Tiger Tales

Great Gourmet Road

Fasten your seatbelts – and get your taste buds ready – as ELIZABETH QUINN unlocks the gourmet secrets of Victoria’s picturesque Great Ocean Road.

My gourmet adventure begins in the blink-and-you-miss-it hamlet of Freshwater Creek. It’s a short drive past Geelong via Anglesea Road, the alternate route to the Great Ocean Road that meets it just past the coastal town of Torquay. The Great Ocean Road officially starts here and meanders for a breathtaking 243km all the way to Allansford in the far west of the state. And I intend to eat my way through a good part of it.

The new Geelong bypass road, completed last June, shaves more than 15 minutes off the travel time from Melbourne, providing an excellent excuse to stop off at the Freshwater Creek General Store to stock up on provisions for the journey ahead. If you fancy a ginger fluff sponge like Gran used to make, or a vanilla slice with passion fruit icing, look no further. Or grab a bag of homemade biscuits to munch on at one of the many lookouts along the Great Ocean Road from Torquay all the way to Apollo Bay.

As you continue on your way, keep an eye out for bargains at any of a number of farm gates along the route. Firewood, pine cones and farm-fresh produce are the new “takeaway” for travellers with a barbeque lunch on their minds – just make sure you have plenty of change for the “honour box”. Barbeques are provided along the foreshore at regular intervals, in addition to those found at Great Otway National Park. This park stretches over 1,000sqkm from Torquay to Princetown and boasts numerous picnic and barbeque spots. Some are coin-in-the-slot affairs, others are push button and free of charge, while still others are the old-fashioned kind: strictly BYO fuel.

Our next stop is the Anglesea establishment of the mild-mannered yet appropriately named Gordon Stabb. One of the best butchers east of Big Hill, Stabbie’s lamb racks and tender cuts of beef are perfect for grilling. Local lobster “fresh from the cold waters of Bass Strait,” is available on weekends (and weekdays by arrangement). Split them in half, throw them on the barbie and add a squeeze of lemon juice.

The heat from those barbeques should have worked up a thirst by now. The Fairhaven Surf Life Saving Club, ten minutes west of Anglesea and just past Airey’s Inlet, is a great spot for a pre-dinner drink in the sheltered garden area, which provides one of the best views Victoria’s west coast has to offer. And that’s just the lifeguards! A minimum dress code applies.

While driving through Eastern View towards Big Hill, I pass under the Memorial Arch, with its bronze sculpture depicting two diggers with picks: a reminder that the Great Ocean Road was forged from rock at a rate of about three back-breaking kilometres a month. The arch memorialises the At the entrance to Lorne’s vibrant township, I arrive at the River Tea House, a welcome pit stop after the previous 10km of winding road. Located on the far side of a bridge, it’s a quiet way to ease into the hive of activity that is Lorne central. On a hot summer day, it’s hard to pass up the iced tea frappé of the day. But the River Tea House isn’t just about tea – seven varieties of gourmet Italian hot chocolate are served, as well as excellent Amanti coffee. The homemade scones are fabulous and the items on the breakfast, brunch and lunch menus are carefully chosen and beautifully executed. Snack on sublime chicken sandwiches on organic sourdough as you relax in wicker chairs by the river and watch the ducks waddle past.

Two doors down, tiny café/take-away shop Pizza Pizza takes the “junk” out of junk food and replaces it with fresh wholesome toppings like potato, caramelised onion, rosemary or roast pumpkin, fresh rocket, goat’s cheese and mozzarella. It’s all done up on a thin crusty base. Can’t decide? Hedge your bet by ordering the “half and half”. If you’re dining in, you can bring your own wine or select from a range of six beers, four white wines and four reds. Take a seat at one of the café’s outdoor tables, but plan ahead: space is limited and a “cash-only” policy applies. If you miss out on a table, order takeaway and wander a few metres to the public picnic tables and benches on the grassy riverbank.

A Lorne landmark since 1954, the Lorne Bowls Club offers surprisingly contemporary meals in an old-fashioned setting. The simple surrounds and unpretentious furnishings approximate the feeling of walking into someone’s lounge room. The warm welcome is reinforced by the number of solo diners here, who seem comfortable eating in silence or bantering with Andrew, the whip-smart maitre d’.

Chef Luke Morgan’s famous fish soup is thick and spicy, and chock-full of perfectly cooked chunks of trevally or whatever fish is fresh on the day: a bargain at AU$9/S$11. The homemade falafel with summer salad is a popular choice on a warm summer’s evening and a great value at AU$12/S$15. Choose from a list of three or four desserts that might include lemon tarts with melt-in-your-mouth pastry or a firm, moist chocolate, honey and walnut pie with a scoop of vanilla-flecked ice cream on the side. The food quality and prices are outstanding. Bar service applies, and the revamped wine list has over 10 whites and 10 reds to choose from. Prices per glass range from AU$4/S$5 to AU$6/S$8.

The Bottle of Milk is a hole-in-the-wall burger joint that feeds the hordes of surfers that gather at its main street window. Choose from a line-up that includes the Cold Shower (a breakfast burger with lettuce, tomato, avocado, hash browns, fried egg, bacon, mayo and relish) and the perennial favourite BOM – short for “Bottle of Milk” – with lettuce, tomato, red onion, beetroot, egg, bacon, beef patty, relish and mayo.

