Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay
Typical attractive seaside resort town on the Great Ocean Road
Located 186 km south west of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay is a very typical seaside resort with lots of motels and holiday accommodation. Its primary appeal is that it is accessible from Melbourne and is one of the key towns on a particularly beautiful stretch of coastline.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area around Apollo Bay was inhabited by Aborigines who lived largely on the produce of the sea. Ancient middens have been discovered on the Otway Peninsula near the Aire River.

By 1840 the enterprising Henty brothers had established a major whaling station at Portland and over the next seven years they had a small whaling station at Point Bunbury which is where the Apollo Bay golf course now stands.

The first major European settlement occurred in 1850 when timber cutters moved into the district. They cut timber and floated it out to ships moored off shore. This industry led inevitably to the establishment of a number of sawmills. At this time the settlement was variously known as Apollo Bay (after the schooner Apollo) and Middleton. Then in 1877 the name was officially changed to Kambruk. It wasn't until 1952 that it officially became Apollo Bay. Not surprisingly, throughout the 19th century the major access to the town was by sea.

By 1864 farmers had moved into the area. John Cawood, one of the town's founding pioneers, was farming land around the Barham River. A decade later (in 1873) a Colonel Heath started farming at Mounts Bay. That year also saw a fortnightly road mail service. Further land sales occurred in 1877 and a school was opened in 1880.

On 10 July 1932 Apollo Bay was the scene of one of the greatest shipping disasters ever witnessed on the Australian coast. The coastal steamer Casino, with a number of locals aboard, tried to berth at the town's jetty. It was hit by freak waves, listed and sank, taking ten men down to their deaths. This occurred in front of the townsfolk gathered on the jetty who did all they could to save the people on the boat. The anchor from the Casino is located outside the Apollo Bay Post Office.

The Great Ocean Road about 5 km east of Apollo Bay

The road to the town was upgraded in 1927 and in 1932 the Great Ocean Road was completed. This ensured the town's future as a tourist and holiday destination. It is also an important fishing port with a large fleet scouring the southern ocean for crayfish, shark, whiting, flathead and snapper. Enthusiastic amateurs will not be disappointed by the rock and beach fishing. The Apollo Bay Music Festival is held each year in March.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information
The Apollo Bay Great Ocean Road Information Centre is located on the Apollo Bay Foreshore, tel: (03) 5237 6529. You can also check out www.visitapollobay.com or www.greatoceanroad.com

Old Cable Station Museum
Open on weekends this museum is housed in the old cable station which was established to achieve telecommunications between Tasmania and the mainland. It contains a good and interesting collection of local memorabilia.

Bass Strait Shell Museum
Located at the eastern end of Noel Street the Bass Strait Shell Museum is open most days. It has an impressive collection of local and overseas shells.

Otway Ranges
Apollo Bay is one of the many entry points to the beautiful Otway Ranges and the Otway National Park. There are a number of routes into the ranges which are spectacularly beautiful and largely untouched. See Cape Otway for details.

Tanbryn Gallery
Tanbryn Gallery is situated to the north-east of Apollo Bay in the Otway Ranges. It displays and sells fine arts and craftworks. Morning and afternoon teas are available, as is bed-and-breakfast accommodation. It is open daily on school and public holidays from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. At other times it is open Thursday to Monday but closed entirely from mid-July to mid-September. To get there head east along the Great Ocean Road for 6 km to Skenes Creek then veer off, heading north for 13 km to the intresection of Skenes Creek Rd and Wild Dog Road at Tanbryn, tel: (03) 5237 6271.

Lookouts, Picnic Spots and Walks
The town is surrounded by interesting and important lookout and picnic spots including the Barham Paradise Scenic Reserve and Marriners Falls, the exceptionally beautiful Barham River Valley, Grey River Scenic Reserve and Walk (23 km east of Apollo Bay), Elliot River and Elliot River Walk (10 km south-west of Apollo Bay).

Maits Rest Picnic Ground is located 17 km west of Apollo Bay, just off the Great Ocean Road. The Maits Rest Rainforest Walk is a 30-minute stroll through fern gullies and eucalypts to a viewing platform beneath a 300-year-old myrtle beech which is on the National Trust register. It is an unusual growth combining two or three trees in one. The route is wheelchair accessible.

Glowworm Tours
Lloyd Pearce conducts afternoon/evening walking tours which focus on local glowworms, fauna and flora, taking in rainforests, tree ferns, steams and waterfalls. The tours are wheelchair friendly and there are farm animals for children, along with photographs and memorabilia of early European settlement, tel: (03) 5237 6791.

Horseriding
Bimbi Park is located on Lighthouse Road at Cape Otway, tel: (03) 5237 9246.

