Whether you are heading down Great Ocean Road for a day trip, a weekend escape or a longer adventure, spending some time in Lorne is always a great idea. It’s an amazingly family friendly destination with things to see and do for kids (and grownups) of all ages.
I’ve rounded up our Top 10 recommendations for activities in Lorne with kids, all personally tried and tested by My Poppet’s resident junior traveller, Emma!
One of Lorne’s best draw cards, the main beach runs for 1.2km along the foreshore and is the perfect place to spend a summer’s day playing in the sand and cooling off in the water. Well patrolled by lifesavers on the weekends and through the Summer season, Lorne’s main beach is a relatively safe beach during average conditions. Facilites include ample free parking, toilet and shower blocks, kiosk and picnic areas with BBQ.
If it’s a bit cold to swim, you can always have some fun exploring the rock pools on the rocky outcrops as the beach turns south. It makes for a nice evening walk before dinner.
If you’re feeling adventurous, sign the family up for surf lessons with Go Ride a Wave. Kids classes cater for ages 5 and up, whilst mixed classes (kids and adults) will suit ages 8 and up.
Lorne’s brand new pier, built in 2007, is a popular spot for fishing enthusiasts. We always enjoy chatting to people fishing on the pier to see what’s biting and if you have a budding junior angler, the pier is a perfect spot to catch a snapper or some squid. Check out this Kids fishing Guide for handy tips on getting started. Kids do not need fishing licenses in Victoria, but an accompanying adult will. A Victorian fishing license can be purchased online most fishing tackle stores and the Lorne Visitor Information Centre.
During May to September, keep an eye out for migrating whales. The pier is a perfect spot for whale watching, just make sure to rug up and take a thermos of hot chocolate as it can get pretty cold and windy out there during winter.
Teddy’s Lookout has some of the best views along the Great Ocean Road. It provides stunning vistas from its platform high above the coast where the St George River empties into a small cove. Drive up to the carpark at the end of George Street, then take a short walk (about 100m) through the bush to two different viewing platforms. Don’t miss the path to the lower viewing platform to the right, it has amazing views of the river and valley below.
Head into the fern filled forests of the Otway Ranges and breathe in some fresh air. There are walks to suit most abilities with the most popular destination being Erskine Falls. The falls are spectacular, especially in winter when there has been some rain and are the tallest in the region with a 30m drop. Erskine falls always have large visitor numbers so visiting early will make securing a car park easier and hopefully help avoid the crowds. The walk down to the lower viewing platform is very steep and involves many many steps, allow extra time as small children may need to be carried.
If you are feeling a little more adventurous cross the creek for an even closer view, but be careful those rocks can be slippery.
My recommendation is a bush walk to the Cora Lynn Cascades. It’s a pretty walk that will take you through fern filled gullies with many fallen logs covered in moss and beautiful tree fungus. Walk starts from the Blanket Leaf Picnic Area carpark (on your left heading to Erskine Falls).
HAH — Heath and Hire, is a little cafe right on the beach where you can grab a delicious healthy smoothie and hire all sorts of active equipment to keep your family entertained for the day. Rent surfboards, standup paddle board, and games like beach cricket sets, Giant Jenga blocks, beach bocce or even a bucket and spade set.
It’s also the perfect chill out spot to watch the sun set.
Lorne and surrounds are full of bird and wildlife. You can find flocks of cockatoos hanging out near the playground/bbq area on the foreshore, and if you are staying overnight you’ll likely see some on your balcony. Their numbers have swelled in recent years which has become problematic, please don’t feed them as it encourages them to hang around humans.
We spotted many types of native parrot breeds and some lizards on our walk to the pier. If you are luck you may catch a glimpse of a koala (apparently one hangs out near the visitor information center) and some wallabies.
The kids will love the large playground area on the Lorne beach foreshore. Themed to look like a pier with a real boat, it’s the perfect place to stop for a picnic lunch if you are just stopping in town for a break from driving the windy Great Ocean Road. A skate park adjacent to the playground area is a great place for older kids to burn off some energy. Don’t forget to bring along their scooters or skateboards.
Stop at the memorial arch at Eastern View, where the original toll gates for the Great Ocean Road were located. Visit the exhibition in the new Great Ocean Road Heritage Centre, located in the Lorne Visitor Centre, which has interactive displays about the areas history.
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
