From dramatic limestone pillars rising high from the ocean floor, to lush copses of tropical rainforest teeming with indigenous flora and fauna, one thing that the Great Ocean Road excels in is natural beauty. The best way to discover the diverse range of nature and UNESCO approved attractions, the areas national parks throw up some highlights from koala watching in a lighthouse, to viewing Victoria’s most famous monument by air. The famous Great Ocean Road starts just over an hour outside of Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, so even those staying in the cosmopolitan city will find these national parks within easy reach.

You Yangs Regional Park

Towering majestically out of the Werribee lava plains, travellers staying in Melbourne will be able to see all the way to these granite peaks on a clear day. The unusual name "You Yangs" is actually an Aboriginal phrase that translates to "large mountain rising out of a plain". Although the largest mountain in the park, Flinder’s Peak, is only 352m tall, holidaymakers who make the trek to the top can view the Brisbane ranges and Mount Macedon when the sun is out. Other attractions that may be of interest to tourists visiting the park are the Aboriginal rock wells on Big Rock, which were designed to hold water during the stifling summer season.

Great Otways National Park

This infamous national park is perhaps the best place on the Great Ocean Road Australia to spot some of the area’s indigenous wildlife, be that whales, koalas or even platypuses. As well as striking waterfalls and dense fern gullies, the park boasts several mountain-biking runs, horse-riding excursions and hiking trails which are bound to appeal to the more adventurous traveller. The Great Otways are also known for their flora and fauna, and the lighthouse not only provides a unique way of spotting koalas in the wild, but during November holidaymakers can often spot whales frolicking in the ocean below from the window of the light-room. Another of the most popular animal experiences inside of the Great Otways National Park is kayaking tours with platypuses. Many holidaymakers join knowledgeable tour guides at dawn or dusk to kayak around the scenic Lake Victoria, where they are joined by scores of playful platypuses. The Great Otways National Park is one of the few national parks en-route that issue camping permits, and of all the campsites situated in the park The Johanna Beach site is the one which really allows holidaymakers to go back to basics and experience life in the Australian bush.

Port Campbell National Park

Arguably the most famous monument of the Great Ocean Road are the Twelve Apostles, which are based in this national park. These rock stacks were formed almost 20 million years ago and take their shape from erosion caused by the sea. Holidaymakers who wish to find out more about some of the interesting formations can take a guided tour from Loch Ard, which explains coastal ecology and geology in the region and which also gives background information on some of the reserve’s famous ship-wrecks. Visitors who want to take a closer look at these shipwrecks can arrange scuba diving and snorkelling excursions from the visitor centre, whilst those who want to take a closer look at the towering Twelve Apostles should consider a helicopter trip around the formations, for unrivalled views.