We recently spent a weekend in Airey’s Inlet, a tranquil coastal village on the Great Ocean Road. Airey’s Inlet is smaller and less touristed than busier tourist towns like Lorne and Apollo Bay, and this is one of its loveliest qualities. 

This was our third trip to the Great Ocean Road, but our first time staying in Airey’s Inlet. It was exactly the getaway we both needed, after a tumultuous year. It’s the perfect weekend getaway from Melbourne, with low fuss, beautiful coastal scenery and a handful of lovely local spots to eat & drink.

I’ve written this mini guide to Airey’s Inlet to share some of my favourite finds in this tranquil Great Ocean Road beach town.

Where is Airey’s Inlet?

Airey’s Inlet is on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, between Anglesea and Lorne. It’s 122km from Melbourne, or approximately a 2-hour drive from the city. 

It’s around a 2-hour drive from the Twelve Apostles, if you took the fastest, inland route – most would want to take the coastal road, which would take longer.

Where to Stay in Airey’s Inlet

We were kindly hosted by a family friend, who runs this Air BnB in Airey’s Inlet. It’s a spacious villa, with a beautiful living area with a vaulted ceiling, and the resort has a pool and tennis court. It would be the perfect place to spend a few days, and is a very peaceful complex.

Things to Do in Airey’s Inlet

Split Point Lighthouse

The Split Point Lighthouse is the major landmark of Airey’s Inlet, and is best known for being the setting for the iconic 1990s kids TV show, Round the Twist. I can’t be the only 90s kid who gets the theme song stuck in their head every time they see this lighthouse?!

You can pay to do a self guided tour of the lighthouse, which we skipped. There are some cliff top paths near the lighthouse, which have some scenic lookouts over the surrounding coastline.

Airey’s Cliff Top Walk 

The Airey’s Cliff Top Walk is a coastal path with lots of beautiful views. It’s around 7km in total, and is an out and back trail rather than a loop. The walk spans from Sunnymead Beach to Airey’s Inlet, and includes the Split Point Lighthouse. There are some gorgeous lookouts along the way. It’s hilly in parts, but overall is an easy-moderate walk.

We were staying almost in the middle of where the walking trail was, so we did one part of the walk on our first afternoon, and did the other part of the trail on our final morning.

Henderson Falls in Otway National Park

Large sections of Great Otway National Park are currently closed due to recent storm damage, including the Henderson Falls walk. Always check the Parks Victoria website for the latest updates before heading into the national parks. 

From Airey’s Inlet, it’s a 30-minute drive to the walking trail for Henderson Falls, inside Great Otway National Park. The trailhead is just behind Lorne, but it’s close enough to Airey’s Inlet that it makes a nice half-day excursion.

The walk is 3.8km return, and is heavily shaded. It’s an easy, gentle walk, and rewards visitors with a beautiful waterfall at the end. You’ll end the walk at the base of the waterfall, which is split over the rocky cliff face.

Tip: Look for this sign, which is opposite where the trail starts (its on the other side of the road). You’ll see a few cars parked along this section of the road, this is the best spot to park if there is room, because you’re right by the trail head. We followed Google maps initially, and way overshot, and had to turn around.

Restaurants & Cafes in Airey’s Inlet

The Lighthouse Tearooms

The Lighthouse Tearooms is a cute cafe in Airey’s Inlet, right by the Split Point Lighthouse. There’s indoor & outdoor seating, and they have absolutely delicious scones with jam & cream. It gets busy here, especially on weekends.

Le Comptoir

Le Comptoir is a gorgeous French cafe & restaurant in Airey’s Inlet, that is like stepping into a country cafe in Bordeaux. The cafe is inspired by the owner’s native Bordeaux, with incredible freshly-baked baguettes and pastries made in house, delicious sandwiches and a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. We stopped here for coffee and the most perfect baguette, on our last morning in Airey’s Inlet. An essential stop!

Airey’s Pub

Airey’s Pub is a laidback, local pub with outdoor seating and a huge beer garden. We had drinks on the deck, which was so lovely in the late afternoon sunshine, and then moved inside for dinner when the wind picked up. The pub menu has all the classics, some nice pizzas & a few fresh, restaurant-style options, so it’s a great all-rounder.

A La Greque

Located opposite Airey’s Pub, A La Greque is a stylish Greek restaurant in Airey’s Inlet, offering an elevated dining experience. We didn’t get time to dine here, but it looks really lovely and we would have gone if we had an extra night.

Stops on the way to Airey’s Inlet

Torquay

Torquay is the surf capital of Victoria, best known for hosting the annual Rip Curl Pro surfing competition. It’s one of the larger coastal towns along the Great Ocean Road, and is a good spot to stop for breakfast or lunch, to break up the drive to Airey’s. I like Doc Hughes and The Salty Dog Cafe.

Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamerie

The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie is a giant chocolate shop, with a mind-boggling variety of chocolate. It’s hard to leave empty handed! From chocolate animals to petit fours, to walls of chocolate covered fruits and chocolate buttons, I’ve never seen more chocolate in my life.

Point Addis Beach Lookout

Just past Torquay, stretch your legs at the Point Addis Beach Lookout. You’ll find sweeping views of crumbling limestone cliffs and wide sandy beaches.

Further Reading

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