The easy one
If you only do one trip down the Great Ocean Road from Torquay, make it Lorne. It's about 45 minutes away, which means you can leave after a slow breakfast and still have a full day. The town sits on a curve of beach with the Otway forest climbing straight up behind it, and the drive in is the first properly dramatic stretch of the road.
It's a lookout, a walk along the pier, a swim if it's warm, lunch on Mountjoy Parade and maybe a waterfall. But read the waterfall bit below before you go. The January 2026 flash flood did real damage to the walking tracks behind Lorne, and several of the famous falls are still closed.
And then you drive home. Lorne's close enough that you don't need to stay there, so you can be back at Holyday House in north Torquay for dinner, with the wood fire going and the hot tub warming up.
Getting there
The drive
Head west on the Great Ocean Road from the edge of Torquay. You'll go through Anglesea (about 20 minutes), past the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet, and under the Memorial Arch at Eastern View, about 30 to 35 minutes in. From the arch the road hugs the cliffs the rest of the way. Allow about 45 minutes all up, longer on summer weekends. There's also an inland road through Deans Marsh, about 20 minutes from Lorne on the other side. It isn't quicker on a clear day. Use it when the coast road is closed, or when you want the quiet way.
Worth a stop on the way
Anglesea and Aireys Inlet are both good for a coffee or a leg stretch, and we've written them up separately (links at the bottom). If you want Lorne to be the main event, save them for another day and just pull over at the Memorial Arch for a photo. For a longer coastal day, Wye River is about 20 minutes farther west; see our Wye River guide for the beach and current food options.
Check the road first
Storms and landslips close parts of the Great Ocean Road from time to time, like the stretch between Lorne and Skenes Creek in January 2026. Look at VicTraffic the morning you go. In summer, also check VicEmergency for fire warnings.
Parking
Mountjoy Parade fills up fast on warm weekends and through the January holidays. Get there before 10am, or park further back from the main strip and walk. It's a small town, so nothing's far.
Teddy's Lookout
Do this first. Teddy's Lookout is at the end of George Street, about 2 km from the middle of Lorne, and it's the view you've probably already seen on a postcard: the Great Ocean Road bending around the hills below you, the mouth of the St George River, and the Southern Ocean going on forever.
There's a small car park right near the lookout, so it's a short walk from the car. Short bush tracks wander off from there if you want a bit more. A couple of things to know: there are no public toilets or other facilities up there, and dogs aren't allowed. If you've got the dog with you, one of you can take a turn while the other waits in the shade.
The pier, the beach and a swim
Lorne Pier
A wander out along the pier is a Lorne ritual. You get a good look back at the town and the hills behind it. It's also the start line for the Lorne Pier to Pub, a 1.2 km ocean swim back to the surf club. The 2027 swim is on Saturday 9 January, with entries opening on 2 November 2026. Expect the whole town to be packed that weekend.
Swimming on the main beach
Lorne's main beach is tucked into Loutit Bay, and it's often gentler than the open surf beaches around Torquay. Often, not always. Lorne Surf Life Saving Club runs volunteer patrols on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and public holidays over summer. Swim between the red and yellow flags, and check Beachsafe for patrol times on the day. Outside patrol hours, nobody's watching.
Lorne Sea Baths
If the ocean's too cold or too rough, the Lorne Sea Baths on the foreshore are listed by Visit Great Ocean Road as one of the town's attractions. Opening hours change with the season, so check before you go.
The foreshore
The grassy foreshore between the beach and Mountjoy Parade is where everyone ends up: picnics, kids on the playground, people eating chips. It's an easy place to burn an hour.
Where to eat
Most of Lorne's cafes and restaurants are along Mountjoy Parade, facing the water, so lunch is mostly a matter of walking until something looks good. A few long-standing names, all listed by Visit Great Ocean Road:
The pubs
The Grand Pacific Hotel is the big old building near the pier, and the Lorne Hotel Bar & Bistro is on the main strip. Both do pub meals.
Something sit-down
Ipsos Restaurant & Bar and Tottis Lorne are the ones to look at if you want a proper long lunch. Book ahead on summer weekends.
Something sweet
Gelato Gelato is the one the kids will find without any help from you.
Opening hours shift a lot between summer and winter, and some places close a day or two midweek out of season. Check before you go, and have a backup.
Waterfalls: what's open now
Lorne used to be the waterfall capital of the Otways. Then came the January 2026 flash flood. The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority says it washed away or badly damaged bridges and walkways on trails near Lorne, and some repairs will take a while because of the planning and approvals involved. They're working with Parks Victoria and doing the popular sites first. Our waterfalls near Torquay guide compares every falls walk from Aireys Inlet to Beech Forest.
Here's where things stood when we checked on 14 October 2026. This changes, so check again before you go.
