Lorne & Aireys Inlet
Midway along the eastern coast lie two of the road's best-loved stops. Aireys Inlet has its storybook lighthouse and the iconic Memorial Arch nearby; Lorne is the quintessential Great Ocean Road seaside town, with a patrolled beach, a historic pier and waterfalls in the hills behind. Together they're the perfect place to break the drive. Here's what to see.
Beach town & waterfalls
Lorne has been a holiday favourite for generations — a patrolled swimming beach, a much-loved pier, a pool, and a main street full of cafés and shops. Behind the town, the Otway foothills reward a short drive: Erskine Falls tumbles through a lush fern gully, and Teddy's Lookout serves up one of the coast's best views, where the road hugs the St George River mouth. It's an ideal spot to stay a night.
The lighthouse & the Memorial Arch
Aireys Inlet is home to the pretty 1891 Split Point Lighthouse — the "Round the Twist" lighthouse — with free clifftop walks and guided tower tours. Just along the road at Eastern View stands the Memorial Arch, the timber arch marking the Great Ocean Road as the world's largest war memorial, built by returned WWI soldiers. With its roadworkers' statue alongside, it's the road's classic photo stop — pull over and take the shot.
Swimming & the Pier to Pub
Lorne's patrolled main beach is one of the coast's more family-friendly swimming spots in season (Fairhaven is patrolled too) — always swim between the flags and mind the rips. In January, Lorne hosts the famous Pier to Pub, a ~1.2 km ocean swim and one of the world's biggest participation swims, when the town buzzes and books out. Whenever you come, Lorne and Aireys make a relaxed, scenic mid-drive base.
Lorne & Aireys Inlet: your questions
Lorne is the classic Great Ocean Road seaside town — a patrolled swimming beach, a historic pier, buzzy cafés and a lovely main street. Behind it, the Otway foothills hide waterfalls and lookouts: don't miss Erskine Falls (a beautiful fern-gully cascade) and Teddy's Lookout (sweeping views over the road and the St George River mouth). It's a perfect place to stay a night and slow down mid-drive.
The Memorial Arch at Eastern View (between Aireys Inlet and Lorne) is the iconic timber arch spanning the Great Ocean Road — the ceremonial marker of the road as the world's largest war memorial, built by returned soldiers in memory of those who died in the First World War. There's a pull-off and a statue of the road workers beside it, making it the classic Great Ocean Road photo stop. Don't drive past without stopping.
The Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet is a picturesque 1891 lighthouse — famous to many as the lighthouse from the kids' TV show Round the Twist. You can walk the surrounding clifftop paths and lookouts for free, and guided tower tours run for those who want to climb up for the views. It's a lovely, quick stop with great coastal scenery, right by the village of Aireys Inlet.
Yes — Lorne's main beach is patrolled in the summer season and is one of the safer, family-friendly swimming spots on the coast, with calm-ish water in good conditions. Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven also have beaches (Fairhaven is patrolled in season). As always, swim between the flags, check conditions and watch for rips. Lorne's beachfront, pier and pool make it a relaxed base for a day or two.
The Pier to Pub is a famous open-water swim held at Lorne each January — a roughly 1.2 km ocean swim from the pier to the Lorne Surf Club, and one of the largest participation swims in the world, drawing thousands of entrants. It's a huge, festive summer event, so the town is packed and accommodation books out well ahead around then. See our events guide for more.