There are plenty of amazing accommodation options close to Wildlife Wonders.
By: Toni Stevens, updated February 2024
Apollo Bay and the Otways make for an excellent place to base yourself on your road trip, as not only are there so many things to do from here, Apollo Bay is also the midpoint of the Great Ocean Road.
Here is our list of places we think make for the best accommodation in Apollo Bay and the Otways after your Wildlife Wonders visit.
For a luxury escape…
Chris’s Villas
Chris’s Villas are just steps away from their famous restaurant, Chris’s at Beacon Point, offering year-round accommodation for the many diners who choose to stay the night after enjoying a meal and a fine wine or two. Located high above Skenes Creek, every villa is self-contained and contemporary, with modern fittings and floor-to-ceiling windows, with dizzying sea views.
Holiday Great Ocean Road
Holiday houses; beach cottages and apartments; romantic getaways; family escapes; ocean views; wood fires; spas; pet friendly – really, is there anything Holiday Great Ocean Road don’t do!?!? Whatever it is you’re looking for in your next holiday, they can hook you up with one of over 60 properties from Aireys Inlet all the way to Port Campbell.
Sea Houses
Sea Houses offer a number of beautiful holiday homes around the Great Ocean Road, including in Apollo Bay and the Otways coast. These homes really do make for a memorable stay and create a home away from home.
This is also a great option for group stays, with some homes offering up to 4 bedrooms, and others are pet-friendly so you can bring the whole family along!
The Wildlife Wonders cafe is also dog-friendly, with dogs allowed in the outdoor courtyard dining area t, where they can join you for breakfast or lunch daily. Please note for the safety of our wildlife, dogs are not permitted in our sanctuary.
Sky Pods, Cape Otway
Stay connected to nature in your very own luxury, self contained, SkyPod in Cape Otway.
The beauty of this accommodation with its floor to ceiling windows will take your breath away as you take in the rugged landscape from the comfort of your bed. Sky
Pods are only a 25 minute drive from Wildlife Wonders, and this isn’t just any drive, you will want to do this one again and again. The roads will curve and wind through towering Mountain Ash trees and stunning temperate rainforest as you make your way to your private getaway.
For family-friendly camping fun…
Great Ocean Road Holiday Parks
Situated adjacent to some of the most spectacular beaches and reserves on the coast, Great Ocean Road Holiday Parks offer a range of accommodation options for families, tourists and visitors.
There are 8 locations to choose from, with the closest to Wildlife Wonders being at Marengo (walking distance), followed by Apollo Bay and Skenes Creek. All three of these are located directly off the Great Ocean Road with views and access to the regions famous beaches.
Marengo Caravan Park enjoys full beach frontage and is adjacent to the Marengo Reef Marine Sanctuary with resident Seal Colony, ideal for swimming diving and snorkelling. Situated at the beginning of the Great Ocean Walk the park offers unlimited scope for formal bushwalking trails. You can even walk to Wildlife Wonders from the park, on a beautiful 3 km hike.
As a bonus, all funds raised by these parks are reinvested into the Great Ocean Road coast and parks.
BIG4 Apollo Bay Pisces Holiday Park
If your ideal family holiday involves 1,001 ways to tire the kids out, this is the place for you.
From an adventure-playground and pump-track, to heated swimming pool and indoor games room, look no further than Pisces Apollo Bay. Plus it’s only meters from the beach.
Pick a cosy cabin, luxury villa, caravan, or campsite to enjoy the best Apollo Bay has to offer. Pisces Big 4 is also just 1.5km from the cafes and shops of the town via a bike and walking path.
Bimbi Park, Cape Otway
Bimbi Park is a campground like no other and a stuning 25 minute drive to Wildlife Wonders.
Nestled into the sand dunes behind the wild Station Beach under the manna gums, you have your choice of campsite, van, or even an off-grid eco-cabin.
There is nature all around from koalas and wallabies to the resident chickens, horses and even goats. Hire an e-bike, play a round of mini golf, or tackle the rock-climbing wall. What more could you ask for!?
For a retreat with the entire place to yourself…
Fernhouse
Fernhouse is located right on the Great Ocean Road and sits on a ridge overlooking the ocean, adjacent to the national park.
The house is a two-story post and beam country house, with a big living room, dining area, new kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large deck featuring a barbecue area. You can spot koalas in the tall eucalypts that surround the house or walk down to the stream that runs through the property, where wallabies roam in cool temperate rain forest.
It’s the perfect place to retreat and immerse yourself in nature, just 5km from Apollo Bay.
To be able to walk to everything right in town…
Seamist Cottage
Walk to the beach, the pub, the golf course, you name it, everything is in easy reach from Seamist Cottage. Built in 2015, this modern, one bedroom house is centrally located in Apollo Bay, one block back from the Great Ocean Road.
It is a two-minute walk to the supermarket, cafes and shops and one-minute to the beach. This super convenient seaside cottage is perfect for couples, and it’s also pet friendly.
Captains at the Bay
Captains at the Bay is where we put people up when they come to visit.
A contemporary Bed & Breakfast, with only twelve rooms, catering mostly for couples, you’ll get peace and quiet, privacy and great service, with the advantage of being strolling distance from the foreshore (150 metres), beach, restaurants, Visitor Information Centre and the shopping strip.
Dolphin Apartments
Luxury self-contained apartment accommodation by the sea, the Dolphin Apartments offer a haven by the beach with all the comforts of home.
With 2 beds, 2 baths, spacious living, spa baths in all apartments and fantastic ocean views from the penthouses, you won’t want to leave. But if you do, you’re in a prime location to take advantage of all the attractions along the Great Ocean Road while staying in stylish and modern accommodation.
For those amazing ocean views…
Chocolate Gannets
Chocolate Gannets offers luxury accommodation on the Great Ocean Road. Nestled on the shores of Apollo Bay, these secluded villas are famous for their meditative sea views, effortless luxury, spa tubs and enviable beachfront position. The ultimate honeymoon or romantic escape for couples celebrating anniversaries and engagements. Or a peaceful nature retreat for families.
If you’re bringing the whole crew…
Seacroft Estate
If you’re looking for something completely different Seacroft Estate is an historic former monastery set on 25 acres overlooking the Great Ocean Road with 180-degree ocean views.
They provide a range of accommodations, from self-contained apartments to glamping tents, that can sleep up to 56 people, allowing you to stay with your closest friends and family in one exclusive location.
Enjoy a peaceful rural setting in a place of incredible natural beauty just 15 minutes’ drive from the popular coastal town of Apollo Bay.
Looking for somewhere else to stay in Apollo Bay?
Visit the local Great Ocean Road Directory or Otways Accommodation websites for all the accommodation options, or have a chat to the friendly team at Holiday Great Ocean Road or Otway Retreats.