Listed as temporarily closed
Erskine Falls, Phantom Falls Walk, Won Wondah & Henderson Falls, the St Georges River Loop and the Cora Lynn Cascades Walk. Don't climb barriers or try to get in another way. Closed means the track or bridge isn't safe.
What's open
The lower Kalimna Falls walk is open again, and Sheoak Falls hasn't been closed. There's a creek crossing at Sheoak Falls, and the stones get slippery when the water's up. If you want a longer walk, the Castle Rock lookout via Swallow Cave is a 9 km circuit from the Sheoak Picnic Area, down past Sheoak Falls and up to a lookout over the Cumberland River valley.
The Erskine Falls walk
Erskine Falls is about 5 km inland from Lorne, a 30 metre drop into a fern gully. Before the flood, the first lookout was a 300 m return walk, and the second went down more than 300 steps to the base. On 19 October 2026 the Authority told us the upper platform is open but the bottom platform is still closed, with no date to reopen: January's flood damage was made worse by another storm a few weeks ago. If you'd rather head deeper into the Otways, our Otway Fly day trip guide covers the inland drive and rainforest walk.
How to check
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority website marks closed walks with "Temporarily closed", and you can call them on 1300 736 533. Parks Victoria's Great Otway National Park page has park-wide alerts too.
Photo: Belinda VanZanen,
courtesy of Visit Victoria 
Photo: Visit Victoria,
courtesy of Visit Victoria Bringing the dog
Lorne's fine with a dog as long as you stay in town. The waterfalls and most of the bush walks are in the Great Otway National Park, where dogs mostly aren't allowed (assistance dogs aside). Parks Victoria's exception near Lorne is the St George River Track, on a lead. Teddy's Lookout is also no dogs. In town, Surf Coast Shire rules say dogs must be on a lead in public places unless you're in a signed off-leash area, and parts of the Lorne coast are fenced for nesting hooded plovers, so give those a wide berth.
Our dog-friendly Torquay guide has more on dogs along the coast. And never leave a dog in the car while you duck into a walk. Even on a mild day it heats up quickly.
A simple plan
Morning
Leave Torquay around 9am. Photo at the Memorial Arch. Into Lorne and straight up to Teddy's Lookout while the car parks are still quiet.
Middle of the day
Walk the pier, then lunch on Mountjoy Parade. Swim between the flags if it's patrolled and warm enough.
Afternoon
Sheoak Falls or the lower Kalimna Falls walk (and you haven't got the dog). Or keep driving another half hour or so to Kennett River for koalas. Head home before dark. The cliff section is a lot less fun at night.
Lorne day trip FAQ
How long is the drive from Torquay to Lorne?
About 45 minutes along the Great Ocean Road without stops. Allow more on summer weekends and in the January holidays.
Is Erskine Falls open?
Partly. On 19 October 2026 the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority told us the upper platform is open and the bottom platform is closed, with no reopening date yet. Its live trail closures map shows the current state of every Lorne walk.
Which waterfalls near Lorne can I visit?
On 17 October 2026, the lower Kalimna Falls walk was open and Sheoak Falls wasn't listed as closed. Erskine, Phantom, Won Wondah and Henderson Falls, the St Georges River Loop and the Cora Lynn Cascades Walk were listed as closed.
Can I take my dog to Lorne?
Into town, yes, on a lead. Not into the Great Otway National Park, which covers the waterfalls and bush walks, and not up to Teddy's Lookout.
Is the beach at Lorne patrolled?
Lorne Surf Life Saving Club runs volunteer patrols on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and public holidays over summer. Swim between the flags and check Beachsafe for times on the day.
Should we stay in Lorne instead?
You don't need to. At 45 minutes, Lorne's an easy day trip from Torquay, and from there Bells Beach, Anglesea and Melbourne are all closer too.
Going further? Our three-day Great Ocean Road itinerary strings it all together, and the Twelve Apostles day trip is the big one. Closer to home, there's koala spotting at Kennett River, a day in Anglesea, our Aireys Inlet village guide and the Split Point Lighthouse. The Great Ocean Road guide explains why Torquay works as a base. Want to do Lorne and be home for the hot tub? Check dates and send us an enquiry.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 19 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Dog-friendly parks — Parks Victoria
- Lorne Walking Trail Closures (live map) — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Teddys Lookout — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Erskine Falls - Temporarily closed — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Phantom Falls Walk - Temporarily closed — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Sheoak Falls — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Castle Rock lookout via Swallow Cave — Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority
- Erskine Falls — Visit Great Ocean Road
- Lorne — Visit Great Ocean Road
- Lorne Surf Life Saving Club — Lorne Surf Life Saving Club
- Great Otway National Park — Parks Victoria
- Where to walk your dogs — Surf Coast Shire