Holiday houses in Port Campbell

One of the world’s most legendary drives, the Great Ocean Road hugs Victoria’s coastline, passing epic surf breaks and geological wonders along the way. The closest town to the 12 Apostles, a postcard-worthy series of iconic limestone stacks, is Port Campbell, set on a gorge at the mouth of Campbells Creek, sheltered by sheer cliffs and soaring Norfolk pines. National parkland surrounds, not to mention protected waters that are home to bottlenose dolphins and migrating whales. Come sunset, follow the lead of locals, and wander out on the jetty to watch the Southern Ocean’s tempestuous waves crash over the town’s soaring bluffs.

Rain or shine, winter or summer, the Great Ocean Road never fails to dazzle. Port Campbell is at its peak, however, over the summer months (December through February), when daytime temperatures sit at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the water is at its warmest (around 63 degrees). Rainfall in summer is comparatively low. The shoulder seasons of spring (September through November) and fall (March through May) are popular for pleasant weather (65 to 78 degrees) and ideal for hiking and biking. You’ll see slightly higher levels of rainfall, equating to gushing waterfalls through Port Campbell and Great Otway national parks.

12 Apostles

Drive seven miles east through Port Campbell National Park to discover the towering 12 Apostles (though only eight remain today), formed 20 million years ago and jutting up 150 feet from the sea. Clifftop lookouts abound, but the best way to take in this Southern Ocean spectacle is from a helicopter, choppering over the Bay of Islands coastal reserve, the Grotto sinkhole, the London Arch (a natural limestone bridge surrounded by sea), or the full Shipwreck Coast, which includes Australia’s oldest-surviving lighthouse at Cape Otway.

Great Otway National Park

Windswept coastlines, thundering waterfalls, ancient forests, rockpools, beaches, and surf breaks: This is one of Victoria’s greatest national parks for good reason. A highlight is the Great Ocean Walk, between the 12 Apostles and the town of Apollo Bay; the full trail takes eight days, but you can tackle it in sections at your leisure. Add mountain biking, rock climbing, horse riding, and scuba diving, and you just might want to extend your vacation.

Cape Otway Lightstation

Hundreds of vessels have met their fate along the Shipwreck Coast, an 80-mile stretch of coast between Cape Otway and the town of Port Fairy, to the west of Port Campbell. To gain some perspective of this windswept shore, climb the historic Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest working lighthouse in the state. Time your visit between June and October to glimpse migrating whales, breeching and blowing offshore, from your perch.