A vibrant, volunteer-run, artist's space adjacent to the Colac Otway Performing Arts Centre. The Makers' Space has regular workshops, ranging from crochet to eco-printing, mosaic, drawing and painting. Monthly exhibitions are packed with beautiful original artworks for sale. There is also a workshop shed at the showgrounds for silk screen printing and messy art, and weekly sessions are open to all to learn or 'play'.
Colac Tenpin Bowl is South West Victoria's premier family entertainment venue, offering fun for all ages in the heart of Colac.
Whether you're visiting the region, travelling along the Great Ocean Road, staying in Colac for business, or simply looking for a fun indoor activity, Colac Tenpin Bowl provides entertainment for families, friends, groups and visitors all year round.
The centre features 10 tenpin bowling lanes, arcade games, a licensed snack bar and a range of options for casual visitors, competitive bowlers and special events. Bowling is suitable for all ages and abilities, with lightweight balls, bowling ramps and bumpers available to help everyone join in the fun.
Visitors can enjoy a casual game with family and friends, challenge each other in the arcade, or relax with food and drinks while taking in the atmosphere. Whether you're looking for a quick game, a rainy-day activity or a memorable outing with family and friends, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Colac Tenpin Bowl also hosts birthday parties, corporate functions, school groups, sporting clubs and community events throughout the year, with a variety of group packages available.
Conveniently located in Colac's town centre, the venue offers a welcoming and inclusive environment where visitors of all ages and experience levels can create lasting memories together.
The Colac Botanic Gardens, designed by Wiliam Guilfoyle (Melbourne Botanic gardens), occupy about 16 hectares in an elevated position along the southern banks of Lake Colac.
A 1.1 kilometre carriageway circumnavigates the gardens, providing access to cars, runners, walkers and cyclists. Mature oak trees planted along the perimeter provide shade and weather protection to visitors.
A series of walking paths weaves through the gardens, showcasing feature garden beds and trees, places to sit, open lawn areas and beautiful vistas across the lake.
At the eastern end of the gardens, a children’s playground and barbecue area provides a fantastic place for family time.
The former curator’s cottage (c.1924) at the western end of the gardens has been converted into the popular Botanic Café.
On the centre northern fringe of the Gardens a viewing platform provides a place to rest and enjoy the view across the lake towards Warrion Hills, while a set of steps down the steep escarpment provides easy access to the Lake Colac foreshore.
Public toilets are located on the lake foreshore.
Gates enabling vehicle access to the gardens are open from 10:00am to 4:00pm daily. Dogs on leads are welcome in the Gardens. Doggy disposal bags are provided at the western and middle gates.
Re-tree-t into this Australian native forest and recharge with a 100 per cent natural high. Soar through the messmate trees of the Otway Forest and relive your playground days on the 15-metre-high monkey bars.
Featuring a double-storey 'Home Tree' deck, Treetops Adventure Yeodene gives climbers and spectators a 360-degree birds-eye view of this rustic forest.
A 2.5-hour session through the aerial challenges (including gearing up) will have you laughing along with the Kookaburras. After safety, your adrenaline is our top priority, so our courses are designed to challenge you, no matter what level you're at.
Tarndwarncoort is a wool shop on a sheep farm near Colac in the Great Ocean Road region. It is the home of Polwarth sheep.
With a yarn shop, flock of Polwarth sheep to meet, farm accommodation, mini-museum and gallery, and program of classes and events, it's a place primarily for fibre artists and crafters, and travellers who are more generally interested in history, farming and local culture.
Set amongst heritage listed Tarndwarncoort Homestead, the Wool Shop offers a wonderful selection of wool products for craft, including bespoke yarns and one off dye lots using the Polwarth wool grown on the farm.
Visitors to the Wool Shop can also walk around the Homestead garden, get close to a flock of Polwarth sheep and enjoy a coffee in the courtyard.
You can request a visit outside regular hours and the team would get back to you.
Check for classes, workshops and community events such as the monthly Crafty Sundays to book in a special visit.
