Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op

Restaurant

Beaut harbour views – plus fresh fish, squid and lobster hauled in that morning – are the drawcards at this one-of-a-kind fish and chippery.

The Birdhouse

Restaurant

This family-run, all-day restaurant offers beach views and local seafood turned into beautiful Mediterranean dishes.

Forrest General Store

Cafe

This provedore-cafe isn’t shy with its local food agenda.

Icaro Cafe

Cafe

Health is the priority here, in the form of tonics infused with moon crystals, sugar-free meals and specialty coffee.

Apollo Bay Distillery

Bar

Visit for gins infused with local botanicals (and folklore), plus woodfired pizza and house-roasted coffee.

Great Ocean Brewhouse

Bar

This grand 1800s pub has been reinvigorated, with eight hotel rooms, a well-stocked taproom, a gastropub menu and a dog-friendly deck.

Otway Estate Bar and Cafe

Restaurant

Woodfired pizzas, local wines, beers and ciders are what this relaxed indoor-outdoor brewery and cidery is all about.

The Forrest Brewing Company

Bar

Malt-forward beers and barley-fed beef burgers, in a cosy cabin-like room overlooking the town’s popular mountain bike trails.

Wildlife Wonders

A living compendium of plants, fungi and animals that call the Otways home, Wildlife Wonders is recreating the interdependent ecosystem that existed pre-colonisation. Protected by a fox- and cat-proof fence, the conservation project was designed by Brian Massey – an art director on The Hobbit and landscape designer of Hobbiton in Aotearoa. He’s worked with scientists, zoologists, botanists, wildlife veterinarians and interpreters to simulate natural ecologies where the animals feel safe (and humans can quietly observe). Enjoy a 75-minute, 1.4-kilometre guided walk on an all-abilities path at a gentle pace. Spot Tasmanian pademelons (they used to be found throughout south-eastern Australia), koalas, eastern grey kangaroos, swamp wallabies, southern brown bandicoots, long-nosed potoroos, and the southern boobook owl. Learn about mycorrhizal fungi and their symbiotic relationship with plants, and the Otway black snail with its carnivorous habits. Afterwards, enjoy coffee with a view, and visit the shop to take home some knowledge-laden books. All profits help fund the Conservation Ecology Centre, which works to address urgent conservation challenges and nurture the Otway biome.

Forrest Mountain Bike Trails

The aptly named Forrest has been luring keen mountain-bikers with its 65 kilometres of single track since 2005. Whether you’re a beginner, dabbler or devotee, there are 16 trails to explore – ranging from short, (relatively) gentle warm-up cruises, to the challenging 11.5-kilometre Yaugher super loop. Pass through tall eucalyptus forest, dry heath scrub and fern gullies as you weave from wide, free-flowing trail to tight switchbacks, berms and jumps. Save paper with the downloadable map, and keep in mind some tracks are dual-use with walkers. You can climb from Forrest to Lake Elizabeth (track two) to glimpse the resident barlidjaru (platypus), but keep in mind the alternate return track, Red Carpet (track three), is closed for construction through to 2022. A revitalisation project is underway, set to create another 38 kilometres of trails.

Californian Redwoods

Californian redwood, or Sequoia sempervirens, doesn’t normally grow here. This plot of trees was planted in 1936 as part of plantation experiments trialling different timber species in Victorian soils. Unlike the Corsican pine and Douglas fir plots that were planted nearby, the Californian redwoods managed to avoid being logged or removed. These slow-growing giants are now roughly 70 metres tall, but they’re known to reach almost double that – and they might get the chance, now they’re protected as part of the Great Otway National Park. It only takes about 15 minutes to traverse this “forest”, but you’ll want to take your time (and maybe a picnic). Arrive early to catch the redwoods in their quietest state, when the silence is punctuated only by birds and the trickling Aire River. And take note of the native mosses and ferns that have reclaimed some of the undergrowth, not just the towering foreigners.

Maits Rest Rainforest Walk

Nature

This rare patch of old-growth, temperate forest is an ideal spot for reconnecting with the area’s ancient terrain. A boardwalk hovers over the moss-covered roots of 300-year-old trees to preserve the delicate ecosystem. Mountain ash, myrtle beech, and blackwood tower overhead, while ferns fill the understorey. Koalas, ringtail possums, long-nosed potoroos, and swamp wallabies all live here. Come nightfall, glow-worms may appear – as might the partially nocturnal Otway black snail. This gentle 800-metre walk takes about 30-minutes.

Forrest Guesthouse

Accommodation

Cosy suites amid a lush garden, with a regular echidna visitor.

Beeches By The Sea

Accommodation

Spacious (pet-friendly) villas minutes from the ocean.