The Great Ocean Road stretches more than 240 km along the rugged south-west coast of Victoria. It is truly one of Australia’s most iconic scenic drives. But the true magic of this route isn’t just the drive itself - it’s the breathtaking vistas that unfold at almost every turn. From dramatic limestone stacks to panoramic ocean horizons and lush forest-framed coastal views, this coastline delivers unforgettable moments at every lookout.

When you join one of our private Great Ocean Road tours, we include more than just the usual stops along the way. We offer you a choice of the 10 best lookouts on your journey, lookouts that showcase the soul of this legendary region. But more than just the stops themselves, with their stunning views, we also tell you the tales that are associated with many of them.

• A tale of a famous escaped convict who lived for decades with the local indigenous people 

• A tale of a devastating shipwreck that brought disaster and a potential love story between a beautiful young doctor’s daughter and the hero who rescued her

• And stories of brave soldiers who laboured hard for over a decade to build a road in tribute to their fallen comrades.

Here you will find out more about all of these fabulous lookouts along your Great Ocean Road Tour. All written by actual tour guides and drivers who visit these locations nearly every day so they are up to date.

Don’t forget to read the Tour Guide Tips that accompany several of them. 

Fairhaven – where breathtaking views begin 

Just as you come out of Airey’s Inlet, on the left-hand side of the road, you will most likely see a number of cars pulled over on the shoulder of the road. This is not officially a lookout but it’s a common place where people stop to take their first photos on their Great Ocean Road tour. It’s so popular because it’s usually the first glimpse everyone gets of just how spectacular their day’s journey is going to be. You will see your first sweeping vista as the Peninsula curves out into the ocean, revealing a gorgeous shoreline with the Split Point Lighthouse as its crowning glory.

Memorial Arch (Eastern View) – the iconic start

While not technically a lookout, this is one of the most popular stops along the Great Ocean Road because it is the real start of your journey. This location features the iconic Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch, which you absolutely must get a photo of to prove you did actually were on this road and not just any other beach road. It also has a memorial to the more than 3000 soldiers who built the road over a century ago, that you still get to enjoy today. It’s also a popular place to slip down to the beach, dig your toes in the soft white sand and feel the waves wash over your feet. And, of course, take another stunning photo. This one on an endless beach that seems to disappear into the horizon.

TOUR GUIDE TIP – Please DO NOT take photos of anyone standing in the middle of the road under the Memorial Arch, no matter how good you might think it will look on Instagram! Several people have been run down and killed by cars doing this!

Big Hill – the first elevated lookout

This is the first place where you’ll discover one of the most wonderful things about the Great Ocean Road. It’s not just the breathtaking vistas around every corner, it’s the fact that the road constantly rises and falls. Sometimes you are driving along down at the same level as the beach. Sometimes you are rising up high on a cliff, able to look down on the ocean as perfect waves roll endlessly in to break on the rocks below. Big Hill is your first chance to get the feeling of this “hi-rise view” over the ocean. And the views are definitely well worth it.

TOUR GUIDE TIP – Ignore the signposted lookout called Camera Point which comes before BIG HILL. It was once a better view but has become so overgrown with trees in recent years it no longer has the view it once had.

Teddy’s Lookout Lorne – Birds-eye view

The most incredible thing about Teddy’s Lookout is that is the only lookout on the Great Ocean Road that actually looks DOWN on the Great Ocean Road. A spectacular view overlooking the St George River. From here you can gaze down on the gorgeous vista of a turquoise blue ocean beneath you. Perhaps you’ll spot some fish swimming in the ocean. If you are here in August you might spy migrating whales breaching on the horizon as they pass by. Pods of dolphins have also been seen. There are also some fascinating ancient rocks that contain concretions of round bubbles in them. (Intriguing for the kids!) On your short stroll back to the carpark, don’t forget to look up in the trees. You may catch sight of one of the pair of Kookaburras who call this place home and are always on the lookout for some tasty snack a tourist has dropped or left behind.

