Lorne is one of the most popular stops along the Great Ocean Road and is a destination worthy of visiting in its own right. Within a short distance there are so many incredible things to do, from stunning beaches, beautiful waterfalls, rare wildlife and views that will simply blow you away.
At just two hours drive from Melbourne, you can easily visit Lorne as a day trip, but we’d recommend giving it a couple of days to really experience everything this area has to offer.
So here’s the top things you must do when visiting Lorne and the best ways to do them.
-
1: Hit the beach
2: Take a dip at a spectacular wild swimming hole
3: Marvel at one of Australia’s best glow worm colonies
4: Be wowed by one of the tallest waterfalls on the Great Ocean Road
5: Visit a winery
6: Go wild koala spotting
7: Delight in Lorne’s best bush walk
8: Adventure to a canyon and waterfalls on one easy trail
9: Check out the surf at Bells Beach
10: Visit Aireys Lighthouse
11: Spot wild roos!
12: Find tranquility at Sheoak Falls
13: Visit the Swing Bridge Cafe
14: Catch a sunset at Teddys Lookout
The top things to do in Lorne
1 - Hit the beach
Almost everyone who comes to Lorne will spend some time on the magnificent stretch of beach, despite that, even when we visited in the busy Christmas holidays the beach still felt empty. It’s pretty incredible that a beach with golden sand with turquoise and indigo water right on the Great Ocean Road could be so empty! It’s a huge area and we’d recommend hitting the stretch just before the main town for the quietest experience.
Lorne Beach was quiet even on Boxing Day!
Lorne Beach
2 - Take a dip in a spectacular wild swimming hole
When you're ready for a change from the beach, it's time to head to wild swimming paradise. Jebbs Pool is a gorgeous oasis in the bush, with clear water and stunning cascades. It's the perfect place to cool off on a hot day, or even a very rainy day - which is when we visited and even then it didn't disappoint.
The walk to get there is just under 1.5km each way and is flat and easy. There is one short river crossing close to the end of the trail, but it's not difficult and makes it feel like more of an adventure!
The pool has plenty of shallow water for kids to enjoy as well as deeper parts that allow for a proper swim. If you don't want to take a dip it also makes for a great picnic spot, with a large rock shelf along the top of the cascades where you can lay out a blanket and paddle your feet!
Here are all the details on visiting Jebbs Pool.
3 - Marvel at one of Australia's best glow worm colonies
There is no night time adventure more magical than visiting the phenomenal glow worm colony at Kennett River. As you look up at thousands of twinkling blue lights illuminating the cliff walls, you'll wonder where the glow worms stop and the stars begin. It's an extraordinary sight.
Although there are several glow worm colonies in Lorne itself, they are very small and not really worth a visit in their own right. This one however, will leave you awe-struck. We've visited countless glow worm dells across Australia and this is easily one of the best.
Reaching it takes just a few minutes and is suitable for everyone as it’s basically right on the road! Please respect the glow worms (don't touch or shine light on them) and keep them safe for future generations to enjoy.
All the details on finding the glow worms and tips for the best possible experience are in this post.
4 - Be wowed by one of the tallest waterfalls on the Great Ocean Road
Once you’ve had your fill of the beach a great place to explore is the Erskine Falls - one of the best Great Ocean Road Waterfalls. The falls are 30m tall and although best visited after rainfall still had a great flow when we visited in the middle of a drought! It’s just 80m from the car park to the lookout at the top of the falls or you can walk 220m to the base of the falls.
There is a viewing platform at the base or you can wander along the rocks to get to the falls itself. I really liked the area of large rocks just at the bottom of the stairs which is a lovely spot surrounded by tree ferns where you can paddle in the cool water.
Erskine Falls still flowing despite the drought
If you want to explore further you can walk for another five minutes or so through the forest to another set of falls. These were almost dry in summer so it is only really worth it after rain. The walk is easy enough but does involve walking over rocks and tree roots and the initial river crossing (where they are plenty of rocks to use as stepping stones).
If you are feeling really active and have two cars for a car shuffle you can actually walk back to Lorne from Erskine Falls which is around eight kilometres.
Read next: 10 magical things to do in the Otways
5 - Visit a winery
If you’re looking for the easiest option for visiting a winery in Lorne then head to St Anne’s whose cellar door is right in town; complete with full sea view!
Tastings are free and they have a range of red, white, and port, but for something a little bit different try the sparkling Shiraz! If you’re feeling peckish you can also pick up a cheese board.
Bellbrae Estate
If you want a vineyard experience then a good option if you’re planning on visiting Bells Beach is Bellbrae Estate (just a ten minute drive away). The views are spectacular and as well as tastings you can order cheeseboards, vineyard platters and locally made ice cream. They do have a tasting fee though which we never particularly like in a winery when so many others don’t!
6 - Go wild koala spotting
Just a 35 minute drive from Lorne is some of the best wild koala spotting in the whole of Australia at Kennett River. We visited in the middle of the day when the koalas are sleepy and still found it easy to see five within about 10 minutes of arriving on the Grey River Road.
One of the few koalas which were awake in the middle of the day!
The best way to see them without the crowds that congregate at the start of the road is to drive for a kilometre or so at which point you can start looking out for them and you’ll likely be the only people around.
We’ve written all our tips for the Kennett River Koala Walk in this blog.
7 - Delight in Lorne's best bushwalk
If you're feeling adventurous you can continue on from Jebbs Pool and visit several more incredible swimming holes along the Cumberland Falls Track. These spots are much more secluded, and you're almost guaranteed to find your own private plunge pool, even during the busy holiday season.
The walk takes you through picturesque forest which looked like it was straight out of a nature documentary when we visited on a cool misty day.
