The Great Ocean Road has some exceptional beaches and waterfalls to cool off from the summer heat.

The Great Ocean Road is a popular and beautiful scenic route where travellers from all over will spend their summertime. Whether you go for a quick day trip, have a stunning weekend getaway, or have a week long adventure, the Great Ocean Road is the best holiday destination.

Victoria’s summers can get extremely hot, making the beaches along the Great Ocean Road look more inviting than usual. With the golden sand beaches, lakes, creeks, and waterfalls, there are plenty of swimming activities for the whole family. Check out our list of the best spots around!

Great Ocean Road Beach

• Warrnambool Beach

Warrnambool is the largest town along the Great Ocean Road, so of course you can expect its beach to be amazing. Stretching out and allowing plenty of sand space for visitors, it is a great spot for family or group outings.

Here at the beach, you can go surfing, swimming, sunbaking, and even whale watching! These are all popular activities but only during winter, you can watch whales.

So why not perch yourself somewhere between the surf club and pier, where you can have good access to the waves and the shallow waters for the kids?

• Kennett River

Kennett River may sound like a pleasant and tranquil swimming spot in the river, but it is in fact a popular surf spot! Kennett River is known for its rough current and picture-perfect waves.

Located by a caravan park, the majority of its inhabitants are campers visiting all summer for an exceptional beach holiday.

Come down and spend the day in the water and sand. There is even a nearby cafe and shops for food and drinks.

• Bells Beach

Bells Beach is by far the Great Ocean Road’s most famous beach, being the birthplace of Australian surfing. It is renowned for its big swells and major surfing competitions, nestled just outside the popular town of Torquay.

At Bells Beach you can learn to surf or if you already know how, you can go surf with the local pros. If you’re not keen on surfing, you can watch the surfers or just take a stroll along the beach.

• Beauchamp Falls

Beauchamp Falls

Used majority by the community camping area located in the northern section of the Great Otway National Park. It is a small region only allowing 15 tents max, with the area filling up fast during summer.

From the campsite, walk along the path through the rainforest for about 40 minutes to reach Beauchamp Falls. When you’ve arrived, you can go down to the falls or take a dip in the watering hole. The best part about this waterfall is you can swim underneath the falls and go behind it.

• Jebbs Pool

Jebbs Pool is a beautiful swimming hole in Lorne. Surrounding Jebbs Pool has tall gum trees and many cascades. You can come down here for a refreshing dip to cool off during summer.

The walk to the swimming spot starts from Cumberland River Caravan Park with a 20-minute trail leading towards Jebbs Pool. One of the first things you will soon be welcomed with is the dramatic cliff walls and the river where you follow further down to reach the pool.

Don’t forget the picnic blanket and some snacks and this is a great spot to enjoy a summer picnic lunch!

• Erskine Falls

Erskine Falls

Another amazing swimming hole near Lorne within the Great Otway National Park is Erskine Falls. First, you should stop at the first lookout point before walking down 230 steps through the lush tall trees to reach Erskine Falls.

You can swim at the bottom of the falls and it is the perfect spot to cool off on a hot day. Generally, the swimming hole is cooler due to the trees stopping the direct sunlight from hitting the water.

The Great Ocean Road has plenty of opportunities to go swimming, from incredible beaches and waterfalls to swimming pools. We recommend going swimming during the summer months as there are restrictions on swimming at the beaches during winter.

Explore Our Great Ocean Road Tours Today!

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward began with a passion for travel and turned it into a thriving tourism business. He co-founded Sightseeing Tours Australia after starting out as a tour guide in Melbourne. Cameron delights in helping visitors get the most from their trip to Australia. Whether he's leading tours or writing about his favourite places, Cameron loves sharing his local insight with fellow travellers.

Previous article: