Great Ocean Road

LynnaJir
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Great Ocean Road

Postby LynnaJir » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:42 pm

Hi, I'm a beginner at long distant biking. Can anybody give me suggestion on biking on Great Ocean Road. Is the road bike-able? Wide shoulder? Paved Road?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

banjo
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Postby banjo » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:22 pm

I'm a bit surprised no-one has posted a reply on this one. I haven't personally ridden the Great Ocean Road but I intend to next year I hope. From memory its incorporated in to a number of rides. Street view might be an option to check it out more. What I do know is its a summer ride. You don't want to be down there in winter!

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Kalgrm
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Postby Kalgrm » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:25 pm

I've ridden on it between Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. It's an excellent weekend tour when combined with a train trip to Colac and a train back to Melbourne from Camperdown

I don't think I'd ride it between Apollo Bay and Angelsea though - the road verge is pretty narrow along the water there and drivers think it's a race track.

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il padrone
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Postby il padrone » Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:48 pm

I have ridden sections of the Great Ocean Road many times, although it's been a while since I last rode Lorne to Apollo Bay, the best bit :)

It is a wonderful tour, lots of scenic variety. You can easily do it in 4 days to ride from Geelong right through to Port Campbell and Warrnambool, although allowing 5 days gives you some time for extra activities. The traffic hazard is somewhat over-rated. These days there is a good sealed shoulder on the section from Geelong to Anglesea (the section that has the most traffic), and beyond to Lorne I think. After Anglesea the traffic slows as the road becomes winding and scenic ++. After Lorne there is even less traffic to bother you. Generally the winiding road means most drivers won't exceed 60kmh much, they are touring like you and enjoying the experience. It's pretty low stress, you'll get lots of waves from fellow travellers I've found. I always reckon it's best to ride from Geelong heading west, as not only are you on the sea side of the road for the best views as you ride but drivers will be looking at the views and have you in their field of vision.

Summertime can be a bit busy for accomodation in Lorne and Apollo Bay, but there are camping opportunities at smaller settlements, and after Apollo Bay things quieten down. I'd suggest not leaving/entering Geelong on a hot summer weekend as this will produce lots of traffic on the less enjoyable section to/from Anglesea. And more likely to be motorbikes about, who tend to be the only hoons on this road.

One wonderful place to visit not far off the Great Ocean Road is the Cape Otway area and the campsite/caravan park at Bimbi Park. Wonderful coast and bush walks, horse trail rides (if that's your thing), the historic lighthouse nearby and lots of koalas about. There's also side trips to the Aire River mouth, Johanna surf beach and Moonlight Head - all scenic coastal views and beautiful beaches. Then inland a bit there's Turtons Track to Beech Forest and the Otway Fly treetop walk.

Enjoy the tour :D
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hoysta
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Postby hoysta » Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:38 pm

Yeah i would be careful when riding on the great ocean road. Like stated before there are many drivers who organise cruises to the great ocean road and they treat it like a race track....perhaps if you are going to ride it, go at a less busy time ie during the week if u can or get off to an early start. But the views and the breeze would be amazing when riding!!

otway
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby otway » Fri Feb 09, 2018 8:31 am

I would not advise touring the Great Ocean Road on a bike as the traffic now is very much tourist buses, hundreds a day and overseas visitors straight off a 12 hours plus overnight flight.

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find_bruce
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby find_bruce » Fri Feb 09, 2018 9:04 am

otway wrote:I would not advise touring the Great Ocean Road on a bike as the traffic now is very much tourist buses, hundreds a day and overseas visitors straight off a 12 hours plus overnight flight.
Given that you are not a cyclist and your activity in this thread, I would take anything you say with a very large grain of salt

BJL
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby BJL » Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:02 am

find_bruce wrote:
otway wrote:I would not advise touring the Great Ocean Road on a bike as the traffic now is very much tourist buses, hundreds a day and overseas visitors straight off a 12 hours plus overnight flight.
Given that you are not a cyclist and your activity in this thread, I would take anything you say with a very large grain of salt
No, he's right Bruce. And further more, locals should also refrain from using the road as they just add to the heavy traffic. It's just too dangerous for locals to be on the roads with much bigger tourist buses especially given the narrow road. To hell with it, may as well do it properly and just close the GOR to ALL traffic except tourist buses. All maintenance of the road can then be funded by the tourist operators who damage the road instead of all taxpayers as is the case now.