Located inland from the Great Ocean Road in the Otway hinterland 1.5 hours drive west of Melbourne.
Two guest cottages provide a unique experience of staying on an historic farm where a flock of naturally coloured Polwarth sheep provide a backdrop to a relaxed stay central to the Great Ocean Road, Otway National Park, Geelong, Warrnambool and Ballarat.
This is the way mountain biking should be — an expansive network of tracks linking to one of Victoria's beautiful regional townships. Stay for a long weekend in Forrest to make the most of the network and many other attractions of the Otways.
Two hours drive south west of Melbourne, the Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails. It caters for riders of all levels and is considered one of Australia's top mountain biking destinations.
There are 2 main trail networks to the north and south of Forrest in Otway Forest Park, both accessible by off-road bike trails from within Forrest.
The southern section of the network winds through tall eucalypt forest with wet gullies. It has many trails to choose from, ranging from easy to difficult.
The northern trails have a different feel and flow through lowland forests and woodlands. These are more challenging and will test your skills and get your heart racing.
Make sure you ride to your abilities and check the difficulty rating marked on the trail at the site.
Everyone can enjoy mountain biking at Forrest due to the many trails suitable for adaptive riders.
There are wheelchair accessible toilets at the Trailhead and Skills Park. Parking is available at the trailhead and at locations throughout the Southern Trail Network.
Head to Lake Elizabeth hidden deep in the Otways and discover its inspiring beauty with heavily timbered flanks and calm waters punctuated by the trunks of dead trees, drowned when the valley was flooded more than 50 years ago to form this perched lake. The elusive platypus can be found in the waters of the lake - wake up early or head to Lake Elizabeth at dusk to catch a glimpse of these shy Australian natives.
Lake Elizabeth Campground is a dogs-on-lead camping area. Sheltered by tall eucalypt trees it nestles beside the small Barwon River. Lake Elizabeth is a short one kilometre walk away. Forrest Mountain Bike Trailhead is at the Day Visitor Carpark. Pitch a tent in the small campground. Look and listen for Satin Bowerbirds and inquisitive Superb Fairy-wrens and Eastern Yellow Robins.
There are 20 campsites accommodating up to six people per site. All campsites are unpowered and are suitable for tents only. There is no direct vehicle access to the campsites. A 15-minute unloading bay is located close by and a separate carpark is located above and behind the campground just a two minute walk away. Non flush toilets.
Before traveling, visit Parks Victoria's website to check for changes in park conditions which may impact your visit. Remember to stay bushfire ready using the Vic Emergency website while in nature.
Stevenson Falls is one of the most spectacular and accessible waterfalls in the Otways. It is 2.5 hours drive south west of Melbourne, and just a short walk from a specious well-equipped campground and picnic area beside the Gellibrand River.
The 3.4 kilometre return walk to Stevensons Falls passes through a stand of large Californian redwood trees and alongside the river to the base of the waterfalls.
This easy walk is suitable for everyone and is wheelchair accessible and pram friendly.
The site also has two smaller walks: the Redwoods Boardwalk, showcasing the giant Californian redwoods, and the Blue Spruce Walk which runs along the Gellibrand River.
The picnic area, with tables and accessible toilets, is a short walk from the car park along an accessible boardwalk suitable for wheelchairs and prams.
This pleasant and spacious free campground is surrounded by giant Californian redwoods next to the river. It has 44 designated campsites suitable for tents, wood-fired barbecues, picnic tables and toilets.
This site is not suitable for caravans and camper trailers - nearby Dandos Campground caters for those.
Most attractions and facilities at the day visitor area are accessible for people in a wheelchair or with mobility needs and are pram friendly. This includes the car park, walkways, toilets and viewing platform.
One of the Otways' most spectacular waterfalls, Beauchamp Falls is in the Otway Forest Park. It is 2.5 hours drive south west of Melbourne, near the town of Beech Forest.
