Lavers Hill: Nature on the Great Ocean Road

Lavers Hill is a scenic stop on the Great Ocean Road, located between Port Campbell and Apollo Bay. The town is also at a junction of roads leading to Cobden and Colac. From Lavers Hill, you can enjoy views of rolling hills and the forested Otway Ranges. If you’re planning a stop along the coastal route, this is where route planning meets a distinctive landscape.

Rainforest, trails and wildlife watching

Melba Gully is a dense rainforest of myrtle beeches, blackwoods and tree ferns, with an understory of low ferns and mosses. The forest is characterised by its different layers of vegetation. By contrast, the views from Lavers Hill of rolling hills and the forested Otway Ranges present a different kind of landscape.

At Melba Gully, you can watch glow-worms along the walking trails at night. Seasonal conditions can affect their visibility. The 35-minute Madsen’s Track Nature Walk starts at the Melba Gully picnic area; trail conditions may change. This offers two distinct nature experiences: a walk with a set duration and starting point, and nighttime wildlife watching. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Fauna Australia offers a 30-minute Koala Experience where you can take your own photos. It includes a covered photo area, and the experience can be enjoyed in any weather. This offers a different focus from Melba Gully: here, it’s about the Koala Experience and taking your own photos, while there, it’s about the rainforest and trails.

Local character and things to do

The Drift is a striking wooden sculpture at the intersection of the Great Ocean Road and Colac Road. It evokes the region’s marine environment, prehistoric skeletal finds, shipwrecks and agricultural machinery. The work brings together several distinct themes in a single piece of art. If you’d like to include a cultural stop as well as nature and the route, the sculpture offers a specific connection to the area.

The Perch offers a farm-to-plate dining experience in Lavers Hill, bringing together local fishers, farmers and producers as well as its own farm. Menus and sourcing arrangements may change; check the current offering before your visit. The Perch also regularly hosts live music and quiz nights. Check the schedule before your visit if you’re planning to attend one of these evenings.

The town is also home to the heated swimming pool at the Cliff Young School and Community Recreational Centre. It is available to paying members of the community when it is not being used by the college. Both conditions are relevant to your plans; check the current usage information before visiting.

For the broader travel overview: Colac Otway Shire.