Do you want to get a little bit more out of the Great Ocean Road when you next visit?If so,why don’t you look into doing some four-wheel driving? The tracks close by to this iconic stretch of highway have a lot to offer for all four-wheel driving skill levels, and provide plenty of great camping opportunities and fantastic bush scenery.
To make your trip one to remember, here are some tips that will help you prepare for your off-roading adventure and find a suitable track:
1. Choose Your Method of Transport
Not everyone has their own tricked-out four-wheel drive machine, which is why many tour operators have developed exciting off-roading Great Ocean Road tours. Even if you have a 4WD vehicle, it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s off-road ready!
Joining a tour will also take a lot of the guesswork and planning out of an off-roading adventure as operators know about all the best tracks, so all you’ll have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.
2. Get Ready
If you have your own four-wheel driving vehicle and gear, then you’ll have to do a thorough check to ensure you have everything packed and ready to go. The first thing on your list should be to take your car into the garage and have it tuned up and inspected, ensuring that your tyres are in good condition and inflated properly and that your fluids are topped up.
Next, check in with your car insurance provider and roadside assistance services to ensure you are covered in every way possible, should you break down while on the road. Then go through your list of supplies and make sure you have the following crucial pieces of equipment:
- Spare tyre, jack and winch
- Fire extinguisher
- First-aid and survival kits
- Extra water and fuel
- Tools
- Mobile phone
- Map
3. Make a Plan
Before going on any four-wheel driving adventure, it’s important to have a set itinerary, so that you can plan for the equipment you need, and so that you can also tell someone where you’re going.
There are so many tracks of varying levels of difficulty around the Great Ocean Roadthat you will be able to pack in way more fun if you have decided on your tracks ahead of time. Plus, there are plenty of accommodation options around the highway, and you have your pick of hotels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks or campgrounds.
Planning early will also allow you to keep an eye on the condition of your choice tracks in the lead-up to your adventure.
4. Popular Tracks
The most popular area for four-wheel driving near the Great Ocean Road is in the Otway Ranges. If you base yourself in Forrest for a weekend, then there are a lot of great tracks nearby for you to choose from, such as:
- Cowley track
- Goat track
- Noonday track
- Number One Spur track
- West Barwon track
- Turtons track
- Delaney’s Road
- Curtis Road
Alternatively, if you hang around the area of Lavers Hill, you have plenty of opportunities to explore tracks like:
- Egan track
- Mount McKenzie Road
- Number Nine Ridge track
- Holy Water track
- Bennets track
- Heffernan track
Of course, if it’s ocean views and sand challenges you’re after, you can also check out the tracks near Princetown, which is closer to Port Campbell National Park.
