The Great Ocean Road provides holidaymakers with an exciting and diverse experience along some of Australia’s most spectacular coastline. Victoria is known for being the territory where rugged cliffs intersperse with verdant forests and rolling desert landscapes. For more than 400km between Geelong and Nelson on Victoria’s South-West Coast, the Great Ocean Road lingers past National Parks and volcanic landscapes, with one of the highlights being the sheer abundance of wildlife on the route.

If you love animals then make sure that your Australia travel adventure takes you to the spectacular Tower Hill State Game Reserve which sits inside an extinct volcano. The crater-bound eco system is home to over 200 koalas and kangaroos, whilst animals like echidna, water birds and emu are also in abundance. Visitors can also opt to take a bush survival walk with an experienced guide who’ll provide an Aboriginal perspective on the flora and fauna inside the reserve.

Take a cruise to Portland near Cape Bridgwater and you’ll be taken out to a rock littered with over 1,000 Australian and New Zealand cape fur seals. The area is home to one of Australia’s largest seal populations and if you visit the area during the main breeding season of October to November you’ll see this number rise. One of the highlights of this 45-minute trip is the chance to watch seals in their natural habitat, but more often than not the roles are reversed and the playful seals approach the boat to take a closer look at you.

Of course, no trip along the Great Ocean Road would be complete without spotting a koala in the wild, so get your binoculars ready and head to Kennett River where you’re guaranteed to spot koalas in the gum trees. Although the koalas are fairly dozy in the morning, you’ll find that by late afternoon the population is far more active, and you’ll be able to watch them grooming and nibbling on eucalyptus. Spring is the best time to visit and during this season you’ll spot many mothers with young joeys in their pouches.

At the Cape Otway National Park you can find the world’s most unique mammal, the duck-billed platypus. This unique animal is indigenous to the territory of Victoria is the only mammal in the world to lay eggs. Its feet, complete with spurs that are poisonous to humans, are also guaranteed to pique your curiosity. As you kayak alongside these critters, a knowledgeable tour guide will be on hand to answer your questions and give you an insight into their natural habitat.

Victoria isn’t only home to the world’s most unusual mammal, it’s also home to the world’s largest. From November through to May, Blue Whales migrate to the waters of Portland to feed off the large krill population. Although Blue Whales rarely approach land closely, their blows and backs can often be seen from prominent headlands, such as Cape Nelson and Cape Bridgwater. However, for a closer look, helicopter trips can be arranged though many Australia travel operators.