Lorne Visitor Information Centre

The Lorne Visitor Information Centre is on Mountjoy Parade, with staff who help plan stops around Lorne and the Great Ocean Road. I'd make it your first stop if you want route advice tailored to the time you have. You can pick up maps and brochures and ask about accommodation, attractions and local services.

Inside, a small display and video cover how the road was built and why it matters. It's a useful pause if you'd like some context before setting off along the coast.

There's car and coach parking, a public toilet, a picnic area, an EV charging point, free Wi-Fi and RV parking. Disabled access is available, though the details aren't spelled out; contact the centre if you need specifics. The shop carries local produce, gifts and souvenirs, so plan a separate stop if you're after a meal.

The Great Ocean Road was built to connect isolated towns on Victoria's southwest coast and as a lasting memorial to people killed in the First World War. About 3,000 returned servicemen worked on it, using hand tools, explosives, wheelbarrows and horse-drawn carts. The crews moved along the coast in tent camps, and the steep coastal sections were dangerous work.

The Eastern View–Lorne section opened on 18 March 1922. The Lorne–Apollo Bay section took another decade, and the whole road officially opened in November 1932. Geelong mayor Howard Hitchcock helped drive the project but died on 22 August 1932, a few months before the opening.