Lorne

Lorne is a very popular beach tourist resort town, located on one of the state's most scenic coastal routes, the Great Ocean Road, between Aireys Inlet and Wye River.

Cafes and boutiques line the main foreshore thoroughfare of Mountjoy Parade, creating a Mediterranean feel to the area. Lorne's wide foreshore area extends from the shops on Mountjoy Parade, across extensive lawns and down to the patrolled sandy beach areas of Louttit Bay. Further south at Point Grey is the jetty where the annual Lorne Pier to Pub open water swim is held, attracting national interest.

For a scenic overview of Lorne, follow the 1½ kilometre long Doug Stirling Walking Track from the Lorne Visitor Information Centre. This track runs beside the main beach, past Lorne Surf Life Saving Club, through bushy foreshore to Lorne Pier and around the other side of Point Grey to Shelly Beach. The section of the track from the surf life saving club to the pier passes beside several shady picnic areas and has elevated sections which provide excellent views of the town and its main beach. Along the way are several informative plaques that highlight historic shipwrecks in Louttit Bay. Another popular walk which begins at the visitor information centre does a one kilometre loop around the Erskine River, including an extensive boardwalk section and across the historic Lorne Swing Bridge which spans the river near its mouth.

Good views of the area can be enjoyed from Teddys Lookout, at the southern end of George Street. The upper and lower lookouts offer views inland as well as south along the coast and down to the point where the Great Ocean Road crosses the St George River at its mouth.

There is more to Lorne than just the beach. The mountainous and bushy Otway Ranges form an attractive backdrop to Lorne, with the Great Otway National Park offering many bushwalking tracks. The spectacular Erskine Falls are located within the park, 10 kilometres west of town. In fact, there are 10 waterfalls within 10 kilometres of Lorne to explore.

The Great Ocean Road south of Lorne is a particularly scenic section of this popular tourist route with the winding road hugging the coastline for much of its journey. Less than 10 kilometres from Lorne is the Mount Defiance Lookout, while further south is the small and very scenic coastal community of Wye River.