So as to not inconvenience locals, and given the high risk of bush fire in the Otways, ALL residents of Kennett River, Wye River and anyone living outside the town boundaries of Apollo Bay, Lorne and Skenes Creek should be 'relocated' for their own safety and the entire area declared national park all the way to the ocean. There's no real need for these towns to exist anymore and really, you'd have to be pretty stupid to choose to live in this area. Putting yourselves and your families at risk in such a negligent way.

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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby fat and old » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:16 am

find_bruce wrote:
otway wrote:I would not advise touring the Great Ocean Road on a bike as the traffic now is very much tourist buses, hundreds a day and overseas visitors straight off a 12 hours plus overnight flight.
Given that you are not a cyclist and your activity in this thread, I would take anything you say with a very large grain of salt
I'm gonna go down to A.B. next week, and count these buses. Just for something to do. :lol:

otway
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby otway » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:51 am

find_bruce wrote:
otway wrote:I would not advise touring the Great Ocean Road on a bike as the traffic now is very much tourist buses, hundreds a day and overseas visitors straight off a 12 hours plus overnight flight.
Given that you are not a cyclist and your activity in this thread, I would take anything you say with a very large grain of salt
Well that's untrue Bruce, I do have a bike that I ride daily either down to the shops or for a bit of exercise. It's not a you beaut bike like you probably have, but the wheels go round and I huff and puff when I use it so it does the job to get my heart pumping. So stop making ridiculous statements.

Wye River has the best coffee and food fat and old and probably the most pleasant place to sit if your going to count busses.

fat and old
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby fat and old » Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:20 pm

Nah, I haven't fished Wild Dog for years. Maybe stop there. Can see the road easy when out the front of gannets, fishing the big gutter. :D

Edit...if it's still there.

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P!N20
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby P!N20 » Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:04 pm

il padrone wrote:Then inland a bit there's Turtons Track to Beech Forest and the Otway Fly treetop walk.
This. Turtons Track has to be one of the best roads to cycle in Victoria.

otway
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby otway » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:01 am

P!N20 wrote:
il padrone wrote:Then inland a bit there's Turtons Track to Beech Forest and the Otway Fly treetop walk.
This. Turtons Track has to be one of the best roads to cycle in Victoria.
Your right about that, due to being unsuitable for heavy vehicles, even caravans the road is in perfect condition and anyone who uses it is not in a hurry to get anywhere as there are quicker roads to Beech Forrest. It reminds me of the great ocean road between Apollo Bay and the Aire valley in the 70's except it's sealed. It would be safer to ride earlier in the morning though as there are a few tourists use this road and they could be on the wrong side of the road around that next corner.

djw47
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby djw47 » Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:10 pm

I rode the section from Torquay to Lorne on a Saturday morning in summer last year and it was fine, there's a shoulder along a lot of it and I have to be honest, I don't remember seeing any buses at all. Maybe I got lucky.

Uncle Just
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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby Uncle Just » Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:22 pm

Given the almost 10 year thread resurrection, I've noticed a lot has changed on the GOR. Like IP I've toured it quite a few times, last time in about Dec 2012. I drove large sections of it on Monday for our international guests and I was amazed at the increase in traffic. Ok it was late summer and a lovely fine day but I also saw large numbers in mid July a couple of years ago on a really bleak day. Cars, large buses, minibuses etc containing an increasing number of tourists.
Currently there are major road works meaning half road closures at a number of spots we drove from past Port Campbell to Lavers Hill and Skenes Creek to Lorne due to the road deterioration caused by heavy vehicles and the ongoing cliff stabilisation. (I turned inland at LH and drove the C155 to Beech Forest taking Turton's Track then rejoined the GOR from Skenes Creek to Lorne) So I wouldn't choose to ride the full length until all that's completed but even so I think it's probably pretty busy all year round now given it's definitely on an international tourist's must see list. I would favour using a part semi inland route taking in Forrest, Turton's Track etc.

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Re: Great Ocean Road

Postby lone rider » Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:54 pm

The buses are heading from the city in the mornings so the direction towards Geelong is fine in my experience but yeah as above, Turtons Track over GOR everyday of the week. Make a loop inland and its fine.

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