Kennett River

The little seaside town of Kennett River is often overlooked when it comes to planning a trip down the Great Ocean Road.

With so many famous and bold places along this stretch of the coastline, Kennett River slips a bit under the radar, but it absolutely should not.

Kennett River is a fantastic base for those who are wanting to explore the Otway region and surf along one of Australia’s best coasts. There are fantastic camping areas around this area, so if you’re self-guiding along the Great Ocean Road we cannot recommend stopping here for at least a day or two.

Despite Kennett River’s, easy access to the Otway National Park and great surfing beaches, one of the best attractions here is the magnificent wildlife that calls the area home.

Did you know there are glow worms in Australia? Well there are and Kennett River is one of the very best place to see them! Head into the Great Otway National Park with your torch and a warm jacket, ready to explore the beauty of these glow-worms. The best place to see them is the Grey River picnic area, so wander on in and get ready to be blown away.

Glow worms are bioluminescent and have no choice in their glow! A common misconception about these little animals is that they can turn their light on and off, when in fact their glow is a chemical reaction with the oxygen in the air. Wild right? Be sure to take your camera with you to get some amazing photos, just keep the flash off.

There is also an abundance of birdlife in this area and among the Otway National Park. Keep your eyes on the trees looking for cockatoos, parrots, rosellas, owls and kookaburras. Remember to take the time to stop and listen as well. Many of Australia’s beautiful native birds have distinct calls, listen for the laughing of the kookaburra or the screeching squawk of Australia’s lively cockatoos.

Perhaps the best wildlife at Kennett River however is the stunning koala population. With Australia’s koala population unfortunately declining, Kennett River is one of the best places in the country to see a thriving wild population.

Park near the Kafe Koala and take a stroll along Grey River Road. Walking up the hill you’ll find yourself emerged in a beautiful manna gum forest. The smell of the eucalypt trees fills the air as you breathe in the crisp seaside air. Keep your eyes up in the forks of the gums, this is where the koalas spend most of their time.

Koalas spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty finding them as they very rarely move. The further up the hill you get, the more likely you are to see multiple koalas. It’s rare to visit Kennett River and not see at least two or three koalas. But higher on the hill the population is a bit more concentrated, so if you’re struggling to find any, do what the locals do and head to the top of the hill.

Kennett River is a fantastic hideaway along the Great Ocean Road that we cannot recommend enough.