You’ll find everything in Aireys Inlet… a stunning lighthouse, walking tracks, pristine beaches and a thriving foodie scene!
Aireys Inlet is located at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road, an easy drive of around 90 minutes southwest from Melbourne via the Princes Freeway.
Taking the Geelong Ring will streamline your trip and eliminate any traffic lights. Alternatively, break up your trip by taking a detour towards Geelong City and take time to explore the Geelong Waterfront, or slip in a sneaky shopping spree at the Torquay surf shop precinct.
Making regular stops to recharge along the way or change drivers will reduce driver fatigue, and ensure you get to us safely. Head to https://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/pausestop to locate key Driver Reviver rest stop locations, VicRoads rest areas, Visitor Information Centres and points of interest around the state to help you take a break from the road.
Trains operate between Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station and Geelong (approx 1 hour travel time) and require a myki pass. From Geelong Station purchase a paper ticket and take the Warrnambool via Geelong & Apollo Bay V-Line coach continuing to the Post Office/Great Ocean Road stop in Aireys Inlet (approx. 1 hour, 10 minutes travel time). Expect total travel time to take around 3 hours with daily fares capped at $9.20 or $4.60 for concession.
See the Journey Planner at Public Transport Victoria for more information.
Arrive in Aireys Inlet at the boutique Sunnymead Hotel, located in the centre of town, and check-in to your newly renovated Superior Suite with vintage inspired-furnishings, sunny mid-century, yet contemporaryvibes and pops of retro colour around every corner.
You’ll be tempted to stretch under the funky yellow umbrellas by the magnesium mineral pool, but resist the urge and instead pull on your walking shoes to take a 10-minute stroll along the clifftop on a short section of the Surf Coast Walk to reach Split Point Lighthouse. Here you can take a self-guided tour inside this functioning lighthouse, discovering a rich maritime history of protecting vessels along the Shipwreck Coast.
Breathtaking 360-degree views greet you at the top with coastline visible from Lorne to Anglesea as well as back across the township and into the Great Otway National Park. A coffee or loose-leaf tea is a must at The Lighthouse Tearooms, set in what was once the lighthouse keeper’s stables. If you’re feeling peckish, you can’t go past the mushroom toasties!
Once you have explored the lookouts over the Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary make your way back to the hotel. If you have time, detour down past the Inlet and back through the Aireys Inlet Bark Hut Reserve exploring the historic Bark Hut replica and the Allen Noble Wetland Sanctuary, home to a plethora of native birdlife and flora
Now is the time to freshen up for dinner, with a hot shower, or a soak in your room’s deep tub. If you’re feeling more decadent, look no further than stunningly designed on-site Indie Spa. With packages starting from $200, you can choose from traditional spa therapies, or indulge in a session in the bathhouse, the Rasul steam room or the Vichy shower, all with a herbal tea, or cheeky cocktail in hand. Whatever you choose, you will emerge pampered, relaxed and rejuvenated
A five-minute walk will find you at what the locals call the “Top Shops” where you will have the difficult choice of appetizers. Will it be fine wine complimented by French cheese and regional charcuterie at Le Comptoir, or will the Asian delicacies paired with the small batch handcrafted gin next door at the Great Ocean Road Gin Kitchen win you over. There are no wrong choices here. Resist the urge to overdo it though, because a Greek-inspired feast awaits you out on the balcony at A La Greque where you can enjoy the fresh air and watch the stars as you dine. The menu is focused on fresh seasonal ingredients, and the seafood never fails to delight. Thankfully the restaurant is located right next door to your accommodation, so it will be an easy stumble back to your king-sized bed for a great night’s sleep.
Choose your own adventure this morning. Will it be a run along the Surfcoast Walk track overlooking the surf beaches? Or a mountain bike ride through the Great Otway National Park out to Currawong Falls where you can easily believe you’re the only person left on earth. This is also the chance to take advantage of a session at Indie Spa or a wander up to Mr T & Me for breakfast and a stroll through the Eagle’s Nest Art Gallery and the local boutiques for a some retail therapy.
If you didn’t sneak across the road after dinner the night before, now is the perfect time to sample a tasting paddle of Salt Brewing Co’s award winning craft beer, brewed onsite at the Aireys Pub. But remember, there’s never a ‘safe’ amount to drink when you’re planning to drive so you’ll need to battle it out for who is going to be designated driver. Whether drinking or not, the Pub’s seasonal menu will have your lunch plans sorted as you relax in the beer garden and take in the view.
Before departing Aireys Inlet, take a drive 7 minutes down the Great Ocean Road towards Lorne to visit the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch where you can commemorate your trip with a couple of selfies while you reflect on the efforts of the 3,000 returned World War I servicemen who built the Great Ocean Road as a memorial to their comrades who died in service.
You won’t be ready to leave, so why not catch a few waves or take a soul-healing walk along the pristine sand at Spout Creek, or Fairhaven beach before returning to reality.
A nature-lovers wonderland and a foodie’s heaven in its own right, Aireys Inlet is also the perfectly located central base to explore the greater Surfcoast region, the Great Ocean Road and the Great Otway National Park.
To discover more about this coastal wonderland, go to I am Aireys Inlet and book your next getaway — you won’t regret it!
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.
