Overview
Be inspired by the vibrant creative community along the Great Ocean Road. Delve into the region's rich maritime heritage or soak up the famous surf culture on beaches and in villages along the coast.
History on the water
Visit a diverse range of museums that capture the Great Ocean Road region's cultural heritage, from maritime and farming history to the rise of Australia's surfing legends.
Get a glimpse of what life was like in a typical Australian seaport village between 1850 and 1900 on a visit to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. See treasures rescued from shipwrecks at the Portland Maritime Museum and celebrate the lives of Australian surfing champions at the Australian National Surfing Museum.
Festival fun
Join in the fun at cultural events all year round, from literary and music festivals to art exhibitions and historical events. Music fans will want to time their visit to coincide with the famous Port Fairy Folk Festival, Falls Festival or the Lorne Festival of Performing Arts.
Galleries and penguins
Visit the Warrnambool Art Gallery, which houses a diverse collection of works, from elegant European salon paintings to examples of avant-garde modernism from the Angry Penguins movement.
Port Fairy has a growing reputation for its arts and crafts and with more than a dozen galleries and studios open to the public, it's easy to see why. Galleries in Lorne and Apollo Bay offer a wide variety of local art, including painting, sculpture and photography. Visit Qdos Arts & Sculpture Park for a celebration of visual and performing arts in an idyllic setting.
