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Helena Bradbury

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The Great Ocean Road is an iconic landmark in Australia but many people don’t bother to go further and visit one extra stop: The Grotto viewpoint on the Great Ocean Road. The Grotto is one of these underrated stops on the Great Ocean Road and this g…

The Grotto Great Ocean Road - Best Viewpoints

The Grotto Great Ocean Road - Best Viewpoints

Helena Bradbury August 29, 2020

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The Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles are iconic landmarks in Australia. But there are many other locations along the Great Ocean Road which are equally worthy of visiting and adding to your once in a lifetime road trip. The Grotto is one of those.

Most people doing the Great Ocean Road drive from east to west have run out of steam by this point and often don’t bother driving the extra 10-15 minutes to this westerly stop on the Great Ocean Road, but that really is a mistake.

This guide includes everything you need to know about visiting the The Grotto, why you should add this to your Great Ocean Road trip, how to get there and where to stay nearby.

You might also like:

Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne: a self-drive itinerary

Tom and Eva Lookout Great Ocean Road - Best Viewpoints

 

How to get to the Grotto on the Great Ocean Road

The Grotto is located on the Great Ocean Road and can be accessed from its own designated car park. This is actually the first stop I recommend starting at if you’re doing a Great Ocean Road day trip from Melbourne as you can take a more direct inland route here from the city.

This car park is clearly signposted as the Grotto along the Great Ocean Road, so follow these signs. Not many people visit the Grotto because it’s located west of Port Campbell whereas the other main attractions are to the east of Port Campbell. The Grotto parking area is a 18 minute drive from the 12 Apostles Viewing Area, or an 8 minute drive west from the town of Port Campbell.

The car park is free.

To get to the Grotto, there is a path from the car park that goes along a boardwalk for a few hundred metres before reaching the cliffs. From here you can see the Grotto cave formation from above, or go down the wooden stairway to go inside the sinkhole area and see the cave formation and rock pool.

The Great Ocean Road is an iconic landmark in Australia but many people don’t bother to go further and visit one extra stop: The Grotto viewpoint on the Great Ocean Road. The Grotto is one of these underrated stops on the Great Ocean Road and this g…
 

The Formation of The Grotto on the Great Ocean Road

The Grotto is actually a sinkhole, where the limestone cliffs have collapsed into the sea below. This has left a partial rock formation and partial cave, with the rock forming an extended archway through which you can see the sea beyond.

The way the sinkhole collapsed has allowed for this coastal formation and also allows the tunnels and rocks to create blowholes at certain tide times.

 
The Great Ocean Road is an iconic landmark in Australia but many people don’t bother to go further and visit one extra stop: The Grotto viewpoint on the Great Ocean Road. The Grotto is one of these underrated stops on the Great Ocean Road and this g…
 

What to see and expect at The Grotto

Cost: free

Accessibility: the boardwalk is flat and accessible for pretty much everyone. However the wooden staircase is steep and the only way down which makes it pretty inaccessible for people with mobility issues.

Walking distance: 700 metres from the car park

Difficulty: Easy

Access hours: 24 hour access

Best time to visit: Whilst The Grotto is a lesser visited spot, it can still get busy at peak times. I suggest visiting before 10am. Sunrise or sunset are also quiet and you have a good chance of seeing the sun appear through the Grotto archway if you’re looking to photograph this spot.

The viewpoint can be different on any day you visit. For me it was blue skies and sunshine but it can also be dramatic and stormy, cloudy days are also great for photography.

This really is a unique coastal area and fascinating rock formation and view. There are rounded pebbles around the viewing area which lead out to a picturesque rock pool in the Grotto itself. The light changes throughout the day, so you’ll see the light and the shadows changing too as well as the light reflecting of the rockpool and the sound of the waves crashing beyond.

Whenever you visit, make sure to add this stop to your Great Ocean Road trip, it’s only an extra 10 minute drive!

 

Safety at The Grotto

The Grotto is accessed via a wooden stairway which leads to the cave below. The viewing area is behind a stone wall, over which you can see the Grotto, the rock pool and the sea beyond.

