The seaside town of Warrnambool

Warrnambool is a historic seaside town located on the Great Ocean Road first settled by Europeans in the 1840s. It's a great place to visit as you can relax on the beach, learn about the shipwreck coast or spend some time watching for whales at Logan's Beach Whale Nursery.

The area has a rich Indigenous history with artefacts being found in the volcanic ash layers of Tower HIll which was formed around 30,000 years ago in a volcanic eruption. Warrnambool is in fact, an Indigenous word from a nearby volcanic cone translated to mean land between two rivers, two swamps or ample water. 

Visitor information centre

Warrnambool is part of the Shipwreck Coast which extends 110 kilometres along the Great Ocean Road from Moonlight Head to Port Fairy to the west of Warrnambool. This trail incorporates 25 shipwrecks marked by road signs and information plaques and provides a fascinating insight into the region’s shipwreck history.

Flagstaff Hill Marine Village

You can learn about this shipwreck history at Flagstaff Hill Marine Village an award winning tourism attraction. It has a museum which is reputed to hold Australia's richest shipwreck collection as well as an 1870's village with the Lady Bay Lighthouse. The village provides a glimpse into the maritime life of the 1870's era. Each night there is a state of the art sound and laser show called SHIPWRECKED which brings to life the tale of the Loch Ard a ship that was wrecked in 1878. 

Logan Beach Whale Viewing Platform

Whalers of the 1830s were the first Europeans to utilise the bay, which they named Lady Bay in 1844. Today Logan's Beach is popular for viewing Southern Right Whales. The best time for viewing is when baby whales are born between July and September. They then migrate with their families to the colder food rich waters near Antarctica for the summer.  Updates on Whale sightings

View from Middle Island

Fishing is a popular activity in Warrnambool as you can fish along the Hopkins River, in the ocean or from one of the islands or inlets. All fishing requires a licence which you can obtain from the Visitor Information Centre.

Early morning a horse is being exercised in the ocean

You'll find plenty to do in Warrnambool with a range of beaches, parks,walks and activities. Restaurants, cafes, hotels and camping grounds are also plentiful and will suit any budget. For the best information see visit Warrnambool

One of the many walks along the foreshore 

You can drive from Melbourne to Warrnambool via the Great Ocean Road by 2 routes, one inland passing through Colac which is a journey of around 3.5 hours and 265 kilometres. Alternatively the scenic journey via the Great Ocean Road will take approx 5 hours and 349 kilometres.

Alternatively we can design an extended Great Ocean Road tour to take in Warrnambool. http://www.longhorntours.com.au/