Wintery Weather on the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of Victoria’s most iconic destinations. In summer, scores of people flock to the beautiful coastal drive to admire the beautiful scenery, stroll through nature and be carried on the azure waves. A fact very few people are aware of is that some of the most beautiful sights actually occur during winter. It’s a very interesting time of year for the Great Ocean Road, and provides many unique sights for its visitors.
Lower Prices
Like holiday destinations, summer is the peak tourism season for Victoria. Every year, thousands upon thousands of people drive through the Great Ocean Road, so each year when the sun starts shining brightly again, the prices go up in anticipation of the crowds. This means visiting during winter may allow you to save quite a bit during your day, which you can invest in that extra nice dinner or that luxurious hotel room.
Animals
On the Great Ocean Road winter is the time of new life for the local wildlife. Driving through on our Great Ocean Road Tour you may see many lambs and calves coming out of the woods and fields to explore the world while the people are gone. Their curious little snouts are a very endearing sight to see during the colder months of the year.
One of the more spectacular events that happens along the Great Ocean Road does not actually happen on land, but in the ocean. Winter marks the time of the great whale migration and they journey right past the southern coast of Victoria. During the chilly season, whale watching is a very popular activity, making Cape Otway Lighthouse, one of the stops on our Great Ocean Road Tour, a prime spot to take photos of and watch the magnificent creatures’ journey through the world’s oceans.
Natrure
In most parts of the world, winter is associated with the local nature shedding its skin in preparation of the next spring. Riding along on our Great Ocean Road Tour, you will notice that nature becomes much more interesting along the Southern stretch of coast. For starters, the Great Ocean Road will be brightened up by one of Australia’s favourite flowers: the Wattle. These bright yellow plants will make the road shine in a way that the summer sun simply can’t.
Being winter around Melbourne, it may be a bit rainy during the off-season, however this provides an excellent opportunity to view a very particular phenomenon. A good stretch of the southern coast is lined with dense rainforest which will keep you dry, no matter how hard it rains. The rains will also make the waterfalls extra spectacular, making for some exclusive photo opportunity.
Bordering the ocean, some of the most interesting winter changes on the great Ocean Road happen on the coastline. You can see eerie mists along the coastline fields and hills, providing a very different and much more mysterious experience than the regular old bright sunny days. On top of that, the abundance of water in the air will turn the return trip from the Twelve Apostles into something right out of a fantasy. Rainbows can be found everywhere along the cliffs making them even more stunning than they already are and make your Great Ocean Road experience a real one-of-a-kind.
Fewer People
Last, but most certainly not least, all the tourists are gone! The roads are empty, there are no crowds at the sights, and no queues at the restaurants-to-be. This will allow you to see the magnificent Twelve Apostles in their natural beauty, explore the quiet rainforests and enjoy the tastiest treats that Victoria’s Southern coast has to offer. Having all the space you could wish for provides you with a Great Ocean Road experience that is simply not available during the summer months.