Visit these top Lorne cafes on your trip to the Great Ocean Road

The next time you’re visiting the Great Ocean Road, be sure to put these Lorne cafes on your hit list.

A quintessential Victorian beach town, Lorne is one of those places you need to visit at least once in your lifetime. Whether you’re chasing an endless summer with a long break by the sea or just making a pitstop while on a Great Ocean Road drive, put these Lorne cafes on your radar.

1. Riverbank Cafe

Open seven days a week, you’ll find this reliable local favourite on the banks of the Erskine River. In winter, cosy up inside and order the soup of the day with sourdough toast.

the exterior of Riverbank Café, Lorne — Cosy up inside the Riverbank Cafe with a warm brew.

During summer, nab one of the outdoor tables to soak up the fresh air and sunshine in this peaceful spot away from the crowds on the main street.

pastry and coffee on the table at Riverbank Café, Lorne — Snag an outdoor table to enjoy your brekkie.

Offering coffee from Melbourne’s Axil Coffee Roasters and a Devonshire tea that would make the Country Women’s Association proud, this cafe nails the classics.

outdoor dining at Riverbank Café, Lorne — Find Riverbank Cafe on the banks of the Erskine River.

Address: 6 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

2. The Bottle of Milk

Expect to see everyone from holidaymakers to tradies stopping by this popular Lorne stalwart. Located on the main drag right opposite the beach, this licensed cafe is almost always busy.

a close-up shot of a burger at The Bottle of Milk, Lorne — Hit up The Bottle of Milk for your burger fix.

From a bacon and egg roll and coffee in the morning, to a burger and pint for lunch, or a malty milkshake on a hot summer’s afternoon, this cafe always hits the spot.

a couple dining at The Bottle of Milk, Lorne — Stop by this popular Lorne stalwart for a tasty brunch. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Phone number: (03) 5289 2005

Address: 52 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

3. HAH Lorne Beach

Enjoying prime position right on the beach, HAH (Health and Hire) Lorne Beach makes refuelling after a swim, surf or beach run easy. This casual, cruisy spot is where to get your fill of healthy, nutritious foods with million-dollar views to match.

the cafe exterior of HAH Lorne Beach — Refuel at HAH Lorne Beach after a swim.

Taste the rainbow by ordering a superfood smoothie, acai bowl or matcha latte, then pull up a chair out the front to enjoy in the sunshine. This place is also a wholefoods eco-store stocking a range of organic and sustainable products, so you can pick up everything from local honey to hemp seeds and reusable water bottles here too.

a superfood smoothie bowl at HAH Lorne Beach — Order a superfood smoothie or an acai bowl.

Need to rent a bike, surfboard or stand-up paddleboard? Yep, you can also do that here. Is there anything HAH Lorne Beach can’t do?

the beachfront view on HAH Lorne Beach — HAH Lorne Beach offers direct access to the beach.

Phone number: 0406 453 131

Address: 89 Cypress Ave, Lorne.

4. Lorne Central

Just across the road from the beach, Lorne Central is a popular breakfast and lunch spot with a broad, kid and vegetarian-friendly menu.

a man holding two red cups of coffee at Lorne Central — Linger over coffee at Lorne Central. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you stroll over after a morning swim to enjoy some berry waffles and a freshly squeezed juice or settle in for a steak sandwich or salmon bagel for lunch, Lorne Central is the type of place you can easily return to again and again.

Phone number: (03) 5289 1907

Address: 54-56 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

5. Moons Espresso Bar

Take your coffee seriously? Make Moons Espresso Bar your go-to on your next trip to Lorne. Open for breakfast and lunch, this busy spot with indoor and outdoor seating has all your hot and cold caffeine needs covered.

outside of the Moons Espresso Bar in Lorne — Make Moons Espresso Bar your go-to on your next trip to Lorne.

Apart from seriously good coffee made with beans from Coffee Supreme, there are also classic cafe menu items on offer here like eggs benedict, a BLT and a nourishing granola bowl packed with creamy yoghurt and fresh fruit.

toat on a plate at Moons Espresso Bar, Lorne — Moons Espresso Bar makes seriously good coffee and BLTs.

Phone number: (03) 5289 1149

Address: 108 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

6. Qdos Café

After checking out the indoor art space and outdoor sculpture garden of this artsy hideaway, make a beeline for the gallery cafe where you’ll find a small menu of house-made cakes and light meals made with organic produce grown in the owner’s hothouse.

the exterior of Qdos Café in Lorne — Qdos Café is a lush and artsy hideaway in Lorne.

The floor-to-ceiling windows invite plenty of natural light in and offer lovely views of the surrounding eucalypts too.

woodfired pizza outside the oven at Qdos Café — Grab a slice of woodfired pizza.

Phone number: (03) 5289 1989

Address: 35 Allenvale Rd, Lorne

7. Almyra

Located beachside at the Lorne Sea Baths, this multipurpose venue has some of the best ocean views in town. While the deck, dining room and bar are popular spots for sunset drinks and dinner, Almyra also does a cafe-style breakfast that is a cut above the rest.

empty tables and chairs inside Almyra cafe in Lorne — Almyra is a sophisticated cafe located at the Lorne Sea Baths.

Treat yourself to some granola with seasonal fruit, a freshly baked Danish or veggie breakfast with a Middle Eastern twist. For the perfect start to the day, wash it down with a cheeky Breakfast Bellini or some Woolshed Coffee roasted just down the road in Geelong.

a pineapple drink with ocean views in the background at Almyra, Lorne — Sip a fruity cocktail while admiring the ocean views.

Phone number: (03) 5216 7716

Address: 81 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

8. Pit Stop Lorne

Got a hankering for some American dude food? Make a pitstop at, well, Pit Stop in Lorne. This fun, 60s-style retro cafe operating from a silver Airstream on Lorne’s main street is a top spot to get your fill of salty, carby, cheesy goodness. From a mac & cheese burger to crinkle-cut fries and deep-fried onion rings, the menu has ‘hangover cure’ written all over it.

burgers and fries at Pit Stop Lorne — Pop by Pit Stop Lorne for salty and carby American snacks.

Phone number: 0435 569 996

Address: 90-92 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

9. Swing Bridge Café and Boathouse

Start your morning at this easy-going, dog-friendly cafe located right by the swing bridge, as its name suggests.

the exterior of Swing Bridge Café and Boathouse, Lorne — Swing by this dog-friendly cafe for a lazy al fresco brunch.

With serene views of the estuary and ocean further afield, this quiet spot is the perfect place for a long, lazy al fresco brunch of eggs, sourdough toast and all the trimmings. This area is popular with dog walkers so is a top place for pooch-spotting too!

brunch at Swing Bridge Café and Boathouse, Lorne — Treat yourself to a satisfying meal at Swing Bridge Café and Boathouse.

Phone number: 0432 208 281

Address: 40 Great Ocean Road, Lorne.

Follow our guide to how to spend the perfect day in Lorne

Video credit: Tourism Australia

From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland , and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

a couple on Mount Oberon — Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit , which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park — Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk , even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk , usually done over seven days.

the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland — Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The best bush hikes in Gippsland

the Baw Baw National Park — The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland — Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park , along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park — Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail , a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park — The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park , known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the WildernessRetreats in The Prom — Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

Eating there

the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland — The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.