Whilst the track is predominantly easy, there are three further river crossings and some narrow rocky track along the final couple of hundred metres to the small waterfall at the end.
You don't need to take on the rocky section to reach extra swimming holes though, so it's up to you how far you want to go. The full walk is 6.2km return and you can find all the details here.
8 - Adventure to waterfalls and a canyon on one easy trail
The Waterfall Circuit is one of the most varied trails in the area, taking you to two great waterfalls and also through a gorgeous mini canyon! You'll walk through towering gum trees, lush rainforest, past pretty cascades and even alongside an orchard, and all this in just 8.8km!
Although the falls are best visited after rain, they are stunning even when the flow is quite low like you can see in our photo.
The most unusual bit of the whole track has to be passing through the canyon and becoming dwarfed by its looming grey walls. It's incredibly atmospheric and feels like you've just stepped onto the set of Indiana Jones!
You can read our full guide to the trail here.
9 - Check out the surf at Bells Beach
Just over 40 minutes from Lorne you can find Australia’s most famous surf beach, home of the Rip Curl Pro surfing competition. Bells Beach is known to have some of the world’s best surfing breaks with waves recorded as high as 15.5m! It is worthy of being one of the best beaches on the Great Ocean Road.
Bells Beach
You don’t have to be a surfer to enjoy Bells Beach, most people visit simply to check out the waves. The lookout point for the beach is just a few minutes walk from the carpark and you can get down onto the beach itself using the staircase - just don’t go swimming!
One thing to note though is that Bells Beach doesn’t always have huge waves which we didn’t realise before visiting on a calm day! You can check the surf in advance using this website.
10 - Visit the Aireys Lighthouse
The Aireys lighthouse has some of the most spectacular views we’ve seen in the area, and that’s saying something! If you go on a sunny day the water actually looks tropical, with a mix of turquoise and deep blue.
Aireys Lighthouse
It’s a really short walk from the car park and there are several gorgeous lookouts, where you can even see whales in season (May to October). You can also get down on to one of the beaches which was one of the quietest and most beautiful we’ve seen in VIC!
Read next: The fun scramble at Hollow Mountain
11 - Go wild roo spotting
If you haven’t seen a kangaroo in the wild yet, or you just love seeing them like us, then Lorne is a great base for some of the easiest roo spotting in the state.
The small town of Anglesea with a large population of kangaroos is just a 30 minute drive from Lorne and is an easy stop to make on the way back from Bells Beach.
The Anglesea Golf Club actually runs tours to see them on their golf course (all that lush grass makes it a fave grazing spot) but if you don’t want to take a tour you can drive the perimeter and look for them yourself (don’t walk on the golf course itself though as it is private property). Good spots to check are by Golf Links and Harvey Road.
12 - Find tranquility at Sheoaks Falls
Sheoaks Falls has never had that much water when we've visited, yet it's still a wonderful spot. It’s hemmed in by tall cliffs, and the surrounding forest provides full shade so you can sit and relax in total peace and tranquillity.
There were lots of colourful birds, butterflies and dragonflies flitting around which all added to the feeling this was a very special place. The falls can be reached via an easy 700m walking track (each way). There are some steps but it’s an overall leisurely stroll.
Just before the falls there is a turnoff on the left for Swallow Cave, which is just over 500m away. The cave has amazing honeycomb walls and you can watch as dozens of swallows flit in and out of the tiny holes. It's also where you'll find the upper falls, which are a very picturesque set of cascades.
You can read more about the waterfall and cave in this detailed guide.
13 - Visit the Swing Bridge Cafe
The Swing Bridge Cafe is a bit of a Lorne institution. The setting is spectacular, right on the beach, accessed by the swing bridge over the inlet. We tried to visit on Boxing Day when it was sadly closed but we can attest to the setting being totally spectacular.
The bridge to get to the Swing Bridge Cafe
We’d read up online and reviewers give the coffee a thumbs up but the service can be slow so it’s a good idea to go earlyish if you can. The cafe is open 8am-3pm but sometimes they stop serving food earlier than that.
There is both indoor and outdoor seating and it’s tucked away from the rest of the town further down the beach so it’s a gorgeous peaceful spot. We’ll be back to give a first hand review next time we’re in the area!
14 - Catch a sunset at Teddy’s Lookout
Teddy’s Lookout is one of the most famous along the Great Ocean Road and it’s easy to see why. It’s a great spot to get a look both at a beautiful and dramatic beach as well as to get a shot of the Great Ocean Road itself.
You’ll often be driving in the area and wish you could capture what your eyes are seeing but you can’t stop at just the right moment, Teddy’s Lookout gives you that opportunity. It’s good to visit at anytime of day but sunrise and sunset provide the best light.
There are also a few short walking tracks in the area to more lookouts if you fancy a leg stretch.
Teddy’s Lookout just before sunset
Essential info
Peak Season
Lorne becomes incredibly popular during peak season (November to February) so a little preparation can make a big difference. We strongly recommend booking up restaurants before you go, as they can book out, be prepared for traffic jams and difficulty finding parking spaces.
Where to stay in Lorne
There aren’t many accommodation options in Lorne and they sell up quite quickly in advance.
Cumberland Resort Lorne
The Cumberland Resort is right in the centre of Lorne, meaning you are only footsteps away from the beach and all the places to eat (which is brilliant as parking in Lorne can be tricky).
The rooms are pretty simple, but they are clean and comfortable, and the Cumberland also has its own jacuzzi and heated pool.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
Like it? Pin it!
Follow us on social media
Are you planning a trip on the Great Ocean Road? What things would you pick to do in Lorne? Let us know in the comments below!
