Great Ocean Road Tourist Park

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Great Ocean Road Tourist Park, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place. But you know what? Sometimes those modest expectations set you up for pleasant surprises. This spot sits right at the corner of the Great Ocean Road and Irvine Street in Peterborough, and while that might sound like it’d be noisy, it’s actually perfectly positioned. You’re literally a two-minute walk from those dramatic limestone stacks everyone comes to see, but far enough back that you’re not dealing with tour bus exhaust at breakfast.

The thing about Peterborough – and locals will tell you this – is that it’s one of those Great Ocean Road stops that people tend to rush through on their way to the Twelve Apostles. Which honestly works in your favor if you’re staying here, because you get to experience the coastline without the Port Campbell crowds, especially if you time your cliff walks for early morning or late afternoon. The park itself has that unpretentious vibe I actually prefer when I’m road-tripping. It’s not trying to be boutique or luxury – it’s just solid, clean accommodation that gets the job done. The cabins are surprisingly spacious (I mean, for what you’re paying), and they’ve clearly put some effort into updates over the years. Nothing fancy, but the beds are comfortable and the kitchenettes actually have everything you need, not just the bare minimum.

What really won me over was how the staff seemed to genuinely know the area. The woman at check-in mentioned that the walking track behind the property connects to the clifftop trail – something I definitely wouldn’t have discovered on my own. And she was right about timing the sunset from London Bridge; apparently most people show up too late and miss the best light. The facilities are what you’d expect from a tourist park – decent amenities block, laundry that actually works, playground for kids – but it’s all well-maintained. I stayed during shoulder season in April, so I can’t speak to how crazy it gets in summer, but there was plenty of space and the whole place felt relaxed. The Wi-Fi was surprisingly reliable too, which matters when you’re trying to upload those cliff photos. That 8.5 rating makes complete sense to me – it’s not going to blow you away, but it delivers exactly what it promises without any unpleasant surprises. If you’re doing the Great Ocean Road properly (meaning taking your time instead of rushing), this is the kind of place that lets you settle in and actually enjoy the coastline instead of just photographing it from your car window.