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Post Info TOPIC: Great Ocean Rd
Steve11


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Great Ocean Rd
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hi All, heading from Adelaide to Queenslcliff in February. I have driven this road a few years ago but just as a day trip. Now is the time for a slower pace with our van. Happy to stop for a few days one end and then same again the other end and then head out for day trips, site seeing and hiking. I would love to hear your recomendations of places to stay and other activities in the area. Maybe there is a good spot in the middle to stay for a week? open to any suggestions as we are in no rush. At Queenslciliff we are having a night on the Blues Train for those who like live music TIA

Steve



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Diggings


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We camped at Princeton Reserve, powered site, good clean ammenities and was reasonably priced

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Dave
Desert Dweller


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Another vote for Princetown Reserve. Cheaper & not as touristy as other spots.

Despite the lower price it's right near a lot of the attractions. Otway National Park forests & all the cliff line features like the 12 Apostles.

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Peter_n_Margaret


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Get off the coast and explore the Otway Ranges.

Cheers,
Peter

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ruffnut09


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Steve.

Ditto what DD said about Princeton Reserve. Parkes Vic. run the reserve at Johanna Beach, be self sufficent and is dog freindly and very good also.

I am ex-coach driver and our company only allowed travel on the Great Ocean Rd in a westerly direction, (for safety sake), it gave far more room on the left so as to keep the coach within the traffic lane (keeping on correct side of double lines). Traveling East you have the cliff wall very close to road and big vehicles tend to spend quite a while over double lines to get enough clearance to negotiate the tight left hand bends. The company deemed this too dangerous. How big is your caravan? Will this be an issue for you?

Regards,

Ruff

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rockylizard


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ruffnut09 wrote:

Steve.

SNIP~~~ the reserve at Johanna Beach, be self sufficient and is dog friendly and very good also.
~~~SNIP

Regards,

Ruff

Gday...

Johanna Beach campground is now by online bookings only ... and is $27.90 per night with no power or water. Long drop toilets and no showers.

Nice area, but undulating campground and difficult to find a level site.

From my experience Great Ocean Road caters poorly for the caravan traveller. No 'free/low cost' camps and any van park/campground charges like that wounded bovine.

Princeton Recreation Reserve is an acceptable price, good amenities and nice and central for day trips east, west or north.  

However, as Peter said, the Otway National Park is an excellent place to spend your day trips. Pay for staying at a 'comfortable' van park for a few days and get up inside the Otways.

Much more interesting than fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with tour busses at the 'GOR attractions'. A single short day trip from Princeton will give you all the time you need to see the 'GOR attractions' and take the obligatory piccy between tourist heads.

Cheers - John 



-- Edited by rockylizard on Friday 15th of December 2017 12:14:56 PM

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Aus-Kiwi


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Yep we zig zaged from coast to inland . Nice part of world . The hard part is DRIVING and looking at scenery !! Beautiful !!

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PeterD


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The Great Ocean Road, that used to draw a bit of passion when discussed. Ten years or more ago people would only consider the bit between Airies Inlet and Appolo Bay that the diggers constructed to be the GOR. This section is a monument to the WW1 returnees who toiled for many years. They went there to work as there was not much work elsewhere and they worked under trying conditions. 20 to 25 years ago the tourist promotion people got in the act and gradually stretched the GOR to include all the coastal road betwseen Geelong and Mt Gambier. I consider this to be a travisty to the memory of the WW1 diggers. There is very little on the web supporting this these days. The best bit for history is Great Ocean Road History.

The best place in my opinion to see the real GOR is from  Appolo Bay. Stay at the Appolo Bay Rec Ground if you camp off power or Marengo Holiday Park if you want full facilities. Spend a full day loooking at the GOR, drive to at least Aireys Inlet and then do most of your sight seeing on the way back (the parking is easier that way.) Spend some time in the Lorne visitors centre to see their display on the diggers section. Also go up to Teddy's Lookout to look down on the road. A visit to the Ottway lighthouse is worthwhile, there is also a WW2 radar station there and the northern terminal of the first long distance underwater telegraph cable. The northern terminal of the first long distance telephone cable is the Appolo Bay visitors info centre, it still contains some of the original terminal equipment.. Another good days outing from there is via Lavers Hill to the Ottway Fly and home via Beech Forrest and Tanybryn.

Despite my views regarding the real GOR a group of us enjoyed a trip from Geelong to Mt Gambier earlier this year. A week in the Geelong Showground would be suitable to explore the Bellaraine Peninsula and perhaps a day visit to Melbourne by train. Visit the Fort Queenscliffe to find out how the first allied shots fired in WW1 and WW2 came from there. The Queenscliffe Maritime Museum is worth visiting particularly if you are into outboard motors, I think their oldest one is over 100 years old.

The other places we stayed at were Figtree Holiday Village in Warrnambool, Portland Tourist park (but there is better there) and Pine Country CP in Mt Gambier.



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Steve11


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Thanks so much for your replies. So how would this suggestion be? coming from SA drive thru Pt Fairy and port Campbell and then thru Ottway National Parks to arrive at Apolla Bay and stay there. Is this route ok for towing a 19 ft van? Then do all the site seeing up and down the coast while staying there. Then leave Apolla Bay and head inland as soon as practible to end up at Queenscliff. We can do this in the reverse direction if its better, we are on no time schedule except we are going to Queenscliff for an event

.

thanks again

steve



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PeterD


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Steve, this sounds like you are not interested/ have insufficient time for stopping along the coast before Apollo Bay. That entails a trip of nearly 800 km. Mt Gambier would split your journey to two nearly equal sections. There is plenty to see there if you wish to stop for a few nights. However if you can press on for a little longer and you are not per-booking that would give you more time to stop at Loch Ard George and the 12 Apostles. Both have good parking for big rigs. If you wish to stay at Mt Gambier and Warrnambool this would give you plenty of time to tour between Warrnambool and Apollo Bay There is the cheese factory and a few other stopping view points where you can park your rig on the way over. From there on your plans sound good.



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PeterD
Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top
Retired radio and electronics technician.
NSW Central Coast.

 
Steve11


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hi Peter, thanks for replying. no, I do not intend to rush through the 800 km from Adelaide, but as i know that route quite well I didnt put it in the discussion. I just wanted help with the best way around, in and out,places to stay around the GOR area. thanks



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JayDee


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Having completed  drivev on the GOR last year, it was a trip down memory lane to read the threads.

Particularly Peter D link to the wikipedia. Well worth the read and a Great story of the hard yakka by our forefathers.

Jay&Dee

 



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PeterD


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Steve, enjoy your trip, we did, it's a great area to visit.

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PeterD
Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top
Retired radio and electronics technician.
NSW Central Coast.

 
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