A Book About The Great Ocean Road
The best book about the Great Ocean Road is the remarkably cheap ($19.95 for a full colour hardback) book by Port Campbell photographer, Rodney Hyett. It is 96 pages long and has everything you could possibly want ­ great photographs, maps of the area, a potted history of the area, details about national parks and visitor information centres, accommodation, walking tracks, even details of the region's eight lighthouses and succinct (not as detailed as this website) pieces of information about all the major destinations from Queenscliff to Cape Bridgewater. If you are planning to travel the Great Ocean Road and explore the totality of its attractions this is a small masterpiece of publishing and a great travel guide. It is available from many shops along the way and can be ordered from Port Campbell Shopping at http://www.portcampbellshopping.com.au.

	Tourist Information
	Apollo Bay Great Ocean Road Information Centre Apollo Bay Foreshore Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6529
	Motels
	Apollo Bay Beachfront Motel 163 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6437 Rating: ***
	Apollo International Motel 37 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6100 Rating: ***
	Bay Pine Motel & Guesthouse 1 Murray St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6732 Rating: **
	Coastal Motel 171 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6681 Rating: ***
	Konnjeree Motel 15 Diana St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6290 Rating: **
	Marengo Motel Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6808 Rating: ***
	The Beach Front Motel & Cottages 163 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6437 Facsimile: (03) 5237 7197 Rating: ***
	The Lighthouse Keeper's Inn Motel 175 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6278 Rating: **
	Apollo Bay Motel 2 Moore St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6492 Rating: ***
	Great Ocean View Motel 1 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6527 Rating: **
	Skenes Creek Lodge Motel 61 Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 92 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6918 Rating: **
	Hotels
	Apollo Bay Hotel Collingwood St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6250 Rating: **
	The Ocean Road Hotel Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6240
	Whitecrest Holiday Resort Hotel Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 120 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 0228 Rating: ***
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Arcady Bed & Breakfast Barham River Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6493 Rating: **
	Wongarra Heights Bed & Breakfast Sunny Side Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 0257 Rating: ***
	Clearwen Retreat Guesthouse Tuxion Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 7064 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Apollo Bay Beachfront Motel & Apartments 163 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6437 Rating: ***
	Bayside Gardens Holiday Apartments 219 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6248 Facsimile: (03) 5237 6248 Rating: ***
	Grandview Holiday Apartments 1 McLennan St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6461 Rating: **
	Marengo Motel Serviced Apartments Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6808 Rating: ***
	Mariners Lodge Holiday Apartments 11 Martin St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 52 43 4409 Rating: ***
	Otway Lodge Holiday Apartments 23 Pascoe St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6263 Rating: ***
	Rannoch Holiday Apartments 9 Cawood St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6307 Rating: ***
	Seafarers Holiday Apartments Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 62 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6507 Facsimile: (03) 5237 7061 Rating: ***
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Apollo Bay Motel Units Moore St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6492 Rating: ***
	Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant & Villas Skenes Creek Rd P.O. Box 247 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6411 Rating: ****
	Five Views Holiday Flats Cnr Pascoe & Nelson Sts Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6755 Rating: ***
	Paradise Court Villas 20 Murray St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6133 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Apollo Bay Colonial Cottages Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Telford St Marengo Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6511 Rating: ***
	Marengo Holiday Park Off Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6162 Facsimile: (03) 5237 7744 Email: marengo@vicnet.net.au Rating: ***
	The Coach House Cottages Old Coach Rd P.O. Box 112 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6536 Rating: ***
	Lodges & Chalets
	Beacon Point Lodges Skenes Creek Rd P.O. Box 67 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6218 Facsimile: (03) 5237 6196 Rating: ***
	Casino Lodges 47 Casino Ave Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6576 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	Marengo Holiday Park Off Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6162 Facsimile: (03) 5237 7744 Email: marengo@vicnet.net.au Rating: **
	Recreation Reserve Caravan & Camp Park Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 146 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6577 Rating: **
	Skenes Creek Camping Reserve Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6132
	Kooringal Caravan Park 27 Cawood St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 7111 Facsimile: (03) 5237 7077 Rating: ****
	Pisces Caravan Resort Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 137 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6749 Rating: ***
	Waratah Caravan Park 7 Noel St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6562 Rating: ***
	Backpackers
	Surfside Backpackers Cnr Great Ocean Rd & Gambier Sts Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 7263, 1800 357 263
	Restaurants
	Apollo Bay Hotel Collingwood St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6250
	Bay Pine Motel & Guesthouse 1 Murray St Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6732
	Buffs Bistro Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6403
	Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant & Villas Skenes Creek Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6411
	Skenes Creek Lodge Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 6918
	The Blue Olive 311 Great Ocean Rd Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 7118
	Whitecrest Holiday Resort Hotel Great Ocean Rd P.O. Box 120 Apollo Bay VIC 3233 Telephone: (03) 5237 0228