Top Kid-Friendly Adventures Along the Great Ocean Road

A family road trip along the Great Ocean Road is as iconic as the Twelve Apostles themselves. With these top kid-friendly adventures, there will be fewer 'are we there yet?' moments and more laughter along the way.

Pack your bags and buckle up - a fun Great Ocean Road family adventure awaits!

1. Dinosaurs vs volcanos

Let the kids unleash their inner palaeontologist at Skenes Creek, where they can explore a fascinating rock platform featuring recently discovered dinosaur footprints. With over 140 prints preserved in the stone, it’s a hands-on prehistoric adventure - best viewed at low tide.

Need more? Curious young explorers will love an adventure inside a dormant volcano at Tower Hill, near Warrnambool. Volcanic hills, a crater lake, and abundant native animals are included in this volcanic wonderland!

2. Connect with Australian animals

Take the family on an immersive guided walk through the Otways bushland at Wildlife Wonders sanctuary. Spot koalas in the treetops, kangaroos grazing, or cockatoos flying overhead in this enriching experience that connects kids to nature rather than their screens.

Want to hand-feed and perhaps pet animals responsibly? Head to the Great Ocean Wildlife Park, a sustainable animal sanctuary, where a closer encounter with iconic Australian wildlife awaits. Hand-feed kangaroos, wallabies and emus, or perhaps have a dingo encounter.

3. Fly through the trees

If you are chasing an adrenaline rush, Live Wire Park is your ultimate playground. Boasting Australia’s most extreme zipline, there is also an epic ropes course, trampolines and a suspended treetop canopy. Who will be the biggest thrill-seeker in your family?

For those with little explorers try the treetop walkway and Enchanted Forest discovery walks at Otway Fly Treetops Adventures instead. Bigger kids can still get their kicks as there is also a zipline through the trees.

4. Choose chocolate or cheese

Oompa, Loompa, doompa-dee-do…if you love chocolate, this one’s for you! Get ready for a sweet sugar high for the whole family as you treat yourself to chocolate tastings, and fun activities like giant lollipop making and family high tea.

For an udderly delicious alternative, it’s all dairy fun at Allansford's Cheese World. Craft your very own cheese platter, nibble the cheese tastings, and slurp down milkshakes made with local milk.

5. Snap an Aussie icon or two

Snap a memory of their Great Ocean Road adventure with a pic at the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road, near Lorne. It is also a great opportunity to teach the kids about the history of the Great Ocean Road, as the arch was erected in honour of the 3,000 returned World War 1 soldiers who built the road in memory of their fallen comrades.

For another unforgettable family photo, don’t miss striking a pose in front of the iconic Twelve Apostles as they rise dramatically from the ocean. How many Apostles can you count still standing?

6. Playtime at wonder parks

Are we having fun yet? Fun is guaranteed at Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground in Warrnambool. This vast adventure playground is a kid’s heaven with giant slides, swings, a carousel, flying foxes, a maze, a climbing tower, and even boat rides on the lake. Enjoy a picnic or BBQ, then wander the bridges connecting the lakes (watch out for the wobbly one!).

Or set sail for adventure at the Coogoorah Reserve Pirate Ship playground in Anglesea. At the heart of this family-friendly spot is a large timber pirate ship, perfect for play.

7. Experience natures' magic

For a magical experience, take the kids on a night-time quest among mossy trees and giant tree ferns at Melba Gully in the Otways. When dusk falls, the banks beside the walking tracks twinkle like stars from the soft light of the colony of glow worms. Nature’s magic at its best!

Still craving wonder? Step into another world and let your imagination run wild beneath the magical Californian Redwoods in the Great Otway National Park. The towering giants make for a wondrous walk or an epic game of hide and seek.

8. Step back in mari-time

The whole family will love Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. Explore the cobblestone streets and peek inside the village buildings, including an old-school classroom and blacksmith’s forge. Don’t miss the immersive nightly sound and light show that brings maritime history to life. Be sure to see the impressive Loch Ard Peacock – a priceless relic from the Loch Ard shipwreck.

For more maritime adventure, head to Cape Otway Lightstation where kids can experience life as a lightkeeper. Climb to the top of the tower for sweeping ocean views, or stay overnight – perfect for stargazing, swapping ghost stories, or spotting nocturnal creatures.

9. Scream for ice cream!

Road trips = ice cream treats! Hit the Great Ocean Road with a spoon in hand, because no road trip is complete without a scoop (or three) of locally made ice cream!

With 40 flavours of ice cream daily, including the infamous Unicorn Poo flavour (don’t worry, it’s just M&Ms!) Dooley's Premium Ice Cream (Apollo Bay and Torquay) is a must stop for ice cream fanatics.

Watch your wildest flavour combos come to life at Frost Bite Stone Cold Ice-Creamery in Warrnambool. Kids (and kids-at-heart) will get brain freeze as their chosen ice cream flavours and sweet mix-ins are blended on the frozen stone.

All Great Ocean Road Parks make for an unforgettable family adventure, but Anglesea Family Caravan Park is truly a kid’s paradise! Think solar-heated outdoor pool, mini golf, jumping pillow, multi-sport court, playgrounds, and roaming kangaroos to spot.

Book your Great Ocean Road family adventure for the school holidays - family fun starts here!