Diving & Travel Guide to Victoria – Bass Strait

The Bass Strait coastline is accessed from Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road, one of the world's most scenic coastal drives. The eastern section (Bellarine Peninsula, Ocean Grove) is approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne, while Apollo Bay is about 3 hours and Portland is approximately 4.5 hours. The region is also accessible via the Princes Highway for the inland route to Warrnambool and Portland. There are no major commercial airports on the coast, though Avalon Airport (AVV) near Geelong provides a closer alternative to Melbourne Airport. Dive operators run trips from Ocean Grove, Apollo Bay, Warrnambool, and Portland, and many of the shore dive sites are accessible from the Great Ocean Road. The region is best explored by car, as the dive sites are spread along 400 kilometers of coastline, and the Great Ocean Road drive itself is one of Australia's must-do experiences.

The Bass Strait coastline offers excellent regional dining that reflects its coastal communities and the wild Southern Ocean environment. The Great Ocean Road towns of Anglesea, Lorne, and Apollo Bay feature excellent seafood restaurants serving fresh catches from the strait, including rock lobster, abalone, and locally caught fish. Warrnambool, as the largest regional city on the coast, offers a diverse food scene with quality restaurants, cafes, and the excellent Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory. Port Fairy, one of Victoria's most charming coastal towns, has a thriving food culture with boutique restaurants, artisan bakeries, and the famous Port Fairy Fishermen's Co-op selling fresh seafood direct from the boats. Portland offers excellent southern rock lobster and fresh seafood from the Southern Ocean. The region also has a growing craft beer and wine scene, with local breweries and cool-climate wineries producing excellent beverages. The farm-gate produce from the Otway hinterland includes artisan cheeses, organic vegetables, and free-range meats.