Airey’s Inlet is one of the treasures of the Great Ocean Road with its Split Point Lighthouse sitting proudly guarding the rugged coastline and the focal point of the whole town. The lighthouse stands some 70 metres above the cliff face and is open for inspection. The lighthouse was built in 1981 and has saved many a vessel from a tragic fate in the rough and rugged seas lined with hidden reefs.
The township is an ideal place for a daytrip or a extended stay, being only about half an hours drive from the centre of Geelong. There’s no huge developments, no fast lifestyle, just beauty, peace and tranquilly, a great place to get away from our busy and cluttered lives for a while.
Aireys’ Inlet’s beach is one of it’s greatest assets, Swimming, surfing, kayaking and fishing are all popular pastimes along the sandy shores.
The Airey’s Inlet area is home to three major beaches; Inlet Beach is to the south west of the township and is around the base of the Painkalec Creek. There are plenty of great rock pools to explore at low tide and the wide sandy beaches are great for beach cricket and lazing in the sun. Fairhaven is the next town down the Great Ocean Road towards Lorne and is the longest stretch of beach on the coast- it is a great Surf Beach. Eastern View and Mogg’s Creek close to the Great Ocean Road memorial arch has lovely dune protected beaches and Urquhart Bluff on the Anglesea side of Airey’s has beautiful firm sand but is not protected by patrols. People should be vary wary of our coastal beaches, although they are some of the most beautiful in the world they can also be some of the most dangerous. You should never venture where it is not patrolled by our Surf Lifesaving Clubs, and even then take extreme care while having fun.
The Airey’s Inlet Pub is an ideal place for a pot or two and a hearty meal, and there are a few other good options like Truffles Cafe, Skinny Legs and the Greek inspired A La Grecque. For those wanting a one of the most mouth watering scones and tea, head straight to the lighthouse and look for the Lighthouse Stables and Tea Rooms near by, they are just so delicious and the atmosphere is so relaxing.
Horse riding is a popular leisure activity at Aireys, and operators like Blazing Saddles offer once in a life time chances to ride horses on the magnificent sandy beach. It is so much fun.
From Spring through to about Easter on every Second Sunday the Airey’s Inlet Community Market has an array of great local products including organic fruits and vegetables, local wines, honey and other gourmet foods. It’s not to be missed. The market is also a good place to pick up some unique art and craft, much of it made in the area. The market is held at the Airey’s Inlet Community Hall.
One of the more historic must sees in Airey’s inlet is the Bark Hut, rebuilt after the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983 the original hut dates back to 1857. The hut can be visited in Gilbert Street; there are good picnic facilities in the Alan Noble Sanctuary where it now stands. The original building was a homestead which was home to Thomas and Martha Pearse.
The beautiful bushland around the township is part of the Great Otway National Park which covers over 22250 hectares of land along the Great Ocean Road. The forests around Airey’s are more bushland than the rainforests which are further down the coast. Here eucalypts and melaleuca tea trees co-exist with tree ferns and some very rare native orchards. There are plenty of walking tracks where you can explore the bushland and look out for some of our unique fury marsupials like koalas, kangaroos and wallabies.
