Lorne, VIC
There's something for everyone in this slice of paradise where lush green rainforest and vibrant blue ocean meet.
Where To Stay In Lorne
The iconic Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park is our go to spot here, like it is for many other visitors to the area and has been for decades. Don’t let its history put you off though, the park remains well maintained and facilities have been renovated several times and feel modern. The park has a beautiful location on the river feeding out to Lorne Beach which gives it a natural and secluded vibe despite being just minutes walk from the main town of Lorne. The park offers Unpowered Sites, Powered Sites, Glamping and Cabins.
Where To Eat & Drink In Lorne
The Bottle Of Milk is a great spot to enjoy a coffee and breakfast with a view out over Lorne’s Main Beach. The “Cold Shower” Bacon & Egg Roll is delicious, similar to the classic B&E Roll but with the addition of a hash brown. If you don’t make it down to Bottle Of Milk for Breakfast fear not, they are best known for their burgers so head on down at any time in the afternoon or into the early evening. It’s hard to go past the Classic Burger, a delicious combination of prime beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, house mayo & homemade tomato relish. The upstairs deck at the Lorne Pub is a great spot for a beer but does get particularly busy in summer, that said, it's well worth braving the crowds for the views. Food wise a classic bistro offering is on offer, but this isn’t your regular pub kitchen, expect a high level of quality even in your schnitzel or burger. Downstairs at the pub you’ll find Totti’s, a modern Italian restaurant run by the team from Merivale. Central to any meal here is their famed woodfire oven cooked bread to go with a variety of antipasto dishes and there’s several delicious pastas on offer too. Our favourite spot is Ipsos, serving up a modern take on a traditional Greek food in a refined setting with warm hospitality from a family who has owned and run various restaurants in this region since 1976. The menu frequently rotates based on seasonal produce, but if the Lamb Shoulder is on then it is an absolute must.
What To Do In Lorne
Known for its beautiful forest meets the sea geography, we love centring our activities around the beautiful Lorne Main Beach. A great way to start is to go for a walk along the beach and up around as close as Lorne Pier as you’d like to walk which will help you in getting a sense for the area. If you do go the whole way, you’re in for roughly a 4 km return trip. Lorne Main Beach is of course a great spot for a swim with gentle surf thanks to its protected cove. It’s patrolled daily from November through to Easter and on weekends the rest of the year. If you’re keen to learn to surf we always recommend the team from Go Ride A Wave who have several locations along this coastline and beyond. It's well worth it to head inland and explore the surrounding national park area with several great trails. A visit to one of the beautiful waterfalls in the surrounding hinterland is always highly recommended, with Erskine Falls and Kalimna Falls two of the most popular.
The Essentials
Lorne is a well stocked town so no need to worry about missing anything here. There’s multiple supermarkets and chemists and Lorne Hardware & Leisure has some basic camping equipment if you’re in need.
The Drive
As always, we give you the rundown on the drive you’ll take from the three closest capital cities.
From Melbourne - Just 141 km but with plenty of winding roads towards the tail end of the journey. If the traffic out of Melbourne is fine, you’ll be able to get there in under two hours.
From Adelaide - At 724 km you’ll need a stop or two, and given you go directly through it why not spend a few nights in the amazing Coonawarra wine region.
From Sydney - The most direct route is just over 1,000 km and is going to take you through the Snowy Valley, then Wangaratta and on to Melbourne. You’ll no doubt need a few stops along the way and we recommend making a bit more of a trip out of it and stopping at various places along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