TOUR GUIDE TIP – This lookout has a small carpark that can get a little crowded at peak times. If you are towing a trailer or caravan DO NOT VISIT THIS SITE. You may find it impossible to turn around and get out. And backing up the almost single lane road is a challenge. This is why the larger public bus tours cannot visit this lookout, only the smaller vehicles used on private tours.

Mt Defiance Lookout – ‘Wild White Man’ territory

This historic lookout, still featuring its original rock wall, not only offers fabulous elevated views of the coastline in both directions, it also features a story about William Buckley, the ‘Wild White Man’ who lived with the indigenous people for 32 years. He is the origin of that great Australian expression “You’ve got Buckley’s chance – which means no chance at all. (Ironically, he outgrew the saying to make it actually mean the opposite of what it is supposed to mean.) You’ll also see plaques commemorating the soldiers and sailors who built the road and the man who inspired it all – the Mayor of Geelong, Howard Hitchcock. It features a fairly small parking area, that can get full at busy times so approach slowly before deciding to pull over. There is a small parking area just metres before the lookout on the left on the left if coming from Melbourne and one on other side if coming from Apollo Bay on a “reverse tour”. As always be careful getting out of your car or crossing the road as it’s all on a sharp bend.

Tour Guide Tip. If you visit in late summer lean over (carefully) and see if you can pick some of the big, black, juicy blackberries growing just below the rock wall. Also watch out for your kids as the drop at the end of the walls is steep and dangerous.

Cape Patton Lookout – Wild Ocean Cliffs

A little further along the drive near Kennett River, is Cape Patton Lookout. It offers stark, unfiltered views of sheer coastal cliffs plunging directly into the Southern Ocean. It’s one of the many “carpark lookouts” along the way. There’s no need for a hike - just pull over, step out, and let the expanse of sky and sea take your breath away. This particular stop feels a bit more dramatic than others, a little bit more untouched and wild, 

Castle Cove – a brief ocean encounter

This is an odd one. But worth it. It comes after a quite long drive through the Otway Forest. (Up to 40 minutes if you’re coming from Apollo Bay). It’s a good reminder that even while you have been driving through forest for ages, you are still on the Great OCEAN Road, which is easy to forget when you’re surrounded by trees for so long. But it has a large carpark and gives you a chance to reconnect with the ocean again. If you have the time, it’s also one of the stages of the Great Ocean Walk.

The Twelve Apostles – The Crown Jewel

No matter how beautiful, wonderful or gorgeous any of the other lookouts along the Great Ocean Road are, this is the one that outshines them all, combined! No tour is complete without visiting the legendary Twelve Apostles. There is simply nothing to compare to your first sight of these towering limestone seastacks, rising dramatically from the Southern Ocean. They are without doubt the most iconic sight on the entire coastline. The original viewing platforms here give you multiple angles to admire these natural wonders. But the new viewing platform, only opened in 2025, offers even more remarkable views because it takes you out further from the cliff face and gives a different perspective looking down the coastline from what you normally see in all the iconic photos. Both are especially stunning at sunrise or sunset when the light bathes the cliffs in warm hues. You may have seen these icons in a million photos, but nothing will prepare you for actually seeing them in person. They will literally take your breath away!

Tour Guide Tip. If you plan to tour during the summer peak, it can be smart to choose the option of a “Reverse” Great Ocean Road Tour where you take the back roads and arrive at the Twelve Apostles earlier than the big crowds who come down the coast road from Melbourne. This way you avoid the peak hour traffic of visitors. You still get to see all of the Great Ocean Road on your way home.

