The Best Places To See The Southern Lights In Victoria

You probably have the northern lights on your bucket list, but did you know there are impressive aurora light shows in Victoria?

While tourists flock in the thousands to see the northern lights, the southern lights are a little more elusive – possibly because of their remote locations, and hence difficulty for travellers to access. The good news is that solar activity is expected to peak in 2024/2025, and seeing the aurora australis in Victoria is even more likely.

Here’s everything you need to know for your best chance at spotting the southern lights (aurora australis) in Victoria.

What are the southern lights?

Auroras occur when fully charged particles burst from the sun, creating a solar wind that slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and rushes towards the North and South Poles. As the solar particles collide with atoms of nitrogen and oxygen in our atmosphere, their electrons charge, leaving ions that radiate energy in wavelengths and producing a spectacular natural dancing rainbow.

Where to see the southern lights in Victoria

There’s an element of magic to any aurora – no matter how perfectly you plan, a viewing is never guaranteed. Adding to the mystery, there’s no peak time or season to see an aurora, and no one really knows until right before it happens. They could glow for minutes or hours at any time of the night.

But for your best shot at catching the magic in Victoria, you’ll want to head far south. Point Lonsdale, the south side of Phillip Island, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea and Cape Liptrap Coastal Park are all good options. But Wilsons Promontory National Park is a standout for its pitch-black skies and southerly location.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Wilsons Promontory National Park

A three-hour drive from Melbourne, Wilsons Promontory National Park offers verdant views and nature adventures by day, a serene starscape by night and, if you’re really lucky, an aurora light show. You can camp beneath the stars at Tidal River Campground or check into one of the local cabins or wilderness retreats.

Point Lonsdale

Ninety minutes south-west of Melbourne on the Bellarine Peninsula, Point Lonsdale is known for its scenic lookouts and iconic lighthouse. Head to Point Lonsdale Lighthouse for spectacular photos of the lights and tower. Staying the night? Opt for one of the seven luxury suites at Lon Retreat & Spa which are perched on a hill – perfect for stargazing.

Phillip Island

90 minutes south-east of Melbourne, Phillip Island stretches out into the Bass Strait and is brimming with wildlife, hiking trails, and idyllic beaches. There are a plethora of camping and glamping spots on the island that will provide darkness and uninterrupted southern lights viewing opportunities. Alternatively, treat yourself to a night in one of the luxury bed and breakfast “pods" at The Nest.

Aireys Inlet

Located between Melbourne and the Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet is home to another iconic lighthouse which was featured in the popular TV show Round The Twist. Split Point Lighthouse provides a great vantage point for capturing the lights and rugged coastline.

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Anglesea

Another Great Ocean Road hotspot is Anglesea. This coastal town is renowned for its patrolled surf and swimming beaches and nature conservation areas, the latter of which makes it perfect for aurora watching.

Cape Schanck Lighthouse

It’s not as far south as other spots, but Cape Schanck Lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula is a favourite location for southern lights photographers. Base yourself at the freshly finished Cape Schanck Resort before heading out to catch the lights.

When to see the southern lights in Victoria

Auroras can be seen year-round, but no one knows until right before it happens. They could glow for minutes or hours at any time of the night. While the southern lights aren’t as affected by seasonal light change as the northern lights your best bet at witnessing the phenomena is still in the winter months.

To further your chances of successful aurora hunting, look up the space weather forecast on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology which will show you when solar activity is predicted. You can also follow the Aurora Hunter Victoria page on Facebook where members chat about active aurora nights.

Southern lights in Victoria, Australia — High ISO was used to capture the colour and night sky in this dazzling photo. (Image: Getty Images/dannogan)

Find tips for photographing the aurora australis in our southern lights guide.

This article was originally written by Jessica Humphries.

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach, the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road. Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park, which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae, helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

The best places to see the southern lights in Victoria

You probably have the northern lights on your bucket list, but did you know there are impressive aurora light shows in Victoria?

What are the southern lights?