Everyone in Aireys Inlet knows about Aireys Pub. Current owners Tim Wood and Phil Johnson rounded up some friends, who pitched in to save the pub from becoming a housing estate in 2011. It would have been a local tragedy.

From the road, Aireys looks like a normal-sized pub. But walk inside and you’ll find three huge dining spaces (which do 1100 covers a day in summer); a beer garden; a stage (which hosts live music and the annual Comedy Roadshow), and their own Rogue Wave Brewing. Stop for a gourmet pub meal after a surf, then grab a tasting paddle of the house beers.

The in-house microbrewery was installed when the duo discovered that nearly all of our best-known Australian breweries are now owned by foreign companies. Peer through the window in the back dining room to see where the preservative-free Salt lager, Moby pale ale and Cranky Missus double IPA are produced, alongside more seasonal beers. You can still get a Carlton Draught here, but you might choose otherwise.

Explore The Great Ocean Road further using our detailed Out of Town to The Great Ocean Road guide.