Situated on the recently renovated Lorne Pier, the Fishing Co-op is the place to go if you like your seafood with a side serving of William Blake. And no, that’s not rhyming slang for flake. Christos Raskatos is passionate about three things: poetry, his Greek heritage and his adopted hometown of Lorne. If you’re lucky, he’ll throw in a poem with your purchase, or point out where Poseidon resides – just past Point Grey at the rear of the co-op. On busy days, while away your waiting time by reading the poems posted around the shop, their fading lines a testament to the fleeting nature of words.

Since September last year, the number of commercial dining establishments at Wye River – a mere 20 minutes west of Lorne – has doubled with the revamping of The Wye River General Store. Chef Nigel Pickup has overseen the extension of indoor and outdoor dining areas, the installation of a new kitchen and the addition of a summer coffee kiosk that dispenses quality fast food to hungry beach-goers. A baker is employed full-time to keep up with the demand for artisan bread and pastries.

“We want to make Wye River an interesting place for foodies to stay,” Nigel says, citing the large number of B&Bs, campgrounds and holiday accommodation available in the area. Customers can purchase everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to frozen meals made right on the premises. Local brand Wye Not Gourmet stocks its refrigerators with top-quality pies and pastries at about AU$5/S$6 each. Plans call for degustation menus matching food and wine to be available throughout the summer, but book early to be assured of a place.

The Wye Beach Hotel has long been a picturesque spot for a quiet drink in the shelter of the surrounding eucalypts. The stuffed deep-fried chillies are among the best bar foods around, and the curries, fish of the day and Otway prime beef make the most of local ingredients.

Enjoy a generous counter meal on the balcony above treetop level or sit in the cosy interior with its leather couches and old-fashioned pub ambience. If you’re lucky, you might see whales in the waters beyond the golden sands of the small protected beach. Or catch the resident koalas as they amble along the balcony railings.

Paul Greene, hotel publican for the past four years, wouldn’t trade his stress-free work environment for any other job in the world: “When people come here, they’re on holiday. They drive along the beautiful Great Ocean Road, they sit and look at the view and say, ‘Isn’t that magnificent?’”

TOP 5 OVERNIGHT STAYS

Bellbrae Harvest
This split-level boutique hotel makes for the ideal romantic getaway, surrounded by unspoiled countryside and just a few minutes by car from the coast. Rates start from AU$185/S$229. 45 Portreath Rd, Bellbrae, tel: +61 (0)3 5266 2090, www.bellbraeharvest.com.au

Cimarron
Set on five acres adjoining Great Otway National Park, Cimarron features bushland views stretching all the way to the ocean and a 3,000-book library featuring first editions and other collectible tomes. Rates start from AU$175/S$217. 105 Gilbert St, Airey’s Inlet, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 7044, www.cimarron.com.au

Qdos
A combination art gallery, restaurant and Japanese-style accommodation, Qdos is set among towering gum trees. Rates start from AU$250/ S$310, which includes à la carte breakfast at the restaurant. 35 Allenvale Rd, Lorne, tel: +61   (0)3 5289 1989, www.qdosarts.com

Chris’s Beacon Point Villas
This gourmet retreat is a reliable stop along the gourmet trail for fine dining Greek-style, with a side serving of Bass Strait views. Rates start from AU$320/S$397, including à la carte breakfast at the restaurant. 280 Skenes Creek Rd, Apollo Bay, tel: +61 (0)3 5237 6411, www.chriss.com.au

bothfeet walking lodge
This minimal-impact “aprés walk” retreat is for those who like their luxury tempered with a large dose of sustainability. Rates for a three-day walking package – including meals and accommodation – start from AU$1,495/S$1,858. 70 Stafford Rd, Johanna, tel: 1300 767 416, www.bothfeet.com.au

GOURMET GUIDE

Freshwater Creek General Store
(650 Anglesea Rd, Freshwater Creek, tel: +61 (0)3 5264 5240, Open daily from 8am to 6pm)

Stabbs the Butcher
(117 Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea, tel: +61   (0)5263 1281, Open Mon to Fri from 7am to 6pm, Sat from 7am to 5pm, Sun from 7am to 5pm)

Fairhaven Surf Life Saving Club
(370 Great Ocean Rd, Fairhaven, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 6275, www.fairhavenslsc.org, Open daily from 5pm to 11pm)

River Tea House
(4B Mountjoy Pde, Lorne, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 2099, Open daily from 7.30am to 5.30pm)

Pizza Pizza
(2B Mountjoy Pde, Lorne, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 1007, Open daily from 4pm to 10.30pm)

Lorne Bowls Club
(Mountjoy Pde, Lorne, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 1462, Open Thu to Mon from 6pm to  
8.30pm)

The Bottle of Milk
(52 Mountjoy Pde, Lorne, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 2005, Open daily from 8am to 9pm)

The Fishing Co-Op (Pier Head, Lorne, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 1453, Open daily from 10am)

The Wye River General Store
(35 Great Ocean Rd, Wye River, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 0247, www.wyerivergeneralstore.com.au, Open daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Wye Beach Hotel
(19-21 Great Ocean Rd, Wye River, tel: +61 (0)3 5289 0240, www.wyebeachhotel.com.au, counter meals served daily from noon-2pm and 6pm-8pm, )

Angahook-Lorne State Park Barbeque/Picnic locations
(Distillery Creek Picnic Area, Moggs Creek Picnic Area, Blanket Leaf Picnic Area, Sheoak Picnic Area, Grey River, Blanket Bay, www.parkweb.vic.gov.au)