To call Victoria’s Great Ocean Road “iconic” may sound like another lazy cliche. But to those who’ve ridden it and know the history, the term is spot-on.
It’s no surprise to know that Victoria’s Great Ocean Road features on every quality ride or drive list ever published. So when the opportunity came to shepherd two superb current-model adventure bikes along its epic and storied twists and turns, it was time to get the band back together and revisit this superb 243km stretch of tarmac – with a few little twists of our own.
It all started out swimmingly, with our first two days bathed in glorious autumn sunshine – until it didn’t. Thankfully, the best bits were enjoyed in warm, dry comfort. You know what they say: “Take an umbrella and it never rains.” Therein lay our mistake.
My trusty riding compadre Bill Werner and I would share the two precious press bikes, a monstrous Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally loaded with all the luggage, and an equally brutish (except for the colour scheme) Honda Transalp 750, both of which would make for an interesting comparison. Peter Washington dusted off his garish Indian Chieftan, complete with tassels, while young Hugh Gooden joined in again with his own lively little Yammy R3.
As an extra challenge, we were tasked at the very last minute with road-testing a set of German-engineered SW-Motech hard panniers on the Transalp, which included an on-the-spot installation processes that threw Bill’s excellent amateur mechanic instincts into full-blown overdrive (watch the video here!).
To mix it up somewhat, we would linger in Geelong for a bit before setting off on the traditional (B100) route via Torquay, then twist and turn up the C151 via Deans Marsh, returning to the B100 along the C119, rejoining at Skenes Creek.
Overnight stops were planned at Geelong, Apollo Bay and Warrnambool. Our return route was the A1 to Colac, but an aversion to lumbering trucks and lane swervers dictated another diversion to Deans Marsh, this time via the C154, C152 and others to Queenscliff and the ferry back to Melbourne.
Geepers, Geelong
The good people at Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine welcomed us to their city, which marks the logical starting point for anyone about to embark on their GOR adventure.
While we had a bit of a schedule to maintain, dawdlers could easily enjoy a few days in this rejuvenated city, once the home to Ford Australia’s manufacturing operations that gave us decades of Falcons and Fairmonts. Go Cats!
The park-like waterfront precinct is probably the signature location for seaside Geelong and is also home to the annual Geelong Revival Motoring Festival – which kicks off in November, when more than 1000 cars, motorbikes, trucks and caravans will converge to recreate this historic event, featuring the famous quarter-mile waterfront sprints.
The lush Tasman Holiday Parks – Geelong provided us with two swish and very comfortable cabins that more than met our needs, while we indulged in copious pub fare at Queen of the West. Breakfast saw us at The Pavilion right on the waterfront, a perfect start for the long day of riding ahead.
Onward to Apollo Bay
The B100 past Torquay, Bells Beach and Airies Inlet is the archetypal Great Ocean Road. Low sandy dunes overlooking beaches and the vast sea that stretches all the way to Tasmania. Famed among surfers and fishers alike, we cruised effortlessly among the predictable stream of fancy caravans, tour buses and rental SUVs, hoping our international guests remembered which side of the road they were on at any given time.
Stopping for the obligatory photo opp at the Memorial Arch, we were swamped by camera-clutching tourists clearly impressed with our modes of transport. “Yes, you can sit on it for a photo. One at a time, please!”
After rather too much breakfast at The Pavilion, we opted for modest al fresco share plates at the magnificent Grand Pacific Hotel, just outside Lorne. Like something out of a movie set, this impressive hotel was built in 1879 by Mr Henry Gwynne. The three-storey hotel was situated on land adjacent to the pier and architecturally designed in the Gothic style, with two ornate balconies heavily decorated in iron lace, complete with a bell tower and flagstaff.
It was on this next leg that we decided to add a little twist. Peter, our routemaster, had decreed we should investigate the C151 and C119 from Lorne to Skenes Creek via Deans Marsh, through the rolling hills and paddocks interspersed with lashings of Otway Ranges.
Committed holidaymakers should take note. With time on your side, visitors should linger and explore the explosion of healthy food producers all through the Otways. And there’s a name for it: The Otway Harvest Trail. Local producers have joined forces and created a foodies’ guide covering the region from Torquay to Terang and everything in between. Grab the 32-page booklet anywhere along the route for a full listing of participating businesses.
Our Ducati and Honda test bikes made short work of the twisties all through the Otways, smoothing out the corners and powering up the steep bits with only gentle brake application. We’re old dudes, okay, so it was pretty sedate by superbike standards – but it was satisfying nonetheless to open the throttle on the big Ducati and hear it sing that familiar V4 redline serenade.
Ambling into Apollo Bay, we were warmly greeted by Mick, the manager of the Apollo Bay Motel, who spoiled us with spacious ground-floor suites that belied our attempt at budget touring. The motel backs onto the hotel of the same name, so dinner was just a short stumble away. It offers great seafood, pasta and pizza.
Warrnambool or bust
Following the traditional route of the B100 westward across the Otways is the most remembered section of any Great Ocean Road ride. In and out of the shady curves, up and down in the rollercoaster sections, exploring the handling of our respective bikes – and our ability to master them. Sure, it’s easy to get into a rhythm, but don’t get complacent. There are a lot of other road users, many of them from overseas in rental SUVs, who don’t necessarily share our road culture. There are well-placed turn-out lanes for slower vehicles, but ‘slow’ is clearly a relative concept. And then there are the logging trucks…
There’s a cool detour via Lighthouse Road (C157) to see the famous historic sentinel if time permits which, sadly, it did not in our case. The other one at Split Point near Fairhaven is much more accessible if lighthouses are your thing.