The Beauchamp Falls Walk is a three kilometre one-hour return walk. The walk leaves from the Beauchamp Falls Campground picnic area and takes you to the spectacular 20 metre waterfall. Walk through the beautiful towering rainforest and enjoy scenic views of mountain ash forests and thick ferns.
The Beauchamp Falls Campground is tucked away in the lush rainforest. This family-friendly campground is flat and spacious with dedicated areas for tents, caravans, campervans and camper trailers. There are fire pits, picnic tables and toilets available for use for campers and for day visitors at the nearby picnic area. This is a free and popular camping spot so it's best to arrive early to secure your spot. The road into the campground is unsealed but can easily be accessed by a two wheel drive vehicle and caravan.
The Forrest Mountain Bike Trail network is less than an hour's drive north east of this site via Forrest-Apollo Bay Road.
Bring your own water for drinking and cooking as there is no access to potable water.
Firewood around the campground is limited and may be wet, so it is recommended to bring your own.
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures is the ultimate outdoor nature experience and is located less than three hours away from Melbourne (via Princes Highway inland route) and 90 minutes from Geelong (via Princes Highway).
Experience a breathtaking view of the magnificent Otway Ranges from the 25 metre-high elevate walkway or fly 30 metres high from tree to tree on the Zipline Tour.
The Treetop Walk is a one hour rainforest walk experience, that is approximately two kilometres in total and features a 600 metre long and 47-metre high steel structured treetop canopy walkway.
The Zipline Eco-Tour is a two-and-a-half hour, fully guided experience including training and simulation, eight cloud stations, six flights and two suspension bridges.
Home to magical enchanted forest featuring fairies and dragons! Discover a whimsical neighborhood of fairy homes and their magical inhabitants, snuggled within a magical nook in the Otway Fly Treetop Adventures trail.
Check website for current operating hours.
Experience Australia's wildlife at Fauna Australia, where you can interact personally with iconic animals in a stress free environment. Join their 30-minute Koala Experience where you can take your own photos, tailored for busy travellers. Undercover photo area enables all weather experience. Connect with koalas, capture your memories, and enhance your Great Ocean Road itinerary. Book your Koala Experience today.
Conveniently located midway between Apollo Bay and The Twelve Apostles, Fauna Australia is only 45 minutes away from Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay and Colac. Some other nearby attractions such as Triplet Falls is 15 minutes away, Otway Fly Treetop Walk is 20 minutes away and Melba Gully glowworms is only five minutes.
At Fauna Australia, they prioritise inclusivity and diversity within the team through the Progressive Pathways Program. The talented all-abilities keepers and guides, including individuals with disabilities, bring unique perspectives that enhance the organisation.
For travellers with more time on their hands, experience the Great Ocean Road and Otways with their conveniently located accommodation. Watch the place come alive at night with their nocturnal species from your fully self-contained spa cottages that sleeps four. Feed friendly kangaroos and wombats.
Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf are part of a large volcanic complex known as the Leura Maar which was formed more than 20,000 years ago by a series of major volcanic eruptions.
Since 1995, community involvement on the Reserve has resulted in major conservation and revegetation activities, including planting thousands of Indigenous trees, grasses and herbs, construction of paths, information displays and shelters.
Located in the third-largest volcanic plain in the world, the summit of Mt Leura affords magnificent views of the districts many volcanic cones. Take the time to explore the amazing natural beauty of the reserve − you never know what you might find!
Visit Australia's most electrifying adventure park. Unplug, recharge and set your senses alight with the beauty of the Great Ocean Road whilst zip lining, roller coasting, climbing, exploring and wandering through this world class adventure experience.
Home to the Shockwave Zip Coaster (Australia's most extreme zip line), epic ropes courses and the treetop canopy circuit; experience nature supercharged.
Live Wire Park is an elevated, adrenaline-producing experience that reconnects its visitors with each other and nature by recharging the human spirit through world class facilities along with inspiring, reassuring staff, whilst supporting the environment and the local community.
