Aireys Inlet is one of my favorite destinations on the Great Ocean Road.
It’s under 2 hours from Melbourne (even less from Ballarat) and I can potter around the local markets, kick back with a gin in a cosy bar, and get out in nature.
If you’ve never been to Aireys Inlet, here are some of my favorite things to do that will easily fill your weekend or mid-week escape:
I’m a sucker for a good craft market! It’s a collection of the community’s creativity and an opportunity to support local artists who are doing what they love. From eclectic jewellery to ceramic goods and homegrown cactus, Aireys Inlet Market is full of beautiful things to bring home with you. It runs on selected Sundays from 9am -1pm at Aireys Inlet Community Hall. So, stop by to get your hands on some recycled, handmade and vintage goods, including their beautiful woollen winter scarves and beanies.
Tucked away on a sea-side shopping strip, Great Ocean Road Gin’s tasting room is the perfect place to sink a G&T. Surrounded by shady trees, colourful pillows, and a bright blue bar, it reflects the surfy spirit of the Great Ocean Road. Their award-winning gin is clean and refreshing with a hint of citrus and local botanicals that are handpicked from the area. And their home-made jaffles are great too, especially on a cold day!
No trip to Aireys Inlet is complete without visiting Split Point Lighthouse. At 34 metres tall, it has spectacular views of the coast with boardwalks that extend onto its rocky cliffs. Tours run on the hour from 11am — 2pm, so you can climb the original timber staircase and see the breath-taking views from above. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head down to the Lighthouse Tearooms for a damn good Devonshire tea with freshly baked scones.
Sometimes the best way to see the Great Ocean Road is to (safely) park your car and explore it by foot. Put on your gumboots and take a 2km discovery walk across the sand, through the bush and into the township to experience the best of Aireys Inlet. If you’re visiting in winter, keep an eye out for dorsal fins and tail flukes because Aireys Inlet is a great place to spot whales.
From a la Grecque to Onda Food House, Aireys Inlet is full of great places to eat. But my top pick would have to be Aireys Pub. With a brewery on site, Aireys Pub serves a variety of premium beers, crisp pilsners and seasonal lagers that go down nicely with a crispy woodfire pizza. But what I love most about this regional pub is its outdoor beer garden with communal tables and an insanely good view of the ocean. And if it’s raining you can always cosy up next to one of their flaming hot open fireplaces.
Looking for a way to burn off the excess food you devoured at Aireys Pub? Head into Great Ocean Road Mini Golf to play around replicas of the region’s most iconic landmarks including the 12 Apostles, Split Point Lighthouse and the Great Ocean Road Arch. Then challenge your mates to some of the club’s epic arcade and board games including Connect Four and Giant Kerplunk.
Sign up to get the latest deals, tours & events along the Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