Lavers Hill is the spot for a coffee, pastry, or pancake and the necessary morning coffee purge. It’s also an opportunity to swap tales with fellow riders from either direction and answer the inevitable questions from curious non-riders about our machines.
With the morning drawing to a close, we beat a path to the Twelve Apostles. Yeah, I know, but who’s counting. Our airborne appointment was waiting at the helipad where a small fleet of fancy new Airbus H130s ferry eager tourists on spectacular sightseeing flights over Cape Otway, the Shipwreck Coast and what’s left of London Bridge. Seriously, you have to do this. Flight options are 16, 25 and 60 minutes. We draw straws and Bill, Ces and Hugh got the ride of their lives.
We loitered at Port Campbell for a bit but roadworks make the stop a tad inhospitable, so we blasted on to tiny Peterborough for a feed at the General Store where good ol’ roadhouse tucker filled the hole. Just as well the chaps had saved their grub for after the helicopter.
The B100 ends at Allanford, marking the official end of the GOR and its run along the busy A1 through Warrnambool to Port Fairy, but there was something quite special we needed to check out at George Taylor’s Stores. In the barn-like shed that is a huge surplus store are more than 100 very peculiar bikes – including big bore two-strokes and even rotaries mixed in with obscure Italian and European machines in various states of repair. Space does not permit me to describe them all, so you’ll have to check them out yourself – or watch the full video of our ride at youtube.com@AMCNTV.
For our overnight stop at the sprawling Gardens Caravan Park, Port Fairy, we settled very comfortably into our two luxury cabins. It’s only a short walk to The Stump (officially The Caledonian Hotel) for dinner. The piece de resistance here is the 900g Stump Rump and, of course, I had to. It was going to be All Bran for the next few days for sure.
Scamper through Camperdown
We bypassed breakfast and headed to Mount Leura at Camperdown for a quick inspection of the famous hillclimb that has hosted motorsport events for around a century. I reckon we could have broken the track record if we’d hoisted a spinnaker, but the view was worth the discomfort.
Our deal with the weather gods was about to expire, so our return journey was going to be in a bit of a hurry via Camperdown and Colac. Just as we kicked the stands down at the cute little Lake View Cafe, the storm front struck with all the force of a shockwave, casting anything not bolted down wildly across the carpark and into the reserve.
Perched idyllically on the lake’s edge and backing onto the botanic gardens, Teghan Fraser and her team revived the former Botanic Cafe in 2021, offering delicious home-baked treats, great tea and coffee, and healthy salads. The scones are something to behold, paired with real whipped cream and local conserves. 
I wish I could wax lyrically about the journey from here on, but it was simply a matter of ducking for cover when the frequent rain squalls blew through. Rather than duel with the B-doubles and lane wanderers, we ducked back through Deans Marsh on the C152 for some respite and lamented how perfect these roads would have been in fair weather.
Our final flourish was a short relax on the Sorrento Ferry before more murky multi-lane mayhem back home. But we can take comfort in the fact we enjoyed the best of the Great Ocean Road in near perfect conditions. May you be similarly blessed.
Hardcase, easy fixed
We were a bit intimidated at first when unpacking all the bibs and bobs and their accompanying nuts and bolts, but Bill nailed the set-up and mounting in record time. The SW-Motech Trax Adventure cases are at least as tough and well-made as any OEM equipment I’ve seen, and once you’ve conquered the Meccano set instructions and secured them to your bike, you’re good to go!
We only fitted the pair of rear side cases for our GOR test ride; the full kit comes with a top box too, so there’s really nothing you should need to shed for a week or more on the road. The most impressive part of these set-ups are the adapter kits, which let you fit top-quality luggage to virtually any bike – these were specifically for our Transalp and were a breeze to mount and a joy to use. Check out www.houseofpowersports.com.au/sw-motech for more details and prices.
hot tipS & RECOMmENDS
• Tasman Holiday Parks – Geelong, tasmanholidayparks.com (03) 5243 5505
• Queen of the West Restaurant, Bar & Pub queenofthewestgeelong.com.au (03) 5229 2889
• Pavilion Geelong, paviliongeelong.com.au (03) 4214 2000
• Grand Pacific Hotel Lorne, grandpacific.com.au (03) 5289 1609
• Apollo Bay Hotel and Motel, apollobayhotel.com.au (03) 5237 6250
• Gardens Caravan Park Port Fairy, gardenscaravanpark.com.au (03) 5568 1060
• The Caledonian Inn (The Stump), thecaledonianinnportfairy.top (03) 5568 1044
• Lake View Cafe Colac, Facebook.com/lakeviewcafecolac (03) 4245 1121
• George Taylor’s Stores Warrnambool, georgetaylorsstores.com.au (03) 5562 9108
• Otway Harvest Trail, otwayharvesttrail.org.au
• 12 Apostles Helicopters, 12apostleshelicopters.com.au (03) 5598 8283
• Tourism Greater Geelong & The Bellarine, visitgeelongbellarine.com.au
• Great Ocean Road Tourism, visitgreatoceanroad.org.au
How this great road was made
Victoria’s Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most famous scenic drives, stretching 243km along the state’s southeastern coast. Painstakingly built by returned servicemen between 1919 and 1932, the road winds its way through lush rainforests, past towering cliffs and alongside idyllic beaches. It’s often referred to as the largest war memorial in the world, and the story is recounted at the memorial arch at Eastern View, located roughly halfway between Angelsea and Lorne.