Experience the Great Ocean Road Story: Building Australia's Most Famous Road. This purpose built permanent exhibition in the newly constructed Great Ocean Road Heritage Centre is located in the Lorne Visitor Centre.
The Great Ocean Road is a memorial to the lost lives and sacrifices of the Australian diggers in world war one. More than 3000 returned soldiers built the road from 1919 onwards, conquering steep cliffs, rugged terrain and dangerous weather so that the isolated towns along Victoria's stunning western coastline could be joined together.
Since its official opening in 1932, the Great Ocean Road has breathed life into the local communities along it and become a mecca for tourists. It is a engineering marvel. Come and experience the Great Ocean Road Story.
The Great Otway National Park stretches from Torquay through to Princetown and up through the Otways hinterland towards Colac. The park features rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, rock platforms and windswept heathland and beautiful spring wildflowers. In the north, the park features tall forests, ferny gullies, magnificent waterfalls and tranquil lakes.
The Great Ocean Walk, stretches 91 kilometres from the idyllic resort town of Apollo Bay to Glenample Homestead (adjacent to the 12 Apostles). It passes through the National Park and overlooks the Marine National Park.
Experience and enjoy the natural environment on horse back or on a mountain bike. A permit is required for horse riders to ride in the National Park and Parks Victoria staff can assist you with this. The formed roads and tracks provide ideal trails for these active endeavours.
Picnic opportunities abound, with lovely settings at many of the waterfalls as well as Blanket Leaf, Sheoak, Distillery Creek, Moggs Creek, Paradise, Melba Gully, Shelly Beach, Triplet Falls and Blanket Bay to name a few.
There are excellent camping opportunities throughout the Parks.
Situated in the heart of the Volcanic Lakes and Plains of South West Victoria, The Courthouse Camperdown offers expert tips and advice on how to explore the picturesque Corangamite shire. One of many beautifully preserved heritage-listed buildings in Camperdown, The Courthouse also hosts a local art exhibition which changes monthly and a fabulous range of gifts, preserves, home wares and essential travel items, with a strong emphasis on locally made goods, at the very least Australian made.
Whether it's a tour of the 125-year-old iconic Clocktower, taking in the panoramic views from Mt Leura, having a picnic in the hilltop botanic gardens overlooking two craters, taking a bike ride on the scenic Camperdown - Timboon rail trail, or finding unique places to visit within the shire, the friendly Courthouse Ambassadors will be more than happy to help you make the most of your stay.
Known as the Jewel of the Otways, Melba Gully is one of the wettest places in the state. The gully has prolific plant growth and is a dense rainforest of Myrtle Beech, Blackwood and Tree-ferns, with an understorey of low ferns and mosses.
Perhaps the most unusual inhabitants of the area are the glow worms, which can be seen at night along the walking tracks.
The 35 minute Madsen's Track Nature Walk departs from the picnic area, providing an adventure into a world of ancient, mossy trees and cool fern gullies.
Picnic tables, a gas barbecue and toilets are provided at this site. Camping is not permitted.
Before you go
Conditions can change in parks for many reasons. For the latest information on changes to local conditions, please visit the relevant park page on the Parks Victoria website.
Be bushfire ready in the great outdoors. Refer to the Bushfire Safety section on the Parks Victoria website for tips on how to stay safe.
Welcome to Seahorse Natural Therapies and Accommodation. If you are looking for a really relaxing piece of paradise by the sea to unwind or chill for a bit, then this is it. The studio is located in the seaside village of Skenes Creek, six kilometres from Apollo Bay and 45 minutes from Lorne, one street back from the Great Ocean Road.
You can hear the soothing sounds of the waves crashing upon the Snapper Rocks from the Bali Hut, while you are enjoying a, Therapeutic Relaxation Massage, Gua Sha Facial, Bowen / Remedial Massage or Ear Candling. Run by Lizzie, a qualified and registered Remedial Massage practitioner with over 23 years experience in the health and wellness services.
