Victoria offers a range of fantastic free camping sites that are loved by those seeking budget-friendly holidays and outdoor adventures. Here is a list of 10 free camping sites that are in great locations, along with five that are free for a limited period.
Victoria
Melbourne to Otways road trip with amazing things to do
Take your time and enjoy this stunning Otways road trip, which departs from Melbourne and explores some of Victoria's best coastline and finest rainforests.
Victoria is blessed with some of the world’s most striking natural landscapes, including the Great Otway National Park. This haven for hikers, photographers and wildlife lovers offers lush, varied sights, from dense fern gullies to windswept coastal cliffs.
This ultimate Otways road trip forms a scenic circular route from Melbourne, full of misty forests, waterfalls that tumble through ancient rocks, glow worms by moonlight, and koalas dozing in eucalyptus trees.
Discover the best of Victoria
Here are the best stops for a road trip around the Great Otway National Park in Victoria.
How to plan the ultimate Otways road trip
Melbourne to Forrest
- Distance: 159km
- Time: 2 hours
Leaving Melbourne early in the morning, the M1 quickly becomes a familiar friend, guiding you away from the city’s hum and toward the rolling countryside of the Surf Coast. After Geelong, the drive gets greener, the air cooler, and soon you're climbing through eucalyptus-covered hills. Your first destination is Forrest, a small town tucked into the Otways and known for its mountain biking trails, wildlife and surprisingly good coffee.
What to do around Forrest
Drive the short distance to Lake Elizabeth, a hauntingly beautiful lake formed by a landslide in 1952. The walk in (about 1.5km from the car park) takes you through a forest of towering tree ferns and mountain ash. The lake itself is otherworldly: mirror-like, often shrouded in mist, and home to elusive platypuses.
The best way to see these platypuses is to book a dawn canoe tour with Otway Eco Tours. You’ll have a good chance of spotting these shy, egg-laying mammals as they glide silently across the lake's glassy surface for air. There's also a dusk option if the prospect of waking before dawn is too unbearable.
You can hire a hard-tail mountain bike from Forrest MTB Hire and tackle more than 60km of formed mountain bike tracks around the area. There's also a 12km mountain bike loop linking Forrest with Lake Elizabeth.
Where to eat in Forrest
The Forrest General Store Café is a great brunch option in town. Think country hospitality and comfort food à la bakery-café. The store also stocks local provisions and crafts that make excellent gifts.
Stop at the Forrest Brewing Company for dinner and a locally brewed beer. The brewery doubles as a pub, and its hearty fare - like a country roast or buttermilk chicken burgers - pairs well with a pint and the cool mountain air.
Where to stay near Forrest
If you're staying overnight, consider the secluded hand-built log house Otways Loft (8 pax) near Forrest, the vintage train carriage Steam (6 pax) with a fireplace and outdoor bath, or the pretty blue Forrest Guesthouse (8 pax) with four self-contained suites.
Campers can stay at the Lake Elizabeth Campground by the Barwon River, shelterd by eucalypt trees and situated about a 1km walk from the lovely lake. The Forrest Holiday Park offers camping sites (powered and unpowered) plus cabins closer in to town.
Forrest Brewing is a popular sunset stop. Image: Visit Victoria
Forrest to Cape Otway
- Distance: 71km direct | 136km with recommended stops
- Time: 1 hour 15 minutes direct | 3 hours with recommended stops
From the damp hush of the forest, today's drive descends toward the Great Ocean Road. Stop to enjoy waterfall walks and forest trails. Keep your eyes skyward: this area is known for koala spotting, and it’s common to find them nestled sleepily in surrounding gum trees. Then continue driving until you reach Cape Otway and its wild, craggy coastline.
What to do between Forrest and Cape Otway
There are plenty of beautiful stops between Forrest and Cape Otway in the Great Otway National Park.
First head to Stevensons Falls, one of Victoria's best waterfalls. It's an easy 3.8km return walk from a well-equipped campground and picnic area. There's also two shorter walks in the area: the Redwoods Boardwalk through giant Californian redwoods, and the Blue Spruce Walk along the Gellibrand River.
Next up, Beauchamp Falls offers a 2.7km return trek through dense mountain ash forests and thick ferns to the 20m tall falls.
Hop over to The Redwoods and explore your way around a grove of magnificent Californinan redwood trees towering into the sky, punctuated by a small creek. Bring a picnic here to enjoy the serenity - there are toilets and picnic tables near the car park.
Nearby, the upper viewing platform at Hopetoun Falls is just a few metres from the car park. You can follow a 1km return trail down to the base to feel the spray from these 30m-tall falls splashing into the Aire River.
