Feast your eyes and your tastebuds on all that the Great Southern Touring Route has to offer – from fine dining to local hidden gems.

Melbourne to Anglesea

No matter where you start in Melbourne, you’ll want to grab a coffee to go and a hearty breakfast before you get on the road. For a feast that’s as portable as it is delicious, stop in at chef Scott Bloomfield’s Pie Thief in Footscray to grab a coffee made with ST. Ali–roasted beans. Alternatively, stop for breakfast in Werribee, the next major centre on your route. Here, you can see silverback gorillas at Werribee Open Range Zoo and start the day with shakshuka at Notorious Espresso, before hitting the road to Geelong.

Aireys Inlet to Port Campbell

There are plenty of victuals to complement the views along the Great Ocean Road. Stop at the Great Ocean Road Gin Kitchen in Aireys Inlet for lunch and a taste of some of its Distillery Creek Gin. The next main town on the coastal route is Lorne, part of the traditional lands of the Gadubanud people. You can start your day in Lorne with breakfast at The Riverbank Cafe, before spending the afternoon at the Live Wire Park. Once you’ve truly worked up an appetite, tuck into some fresh, local Greek fare at Ipsos, or enjoy a relaxing lunch watching the Erskine River flow by at the Swing Bridge Cafe.

A short but worthwhile detour takes you to the small township of Forrest, where you can enjoy a great meal and sample the fantastic range of local beers at Forrest Brewing Company. Celebrate reaching the gateway to the Otways by taking in some of the lush, local rainforest along one of Forrest’s many mountain biking, hiking or walking tracks.

Warrnambool to the Grampians

Less than half an hour from Warrnambool is the coastal town of Port Fairy, located on the famous Shipwreck Coast. Here, you’re spoilt for choice, with plenty of activities to keep you entertained, including tours of historical buildings, art, antique shopping, guided fishing trips, and even whale watching. Fans of seafood can’t look past Blakes, located in Old Dublin House and serving fresh local produce in a dining room filled with local art and warmed by the roaring fire.

This is just a sneak peek! To find out more, read the Winter 2023 edition of Caravanning Australia.

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