Author name: Paul Beames

Phillip Island’s not short on coastline charm but if you want a feed and a pint without the tourist fluff head to the Wooli Tavern. Situated right in Cowes – the laid back island haven that balances surf and wildlife – this family-friendly tavern has the classic Aussie combo: no frills, cold beer, yarns and seafood […]

When I first saw Lake Elizabeth in the Great Otway National Park I thought I’d landed in a dream. Mist clung to ghostly tree trunks rising from mirror-still water, and the bush was alive with quiet. There’s something ancient about this place — half wild, half magic — and it rewards the traveller who slows

When I first laced up my boots for a day on the Surf Coast Walk, I thought I knew the Great Ocean Road — cliffs, beaches, the odd café at Aireys Inlet. But within a few kilometres, I realised I was walking through a patchwork of living ecosystems — dunes that breathe, heathlands that burn

You don’t just arrive in Port Fairy — you sort of unfold into it. The final stretch of the Great Ocean Road unwinds past basalt cliffs and the Shipwreck Coast, where maritime history hums beneath the surf. This small seaside township, perched at the mouth of the Moyne River, feels timeless yet alive — old

Every now and then, you find a place that makes you slow down without even trying. For me, kayaking on the Anglesea River is one of those moments — that perfect pocket of calm water tucked behind the dunes of the Great Ocean Road, where time stretches and the only sounds are paddle strokes and

When I first drove into Aireys Inlet after a long stretch of the Great Ocean Road, I knew this little seaside town had something going on. There’s a quiet to the air here — that sea breeze and eucalyptus combo that only happens on the Surf Coast. You’ll find it halfway between Anglesea and Lorne,

There’s something special about skating with the ocean in earshot. Aireys Inlet Skate Park is right off the Great Ocean Road, where the smell of salt and the hum of surfboards mix with the clack of decks. The first time I rolled in here, I’d just washed sand off my feet at Split Point Lighthouse

The first time I went to a berry farm and picked my own berries along the Great Ocean Road, I had no idea I’d spend half the day with strawberry juice on my fingers and a grin that wouldn’t quit. Out here between the Surf Coast and the Otway Ranges, berry orchards roll across green

You can smell the salt in the air before you even see the breakers. Torquay Surf Beach isn’t just another patch of sand — it’s the heartbeat of the Great Ocean Road, where wetsuits hang like flags of pride and dawn patrols kick off with strong coffee and stronger surf. When I first rolled into

Few trails capture the wild heart of Victoria like the Great Ocean Walk. I’ve walked this coastline from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles and every kilometre tells a story — of big surf, tall Mountain Ash and the stubborn beauty of Victoria’s rugged coastline. 110km through Great Otway National Park and Port Campbell National