Seahorse is perfect for people of all ages visiting the greater Apollo Bay area, who are looking to add an extra activity to their health and relaxation routine on their break. For appointments please contact the operator by phone.
Marriner Lookout overlooks Apollo Bay and is located on the outskirts of the township.
An easy but steep 10 minute walk from the carpark is rewarded with a spectacular ocean, beach, hinterland and town view, especially pretty for watching the sunrise.
Note that this is a popular spot and the carpark can be quite busy of weekends and public holidays. The track and lookout are located on private property so please follow instructions on signage, closing gates and taking any rubbish with you when you leave.
Distance: one kilometre return. Time: 20 minutes. Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
Apollo Bay Museum displays a collection of historical artefacts relating to the history of Apollo Bay and its surrounds. The heritage-listed Cable Station houses three vast rooms of objects and photographs.
Features include items from local shipwrecks such as the Casino, Wollamai and Speculant as well as tools, furniture and textiles from as far back as the 19th century.
A collection of family histories is also available for viewing.
There is also an extensive photographic collection.
The Great Ocean Walk is a one-way, long-distance walk extending just over 110 kilometres. Starting in Apollo Bay, the trail ventures through the Great Otway National Park and Port Campbell National Park, concluding at the famous Twelve Apostles. This once-in-a-lifetime hike will take you eight days in total, or you can sample sections on a range of single day or multi-day hikes.
The Great Ocean Walk shadows the iconic Great Ocean Road. Every day is different as you weave through tall forests, coastal heathlands and beside rocky shore platforms. Cross creeks, rivers, pass above wild-rocky shores and deserted beaches with panoramic views and windswept cliff-tops.
Walkers can stay at one of the dedicated campsites or find off-walk accommodation nearby with the comfort of hot showers and soft beds. There are seven small hike-in campsites, which must be booked prior to walking. Licensed Tour Operators are available to provide pick up and drop off services. Walkers must consider their noise and environmental impacts and please take all your rubbish with you.
Before your visit, please check the relevant park page on the Parks Victoria website for updated changes of conditions and familiarise yourself with important bushfire safety information to ensure your experience is safe and enjoyable. For information about fires, Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans visit the Vic Emergency website.
Cobden's Miniature Railway Park features a 1.8-kilometre railway with bridges, tunnels, overpasses and lakes. It runs through a parkland environment, which was formerly part of the Cobden Racecourse.
Visitors can enjoy multiple train rides as there are many different trains to ride - all run by volunteers who own the locomotives. The trains are operated by the South Western Model Engineers.
There is no charge to enter the Park. They operate on the third Sunday of every month and every Sunday during Victorian school holidays.
Bookings for family get togethers, birthday parties, bus trips and any other groups can be made on other days.
Cobden Pioneer Park is a living tribute to the region's early settlers, preserving the rich farming, dairy, timber and agricultural heritage of the Cobden and Heytesbury district. Set among authentic and faithfully recreated buildings, the park showcases vintage machinery, historic tools, and the exceptional Harold Lamb buggy and carriage collection, including rare treasures like the famed Boneshaker bicycle.
Established in 1998 and located beside the Cobden Miniature Railway, the park invites visitors to step back in time and experience the ingenuity, resilience, and everyday life of our pioneering community.
Cobden Pioneer Park opens to the public every third Sunday of the month, as well as every Sunday during the School Holidays as part of the 4 Fun Day activities at the Cobden Racecourse Reserve.
Cobden Pioneer Park is also available for hire for special events, gatherings, and community functions.
The Cobden and District Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the rich history of the local area.
Their collection spans a wide range of subjects, including schools, timber cuttting and milling, the dairy and sheep industries, war memorabilia, and the histories of local clubs, families, and businesses. In short, they are committed to preserving the past and the present for the future.
Established in 1985 at the request of local residents, the Society operated from several temporary locations before finding its permanent home at The Chocolyn Hall in Grayland Street, Cobden.
They also assist with family history research for those with connections to the Cobden district. If you're interested in learning more or seeking help with your own family history, please contact them via email.