Because of the sharp cliff drop into the water and the lack of visibility of the tide from The Grotto, it’s important to stay on the designated stairway and behind the stone wall barrier.

People do climb over the barrier, I’ve done it too, but the rocks on the other side are slippery and can be dangerous. At high tide, the waves can come over the back wall of the Grotto unexpectedly, making it dangerous and unpredictable.

Whilst I don’t advise climbing over the wall, if you do decide to, please check the tide times and sea conditions before you do, to ensure you don’t get caught out! If it’s been raining or the weather is unpredictable, don’t take a risk.

Where to stay near The Grotto

There aren’t many places to stay along this stretch of the Great Ocean Road. But because The Grotto is furthest west, it actually sits between two towns, Port Campbell is 8 minutes to the east and Peterborough is 8 minutes to the west. Further west you also have the larger town of Warrnambool, 44 minutes away, if you’re continuing your onwards journey, perhaps towards South Australia.

Port Campbell is the most popular stop to take the quicker inland route back to Melbourne, so I’ve included a further breakdown of accommodation options below.

Click here to browse Port Campbell options.

Click here to browse Peterborough options.

Click here to browse Warrnambool options.

 

Budget Port Campbell accommodation options:

Port Campbell Hostel- perfect for budget travellers. $58 AUD per person per night for a 4 bed dorm with shared bathroom.

Port Campbell Parkview Motel and Apartments - great for budget travellers or couples who don't want to stay in a hostel. Rooms for $77 AUD, for 1 night for 2 adults.

Mid-range Port Campbell accommodation options:

Port O'Call Motel - a super chic, boho vibe hotel but for a great price. $109 AUD per night for 2 adults.

Loch Ard Motor Inn - great value, tastefully decorated and in an amazing location. $103 AUD per night for 2 adults.

Splurge Port Campbell Accommodation options:

Anchors Beach House - a beautiful 5 bedroom apartment with a sea view. Entire place to yourself. From $430 AUD per night for 2 adults.

Southern Ocean Villas - beautiful private villas with garden patios. Perfect for couples. From $171 AUD per night for 2 adults.

I hope you find this guide to The Grotto useful and be sure to include it in your stops along the Great Ocean Road!

Pin it to save for later.

The Great Ocean Road is an iconic landmark in Australia but many people don’t bother to go further and visit one extra stop: The Grotto viewpoint on the Great Ocean Road. The Grotto is one of these underrated stops on the Great Ocean Road and this g…
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Want some help travelling like me? These are my favourite resources I use for planning my trips:

Flights: I use Expedia to find great flights and the best deals all over the world, they have regular sales and offers so I always check their website. I also check CheapOair to find cheap deals on round trip flights.

Car Rental: I love the customer service I've always gotten and the variety of options with Rental Cars. But for short notice rentals, I've been using Expedia for the last year, they always seem to have great one-day rates or last-minute rates from the main rental companies.

Accommodation: I prefer the flexibility of booking accommodation with Booking.com so I can cancel or change my reservation without a fee or only pay on arrival for most properties. For longer or more unique stays I prefer AirBnB because you can get the long stay discount, you can also find more unique properties and book experiences with talented locals and businesses. For my budget trips, I always stay in hostels and book through Hostelworld because they have great guarantees if anything does go wrong. If you arrive and your booking is not at the property, they refund the full deposit AND give you $50 extra credit.

Tours and organised trips Although I don’t use tours that often, I do like to book local experiences or day trips once I reach my destination. For that I use GetYourGuide because it has the biggest selection and variety of tour and experience options.

Travel Insurance: I currently use SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. Which allows me to pay a rolling monthly fee to cover my long term travels.

My camera gear and equipment: I use a Canon 77D with an 18-135mm lens or a 50mm lens. And a DJI Mavic Mini Drone. For all my gear including laptops, tripods and more camera accessories read my travel photography gear guide.

In Australia Tags great ocean road, lookout, australia, australia road trip, road trip, viewpoints, the grotto
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Hi, I’m Helena!

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