscape.

    In other towns the past survives in quieter ways – a historic hall here, a century-old bakery there.

    Walks, waterfalls and wild places

    Toorongo Falls in west gippsland
    Stroll Toorongo Falls Reserve. (Credit: Nicky Cawood)

    Even simple roadside stops can feel cinematic in West Gippsland. The region also delivers plenty of opportunities to lace up your walking shoes.

    One of the region’s most rewarding nature escapes lies just outside Noojee at Toorongo Falls Reserve. A network of walking tracks winds through the cool-temperate rainforest where towering mountain ash trees filter the light and the air smells of rich, damp earth. The 2.2-kilometre trail to the viewing platform overlooking Toorongo Falls is short, but spectacular, as the water cascades down over moss-covered rock faces into a cool, green gully in Little Toorongo River.

    Further north, the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort offers year-round adventures. In winter, the mountain attracts skiers and snowboarders. The warmer months are just as compelling, with scenic drives to see alpine wildflowers, mountain bike trails and panoramic hiking routes that open across the plateau.

    Cyclists and walkers looking for a more relaxed pace can follow the Rokeby Neerim Rail Trail, which traces a former railway line through farmland and small Gippsland villages. The mostly flat trail passes rolling paddocks, creeks and historic bridges, making it an easy way to drop it down a gear when exploring the countryside.

    Taste the best eats of West Gippsland

    Hogget Kitchen west gippsland
    Taste the best of the region at Hogget Kitchen.

    For many travellers, the real drawcards of West Gippsland are the food and wine. The region sits in the heart of Victoria’s fertile dairy country, and that agricultural backdrop has helped shape a dining scene where seasonal produce and local provenance take centre stage.

    Hogget Kitchen has helped put Warragul firmly on the radar for serious regional dining in West Gippsland. Here, head chef and owner Trevor Perkins runs the kitchen alongside well-known winemakers William (Bill) Downie and Pat Sullivan. Hogget Kitchen lives up to its promise of exceptional destination dining; what lands on the table depends largely on what nearby farms have harvested that week as well as a wine list from Wild Dog Winery and other Gippsland producers.

    Warragul is also where you’ll find Messmates Dining where the kitchen team is led by Michelin-trained chefs. The Euro-leaning bistro and wine bar brings a polished edge to the local dining scene using produce sourced from across West Gippsland.

    For something more casual, the century-old Noojee Hotel is the kind of hub that every traveller dreams of finding after a long drive. Expect generous pub classics served on the sunny deck in summer or beside the crackle of a log fire in winter.  Nearby, rustic Toolshed Bar, Bistro & Cabins is the place to go for a wood-fired pizza topped with smoked local trout paired with Gippsland wine, making it a rewarding stop for lunch or an overnight stay.

    Time your visit with the Truffle Festival

    Food lovers visiting in winter should consider timing their trip to coincide with Noojee Truffle Festival, running from 10 July to 2 August 2026. The inaugural event celebrates the region’s emerging truffle industry with tastings, special menus and events built around one of winter’s most prized ingredients.

    Start planning your long weekend in West Gippsland at visitgippsland.com.au.