It's time for some adrenaline! At Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, venture onto the Treetop Walk to explore an elevated walkway among the rainforest's treetops, 25-30m up in the air. There's even a 47m tall spiral tower, plus a gently swaying cantilever above Young's Creek. Daring adventurers can sign up for the Zipline Tour, a 2.5-hour guided zipline course through the forest.
Continue your waterfall wanders at Triplet Falls. A 2km return trail leads you over platforms and elevated walkways through rainforest to the three gorgeous cascades. Look out for remnant artefacts from an original timber mill site.
Your final rainforest walk is at Madsen's Track: a 2.7km loop from the Melba Gully Picnic Area filled with mossy trees, fern gullies, and the soothing sound of Anne's Cascades. This must be one of Victoria's wettest areas! At night, you may even spot glow worms along the trail.
Cape Otway is home to one of Australia’s most iconic historical sites: the Cape Otway Lightstation. Built in 1848, this lighthouse is the oldest on mainland Australia and stands watch over dangerous coastline known as the Shipwreck Coast, where the Bass Strait and Southern Ocean collide. You can climb the lighthouse for sweeping views, then explore the Telegraph Station and WWII radar bunker nearby. Keep an eye out for southern right whales, humpback whales, blue whales and orcas.
Where to eat near Cape Otway
The Otways is a wild place without many built-up areas, so consider packing a picnic.
You can visit the Lightkeeper's Café for barista-made coffee and excellent scones, baked daily onsite and served with cream and jam. The café is open from 10.30am-4pm and overlooks the famous lighthouse.
If you're staying at Bimbi Park, they have a reception kiosk with basic groceries and snacks.
Otherwise, you'll have to head to Apollo Bay (36 minute drive from Cape Otway Lightstation). There you'll be treated to a wide variety of great restaurants, like Casalingo for Italian, the Apollo Bay Hotel for pub grub, or Coco Café & Restaurant for French-Balinese fusion.
Where to stay near Cape Otway
You can stay onsite at the Cape Otway Lightstation, with a choice of three accommodation options: the Lightkeeper's Cottage (6-10 pax) in the original 1857-built head lightkeeper's cottage, the large Lighthouse Lodge (8-10 pax), or the Lightstation Studio (2 pax), which was once the assistant lightkeepers' abode.
There's also the nearby Sky Pods, beautiful tiny houses with luxury interiors and stunning views. Another option is Bimbi Park, also nearby and featuring cabins and campsites among coastal manna gums chock-full of wild koalas. Kangaroos, wallabies and various native birds are also common around the property.
Cape Otway Lightstation is the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. Image: Visit Victoria
Cape Otway to Lorne
- Distance: 79km
- Time: 1.5 hours
Today’s route takes you along perhaps the most famous and photogenic stretch of the Great Ocean Road, full of dramatic cliffside bends, frothy waves and towering forests.
Your first stop en route from Cape Otway to Lorne is Maits Rest: a short 800m rainforest walk through mossy giant myrtle trees. Keep your eyes peeled for cute long-nosed potoroos and the carnivorous Otway black snails.
You won't want to miss Wildlife Wonders Sanctuary, where you can embark on a 75-minute guided tour through the Otways bushland. Each tour is a unique experience: it's almost certain you'll see koalas, kangaroos and emus, but you may also see bandicoots, potoroos, and other amazing native animals. There's also a dusk walk with limited numbers for a more intimate tour with a better chance of spotting elusive diurnal animals (those awake at dusk and dawn).
Animal lovers will also love the Apollo Bay seal kayak tour, during which you'll paddle out from nearby Marengo to the haul-out point where Australian fur seals sleep, play and call to each other. These curious creatures may even swim over to get a closer look at you.
What to do around Lorne
Lorne itself is a charming seaside town, known for its art galleries, boutiques, and buzzing café culture. Head to the Lorne Sea Baths for a dip in the seaside pool or the therapeutic hydro baths. You can even hire an aqua roller (think the ZORB on water) to glide across the pool in!
Live Wire Park is just a three minute drive from Lorne, offering eco-friendly high ropes and zipline courses in the forest. Will you tackle the Short Circuit high ropes course for beginners, the challenging Super Circuit 56-obstacle high ropes course, or the thrilling Shockwave Zipcoaster (Australia's most extreme zipline)?
For some more beautiful waterfall and rainforst walks in the Great Otway National Park, head to Erskine Falls, one of the Otways' most popular waterfalls. A short walk leads to a viewing platform with a head-on view of water cascading 30 metres into a fern-lined gully. For the more adventurous, a trail to the base of the falls offers a more immersive view (though expect steps...lots of them).
