It’s no secret that Victoria’s south-eastern coastline is home to one of the world’s most spectacular drives. Stretching 240km from Torquay to Allansford, the name says it all, really: Great Ocean Road.

Visit Victoria estimates that around 6.6 million domestic and international tourists visited the region in 12 months to July 2019. These figures suggest that you’re probably already familiar with the region’s windswept golden beaches and dramatic views of the Southern Ocean and Bass Strait.

Plenty has also been written about the road itself, which takes almost every twist and turn imaginable, at some points placing cars mere metres from the seafoam. So, what’s new on this road trip that is practically a rite of passage for any Australian with four wheels and a driver’s license?

Let’s start with our own four wheels; the all-electric EQB 250. The mid-size SUV is the perfect road trip companion and the first in the Mercedes-EQ line-up to offer up to seven seats. The ability to reconfigure the cabin offers plenty of space for luggage, boogie boards and the all-important beach umbrella.

For those accustomed to the silky-smooth drive and luxurious appointments of a Mercedes-Benz SUV, the EQB may feel like an old friend with some brand-new tech. But as we break free of the city traffic and hit the M1 heading west out of Melbourne, it’s clear that this is an entirely new driving experience – the near-silent electric drivetrain instantly delivering up to 140 kW of power and 385 Nm of torque with a light squeeze of the accelerator.

Today, we’re tackling the Surf Coast, a 50km stretch of the Great Ocean Road that starts in Torquay, a small township world renowned for its surf culture and some of Australia’s best breaks at neighbouring Jan Juc and Bells Beach.

Surf’s up in Torquay

Grab a coffee at Pond and take wander along the Norfolk Pine tree-lined Front Beach, before looping back along the restaurant-lined Esplanade where the dining options vary from buzzy pan-Asian eatery Bob Sugar to fancy fish and chippery Fishos and seasonal produce-driven Samesyn just off the main drag.

Mortadeli, a New York-style Mediterranean sandwich shop and deli tucked just behind the Esplanade, is a must-visit for lunch. Owner Jake Cassar has drawn up a punchy menu of around 15 sandwiches, subs, melts and rolls inspired by his Maltese heritage.

There’s an oozy Meatball Sub, Pastrami on Rye and the Continental Deli, which stars the deli’s namesake smallgood, but the surprise signature gaining considerable traction locally is a sandwich Jake used to take to school each day. The Hobz biz-Zejt is a tuna mix with kunserva (a slightly sweet Maltese tomato paste), olives, capers, pickled red onion and salted ricotta on thick, pillowy slices of Pasta Dura bread with lashings of olive oil. Park up at the colourful Mortadeli counter or make like the Maltese and enjoy your sandwich while stretched out on the sand.

If you need to charge your electric vehicle, the RACV Torquay Resort has an ultra-rapid station that delivers up to 350kW of charge so you can power up before heading out of town via Bells Boulevarde. Snag a park at the top of Bells Beach to watch surfers tackle the swells made famous by the annual Rip Curl Pro world surf championships before rejoining the Great Ocean Road towards Anglesea.

Ambling through Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The second major township along the Surf Coast has a far sleepier vibe than the first and is home to golden beaches with spectacular red cliffs best viewed from one of several coastal walking trails. The Surf Coast Walk stretches 44km from Torquay to Aireys Inlet but can be broken up into sections with different degrees of difficulty. From Anglesea town centre, head east for a 7km rugged cliff top trail to Point Addis or west for a leisurely beach walk to Point Roadknight.

About 10km further along the coast in the tiny hamlet of Aireys Inlet, Split Point Lighthouse has acquired plenty of maritime history and a couple of ghost stories in its 130-odd years presiding over Victoria’s ‘Shipwreck Coast’. Climb to the top for one of the best views in the region.

Back down on solid ground, Airey’s is also home to the tasting rooms for Great Ocean Road Gin. Founder Ann Houlihan produces small batch craft gin that heroes the local landscape as her larder. Here, your road trip passengers can enjoy the flagship and award-winning ‘Guvvos’ is a dry gin featuring salt bush, kelp, coast daisy and local varieties of eucalyptus among its 24 botanicals, while there are also plenty of non-alcoholic options for the driver to quench their thirst. This venue also serves a South-East Asian inspired menu of small plates for grazing, which you can enjoy in their sunny courtyard.

Our journey continues through a particularly jaw-dropping section of the Great Ocean Road that takes in the settlements of Fairhaven, Moggs Creek and Eastern View. On one side, rolling waves pound the seawall, mere metres from the edge of the road. On the other, luxurious holiday houses embedded in the cliff face leave you to imagine what kind of views await their inhabitants.

Lorne: where the bush meets the beach

Beyond Eastern View, the road curves abruptly inland and lush rainforest replaces the angry swell. The EQB glides silently through the hairpin turns with the agility of a much smaller car as we climb higher before beginning the descent to our destination just in time for dinner.

It’s often said that Lorne is where the bush meets the beach, but the dining scene in this seaside village has recently welcomed some big names from the big smoke. The iconic Lorne Hotel hosts a coastal outpost of Coda, a modern Asian mainstay of Melbourne’s CBD from chef Adam D’Sylva and is soon to open Victoria’s first Totti’s, the popular Italian eatery with four venues across Sydney.

Jo Barrett, one of the chefs in the kitchen at Joost Bakker’s zero-waste urban farm Future Food Systems at Melbourne’s Federation Square, now runs Little Picket out of Lorne Bowls Club. The restaurant’s menu changes regularly based on ingredients that are seasonal and locally sourced, including from her market garden in nearby Deans Marsh.

Bunker down for the evening at boutique hotel La Perouse, and make sure you’re up early to beat the crowds at Erskine Falls, a 30-metre waterfall surrounded by rainforest just a short drive north of town.

From here, take your time heading back towards the city – grab a healthy breakfast at HAH, rent a stand-up paddle board or park yourself on the main beach. Or better still, hit the road again and head west. After all, a Great Ocean Road trip is one worth savouring.

For more information and up-to-date opening hours, visit each website below.

Mortadeli and Great Ocean Road Gin kindly supplied a meal to our contributors for the purposes of writing this article.

By Jo Davy