About Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay has many things to offer the holidaymaker and their family. This coastal town of less than 2,000 people is in the southwestern part of Victoria on the eastern side of Cape Otway.

This quaint little village started off as a whaling station on Point Bunbury in the 1840s, founded by the Henty brothers. Captain Loutit named the bay in 1845. A few years later settlers came to cut timber and the name, Apollo Bay became official in 1898. It became an important tourist area and fishing port in 1932 after the Great Ocean Road was opened.

Two of the town's claims to fame are the annual Apollo Bay Music Festival and the Great Ocean Sports Festival. The Apollo Bay Music Festival was first held in Apollo Bay in 1993. Australia even featured the festival on a postage stamp in 2006. It is held every March, and brings in performers from all over the world.

You can travel along the Great Ocean Road and view the scenery, or do some shopping and visit the nearby Apollo Bay Golf Club if you fancy a round of golf. Visitors routinely head to the Great Ocean Road to see the strange rock formations, beautiful rich green forests, steep cliffs and beaches. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of landscapes that delights the eye. Be sure to stop along the way and check out some of the little towns and their local attractions, shopping and cafes and restaurants.

Apollo Bay is very popular as a weekend getaway for young and old. It is sometimes called “Paradise by the Sea” and has beautiful pristine white beaches and fantastic blue waters to swim and fish in or just admire as you sunbathe on the beach. You cantake a stroll along the harbour wharves and speak to some of the local fishermen and admire their catch . The seafood here is super fresh, so be sure to have lunch in one of the restaurants. You can buy some to take home too or take a charter out to the ocean and try your luck yourself!

The hinterland of Apollo Bay has many beauties, including the nearby Otway Ranges with their majestic native trees which match the shoreline for sheer grandiose beauty. The Otway Ranges include Otway National Park with its beautiful and famous waterfalls, such as Triplet Falls, or Stevensons Falls. Both are tourist attractions you just don’t want to miss!

Photo thanks to Phil Thomson

Don’t miss a chance to tour the Cape Otway Lighthouse either. This wonder was built in 1848 and is now open for tours and you can even stay the night there too!

All in all, there are many things for the tourist to do in Apollo Bay Victoria Australia.