The Canyon Walk is a celebrated 8km loop hike that showcases three waterfalls along its route: Phantom Falls, Henderson falls, and Won Wondah Falls. Start from Allenvale Mill car park.
Finally, the Sheoak Falls Picnic Area is a must-visit in the Lorne-Otways area. From here, several trails diverge to multiple waterfalls and lookouts. Some of the loveliest include Sheoak Falls (1.4km return), Henderson Falls (3km return) and Kalimna Falls (8km return).
Where to eat in Lorne
Hungry in Lorne? You can't go past the Swing Bridge Café, an iconic brunch spot by the Erskine River. For dinner, try Ipsos for mouth-watering Greek dishes.
Where to stay near Lorne
Check into The Lorne Hotel, where visitors have been staying for 145 years. Beautifully renovated and close to the ocean, it also has two onsite restaurants: Totti's for rustic Italian and the Bistro & Beer Garden for pub classics.
Lorne Bush House Cottages & Eco Retreats offers lovely cabins for families or multiple couples who want to stay together and enjoy the surrounding nature.
Campers should look at the Cumberland River Holiday Park, which offers unpowered campsites with free gas BBQs, a laundry and a well-stocked kiosk.
Lorne's Live Wire Park is full of amazing high ropes courses. Image: Visit Victoria
Lorne to Aireys Inlet
- Distance: 19km
- Time: 20 minutes
This short drive along the coast is deceptively spectacular, hugging cliffs and offering ocean views so vivid they almost seem painted.
Stop at Teddy’s Lookout just outside Lorne for one of the best views of the Great Ocean Road snaking along the coast below. The lookout also offers a great vantage for spotting migrating whales during the winter months.
What to do around Aireys Inlet
At Aireys Inlet, the star attraction is the Split Point Lighthouse, also known to Australians of a certain age as the setting of Round the Twist. Guided tours let you climb to the top, where views stretch across the Otways and down to the rolling surf of Fairhaven Beach. Visit the Eagles Nest Fine Art Gallery back in town to view (and maybe purchase) some local artworks.
At the nearby Moggs Creek Picnic Area, choose between two forest walks: the 2km loop Moggs Creek Nature Walk, which follows the creek across several little wooden bridges; or the 4.5km return Ocean View Circuit Walk, full of woodland and spectacular coastal views.
The Distillery Creek Picnic Area is also close by Aireys Inlet, offering more nature-filled walks. Families can try the short Distillery Creek Nature Trail (1.5km loop), while adults will enjoy the Ironbark Gorge Track (5km loop) or the 12km circuit to Currawong Falls.
Where to eat in Aireys Inlet
If you're after a bite, The Captain of Aireys offers scrumptious woodfired pizzas. Grab brunch from Onda Cafe for healthy, eco-conscious wraps, toasties, coffee and more. Tuck into fresh seafood and Greek dishes at A La Grecque, or hit up Aireys Pub for a bistro menu with local produce.
Where to stay near Aireys Inlet
Sunnymead Hotel is a super cute place to stay in Aireys Inlet, whether you're only there for a night or opting for a package complete with massages and restaurant dining.
Torquay is a 30-minute drive closer to Melbourne, if you want to get a jumpstart on tomorrow's journey.
The Otway Redwoods are truly a magnificent sight. Image: Visit Victoria
Aireys Inlet to Melbourne
- Distance: 123km
- Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
From Aireys Inlet, the drive back to Melbourne takes you through Anglesea, Torquay and Geelong, offering plenty of opportunities for final detours. Then it’s back onto the freeway, the urban skyline slowly emerging on the horizon.
What to do en route to Melbourne
Fancy a swim or a surf? Torquay’s beaches are world-renowned. Swim at Jan Juc Beach, go surfing at world-famous Bells Beach, or walk along the sea cliffs at Addiscot Beach. Visit Torquay's Australian National Surfing Museum: the world's largest surfing and beach culture museum.
Where to eat en route to Melbourne
Kids big and small deserve to pause at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie just past Anglesea. This giant chocolate centre has thousands of chocolates to purchase, a chocolate-themed onsite cafe, plus lawns, gardens and orchards to explore.
Before reaching the city, consider one last stop at Little Creatures Brewery in Geelong: a hip, sprawling venue inside a former wool mill, known for its beer garden and woodfired pizzas.
Where to stay en route to Melbourne
From free camping at Allenvale Mill Bush Campground near Lorne to accommodation in Torquay, there are places to suit families, foodies and friends along this premier road-trip destination.
