Apollo Bay
Best Beach · VIC
Tourism Australia's Best Beach 2023, No. 4.
Gorgeous Apollo Bay is a safe, family friendly, crescent-shaped beach that has been slowly developed with coastal enjoyment, passive recreation, and nature experiences in mind.
Named after the wrecked schooner ‘Apollo’, this small, low rise coastal town has been a perennial summer favourite since the 1930’s, situated at the tail western end of the Great Ocean Road, only a few hours from Melbourne. With a mountainous backdrop, the 3kms of clean, white sandy beach facing the Southern Ocean enjoys a gentle atmosphere with welcoming locals from its golf club to its cafes. During an offshore wind there is a reasonable surfing wave, but generally this is an open swimming beach with a SLSC at the protected southern end being the safest between the red and yellow flags. Casting a fishing line into the rips often rewards eager anglers but if you’re unlucky grab a locally baked seafood pie or feast on a platter. Catering for discerning beach loving tourists, Apollo Bay has a generous grassy foreshore to relax within a variety of eating and accommodation options from budget to better. It’s also the entry point for a number of short and multiday walks to discover the nearby forest of the Otway Ranges with a wealth of natural features to explore. The region has a heritage of forestry and fishing with a working marina still in use today. Deservedly, Apollo Bay is one of Australia’s 10 best beach destinations in 2023. Nearby Lorne and Joanna beaches are also pretty special. The icing on the cake is the nearby Twelve Apostles, one of Australia’s most iconic coastal features, seen from lookouts or by helicopter charters
⚠️ Ocean conditions can change quickly and rips can form even on calm days. Only swim at patrolled beaches, and supervise children at all times.