Just a relatively short drive from the hustle and bustle of the City of Melbourne is a route known as the Great Ocean Road that has been voted one of the most beautiful drives in the world. The coastline and scenery are so dramatic the best way to appreciate it to the full, is to jump on board a Great Ocean Road Tour and let someone else drive while you do the looking.

Built in the 1930’s as a memorial to those who served in World War 1, the Great Ocean Road is around 160 miles from end to end, and along the way there are so many things to look at and do, you would never believe.

First along the road is Torquay, Victoria’s surfing capital, where some of the biggest names in surfwear are based. There are retail outlets everywhere, selling all things connected with the sport. The beaches near to Torquay are relatively protected, but as you drive further away from the town along the Great Ocean Road, they start to become wilder. Not far away is Bells Beach, where the water is deep blue and unspoilt, with waves that can be as high as 6 meters pounding in. The Annual Rip Curl Surfing Titles are held here, and have been known to be called off from time to time due to the seas being too heavy.

Split Point Lighthouse built in 1891 is an interesting place to stop with wonderful views out over the ocean along the Ship Wreck Coast. It is thought that 700 ships have sunk along this coastline, and of course those are the ones we know about!

Traveling further along you come to Apollo Bay, the heart of the Great Ocean Road region, located at the foothills of the Otways, offering clear, calm beaches and harbor, where water sports abound. However the raging ocean is never far away, for those looking to surf. Just inland from Apollo Bay, stop and take a walk in the rain forest of the Otway Ranges, where you will be able to see some of the tallest eucalypt trees in Australia. This rain forest abounds with ancient and lush plant life, beautiful waterfalls and animals.

Back en route the coastal scenery continues to be breathtaking, encouraging you not to take your eyes off it for a moment, (which is why you need to take a tour). Gaze at the truly fantastic sight of the 12 Apostles, huge rock stacks rising out of the Southern Ocean. Continually being battered by the ocean and blasted by the winds, these limestone stacks have metamorphosed over millions of years. A good place to take a stroll there are walking tracks and viewing platforms to ensure you get the best view of this amazing phenomena.

Most of us have heard the nursery rhyme, ‘London Bridge is falling down’ well in Victoria on the Great Ocean Road London Bridge has well and truly fallen down. Once a series of natural arches beneath a headland, one of the arches in the formation known as London Bridge, collapsed into the ocean in 1990. Prior to this event you were able to walk out onto the headland to its very end point, today the sightseer has to be satisfied with gaining access part way to where the collapse occurred.

So you can see now why you should take a Great Ocean Road Tour, there is so much to look at, a tour is the only way to go. There are 1 day or 3 days tours, or you can even stopover and rejoin the tour another day.