Destination: Port Fairy, Victoria

Port Fairy is about a three-hour trek (280km) from Melbourne on the dreary A1 highway, so you can easily make a return trip from the Victorian capital in one day if you’re prepared to grin and bear it.

But there’s a succulent alternative in the form of the Great Ocean Road, which, while not an epic journey at 400km, takes the best part of a day – especially during peak holiday season and weekends when the volume of traffic increases markedly on the sinuous cliff-hugging route.

That’s in addition to a recent proliferation of 80km/h zones to replace previous 100km/h areas, as well as a smattering of noddies refusing to veer left in the designated slow-coach slip roads.

But if you’re prepared to make those allowances, the GOR still packs an almighty punch, particularly the glorious 145km stretch between Lorne and Port Campbell. And the windfall is that after Apollo Bay the traffic lightens appreciably -- other than a few hot spots like the Twelve Apostles -- as the tighter roads gradually open up to more sweeping bends and punchy straights.

For all intents and purposes, the starting point for the GOR is Bellbrae, just west of surfing haven, Torquay. You can get there from a variety of sources depending on your starting point. From Melbourne it’s the A1, which bypasses Geelong and takes you straight onto C134, with Bellbrae only 15 minutes south.

Then it’s fairly straightforward progress through towns like Anglesea and Aireys Inlet – watch for mobile radars at all times – before hitting Lorne, which has an abundance of eateries to choose from. Ditto for Apollo Bay.

After some sustenance, remain on course, with perhaps an afternoon refreshment at the 12 Rocks Beach Bar in Port Campbell before the final blast to Port Fairy, via Warrnambool. But don’t dilly-dally, as Port Fairy is a great pace to explore by foot – and recharge the batteries for the blast back to Melbourne the next day.

For something different on the way home – and if the traffic volume is becoming a head spin -- you can peel off at either Apollo Bay (Skenes Creek Road) or Lorne (Deans Marsh Road) and head inland back to Geelong – both belting roads, although plenty of tree canopy can sometimes make things slippery.

Fuel?
Yes. There’s plenty along the whole route, so you’ll never start hyper-ventilating at the spectre of pushing.

Food?
A bevy of options, from pub grub to cafes to more swanky hotels, especially during the first third of the ride. After that, quality and quantity tapers off before you hit Warrnambool – but by then Port Fairy is only 30km away.

Fun?
Too right. The GOR isn’t the unfettered playground it once was, but there’s still plenty to love about it – and who doesn’t enjoy riding along the coast?