Loch Ard Gorge – History, Love & Spectacle Combined

Just minutes from the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge is a dramatic inlet flanked by towering cliffs and sheltered sandy beach. But this is not a single lookout. This a multitude of them. There is so much to see here. Boardwalk paths and cliff-top lookouts offer varying perspectives of the ocean crashing below multiple stunning vistas. You could spend several hours wandering from lookout to lookout, taking in the enthralling beauty of this gorge. But what makes this place even more haunting is the tale of Tom & Eva, the two young survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck that gives the place its name. Theirs was a love story that could never be. (To find out more read this blog The story of Tom & Eva - survivors of the Loch Ard Tragedy). While today we look at the place and wonder at its beauty, it’s impossible to forget that it would have been a terrifying place for two young people who had just watched everyone they know lost in a horrible shipwreck.

Gibson Steps – Majestic cliffs overlooking the sand

The Gibson Steps are named after Hugh Gibson who built the nearby Glenample Homestead. (This is the place that plays a part in the story of the Loch Ard shipwreck survivors). He created these 85+ steps that reach down to the shore by following the original path that the local Kirrah Whurrong people used to use to access the beach. Over the years they have been used by fishermen and people gathering debris that has washed up on shore from local shipwrecks. Gibson himself used them to gather various items on the beach that had come from the Loch Ard. Unfortunately the steps are currently closed due to dangerous rockfalls, but you can still get an outstanding view from high up on the cliffs from the lookout near the carpark. Most remarkable about this view is that it includes 2 sea stacks which are separated from the rest of the 12 Apostles by the headland that now contains the new lookout.

Making the Most of Your Private Great Ocean Road Tour

With so many spectacular lookouts, timing your stops are everything. Some tips to enhance your experience:

• Sunset: The Twelve Apostles and surrounding stacks are even more beautiful and spectacular during the “Golden Hour”

• Seasonal Wildlife: Between June and October, watch for migrating whales off lookouts such as Teddy’s Lookout or Cape Patton.  

Why These Lookouts Make your Tour

Each lookout along the Great Ocean Road tells a different part of this stunning coastline’s incredible story. Each offers a different view, an alternative perspective, another way to look at nature in all her beauty. From ancient limestone cliffs carved and shaped by the relentless power of the ocean to lush hinterlands that roll gently down into turquoise bays. What makes them even more remarkable are the personal connections you will make with them: a quiet moment listening to the thunderous sound of the ocean, or that perfect photo where the land, sea, and sky converge.

When you book a private tour with us, we tailor the journey to your pace - ensuring you linger at the lookouts that you love the most, with expert insights and flexible time to explore and photograph. (As compared to the public tours where you are all shuffled on and off a crowded bus, run to a strict schedule on a fixed itinerary.)

Ready to Explore the Great Ocean Road?

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning to uncover more hidden gems, the Great Ocean Road’s lookouts offer endless inspiration. Let us help you craft the perfect itinerary, combining these iconic viewpoints with local stories, seascapes, and unforgettable moments.

Contact us today to begin planning your Great Ocean Road adventure—where every lookout becomes a memory.

An extra lookout to consider - Marriners Lookout Apollo Bay 

Marriners Lookout is perched above Apollo Bay and offers an unrivalled view of this charming coastal town. However, it requires a relatively longer walk than most of the other lookouts, where you can just pull your vehicle over, step outside and get the view. In wet weather the track from the carpark can get quite slippery and so this might only be suitable for those more agile people and only in the sunnier weather. But it is a favourite among photographers and sunset seekers. If you are driving yourself, you can certainly take this one in.

A lookout to forget - Cinema Point

Many websites still mention Cinema Point but if they do it just proves how out of date they are. (Or perhaps written by AI.) Cinema Point used to be a favourite lookout between Eastern View and Airey’s Inlet. And for good reason. It offered one of the most elevated locations on the Great Ocean Road with great views of the rugged coastline. The view was truly panoramic. However, in recent years, the trees in front of it have really grown tall and full, blocking out much of the most fabulous views. Stop if you want to. There are still great PARTIAL views. But if you want something clearer for a more open view, particularly if you want photos, try one of the others.