The perfect starting point for those embarking on a surfing safari is this superbly curated museum that pays homage to Australian surfing. Here you'll see Simon Anderson's ground-breaking 1981 thruster, Mark Richard's retro airbrushed board-art collection and, most notably, Australia's Surfing Hall of Fame. It's full of great memorabilia (including Duke Kahanamoku's wooden longboard), videos and displays on surf culture from the 1960s to the '80s. Its themed shows throughout the year are always quality too.
Australian National Surfing Museum
Top choice in Great Ocean Road
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.59 MILES
Commanding expansive ocean views, this windswept national park on the peninsula’s western tip was a seasonal base of its traditional owners, the Boon…
15.08 MILES
Scale the 136 steps to the top of the beautiful 'White Queen' lighthouse for sensational 360-degree views. Built in 1891, the 34m-high lighthouse is still…
24.24 MILES
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20.34 MILES
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12.64 MILES
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12.85 MILES
Geelong's sparkling revamped waterfront precinct is a great place to stroll, with plenty of restaurants set on scenic piers, plus historical landmarks, a…
19.57 MILES
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11.51 MILES
Down an industrial street off Pakington St, Boom's warehouse space in an old woollen mill shows contemporary works by Melbourne and local artists. It…
Nearby Great Ocean Road attractions
3.16 MILES
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6.16 MILES
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3. Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre
7.53 MILES
The Wathaurung people – the original inhabitants and traditional custodians of Geelong – called the area Jillong, and this precinct on its outskirts…
9.35 MILES
One of the Geelong region's most respected wineries, Brown Magpie offers free tastings of its award-winning pinot noirs in a tin-shed cellar door…
5. Lobster Pot Heritage Centre
10.12 MILES
Just before the bridge, this interpretative centre has info on the Indigenous Wathaurung people and William Buckley, marine life and local history.
11.51 MILES
Down an industrial street off Pakington St, Boom's warehouse space in an old woollen mill shows contemporary works by Melbourne and local artists. It…
12.22 MILES
Largely a secret even to locals is this historic 19th-century paper mill, overlooking a scenic stretch of the Barwon River, that's recently been converted…
12.22 MILES
Built in 1849, HM Prison Geelong may have closed its doors in 1991, but this old bluestone jail remains as terrifying as ever. You'll see its grim cells…