Blanket Bay Campground

Blanket Bay Campground is for campers who want a small bush-and-beach base, not a serviced coastal caravan park. Its 22 numbered, unpowered sites sit behind a sheltered Cape Otway bay with rockpools and Great Ocean Walk access. The trade-offs are an unsealed final road, basic toilets, no drinking water, no generators and no caravans.

The three decisions that matter#

Question	Practical answer
Will it give you the trip you want?	Strong for tents or small camper setups seeking beach access and a quiet park setting. Wrong for caravans, power, showers, shops or guaranteed phone service.
Which site should you choose?	Match the official dimensions and map to the whole setup. Sites 19–22 are nearest the beach edge; 15–17 balance a lower-loop position with shorter toilet routes; larger bays sit farther around the loop.
What is arrival like?	Leave the Great Ocean Road for Lighthouse Road and the unsealed approach. Expect corrugations, arrive in daylight, locate the numbered bay before unloading and keep enough supplies to avoid a return drive.

Choosing the right numbered site#

Use the official campground map together with the dimensions on the current GORCAPA page. The map, not photos, establishes site position; it does not establish present-day shade or ground condition.

• Beach-first tent camping: sites 21 (7m × 5m) and 22 (6m × 4m) sit at the bay edge and are marked tent-only. Sites 19 (6m × 7m) and 20 (7m × 4.5m) are beside them but remain compact.
• Shorter toilet route: the authority identifies sites 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21 as within about 40m of toilets, with vehicle parking close by on gravel. Site 17 is the roomiest of 15–17 at 11m × 5m; 15 is 5m × 7m and 16 is 7m × 6m.
• More room for a compatible camper trailer or small RV: compare site 1 (19m × 6m), 13 (12m × 5m) and sites 9–11 (about 11m long). Confirm the category shown during booking; a large rectangle is not permission for a caravan.
• Accessibility: the campground has an accessible toilet. Beach paths include steps; the boat ramp is the operator's suggested beach approach for wheelchairs and strollers. Great Ocean Walk-specific areas are not accessible.

Measure vehicle, drawbar, awning and guy lines before booking. The dimensions are bay dimensions, not a promise that every centimetre is level or usable.

Booking, cost and peak minimum stays#

Book and pay through GORCAPA's live availability flow. The nightly price is volatile, so use the checkout total rather than an old Parks Victoria or review price. Every site accommodates up to six people.

For the published 2026–27 summer peak, seven-night weekly blocks apply from 19 December 2026 to 23 January 2027, followed by a three-night minimum through 26 January; the maximum stay is 14 nights. These rules are date-specific and should not be carried into a later season without rechecking.

Arrival and the first hour#

The authority places Blanket Bay about three hours from Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road and Lighthouse Road. Public trip reports consistently describe the final road as corrugated or bumpy but used by 2WD vehicles in dry conditions. That is traveller experience, not a guarantee after rain.

Plan to arrive in daylight. Download the booking, map and current alerts before leaving Apollo Bay, fill water and fuel there, and slow down on the unsealed section. At camp, find the numbered bay first, check that the vehicle and full setup remain inside it, then unload. Walk the toilet and beach routes before dark; there is no staffed reception promised on the campground page.

If the road surface, fallen vegetation or weather looks beyond your vehicle or towing experience, turn back to Lighthouse Road rather than forcing the last section. GORCAPA can confirm current access on 1300 736 533.

What to bring and what the rules mean#

Facilities are non-flush toilets, picnic tables, shared fireplaces and non-potable water taps. There is no power, shower or rubbish collection. Bring drinking and cooking water, a fuel stove, rubbish bags, lighting and enough food for the stay.

Use a shared fireplace only when current restrictions allow; never light a fire on a Total Fire Ban day. Bring firewood because collecting it is prohibited. Generators and pets are prohibited. The bay is sheltered by steep hills and an intertidal reef, but the beach is unpatrolled: assess conditions on the day, supervise children and do not turn “often calmer” into a promise of safe swimming.

A worthwhile day from camp#

The Great Ocean Walk runs through Blanket Bay. The official route from Blanket Bay to Cape Otway is about 11km one way and graded easy/medium. It is not a casual return stroll: arrange a vehicle shuttle or commercial transfer before setting out, allow for the full signed route and carry water. For a shorter outing, walk only toward Parker Hill and turn around at a pre-set time; the operator does not publish a universal short-loop duration, so keep enough daylight for the same-track return.

What campers say#

Traveller evidence was checked across Anycamp's 17 ratings, CamperMate reports and an independent 4WDing Australia trip report.

• Two independent channels describe the unsealed approach as rough or corrugated but manageable in dry conditions when driven slowly.
• Multiple Anycamp/CamperMate reports favour the coastal side around 15–17 and 19–22 for glimpses or views of water; vegetation and visibility can change, so treat that as preference evidence, not a guaranteed view.
• Anycamp reviewers repeatedly praise easy beach access and the small, natural setting.
• Reports of weak or intermittent reception recur. Save what you need offline and do not promise a usable signal.
• One 2025 Anycamp report gave a much longer Parker Inlet walk than expected from signage. Because it is a single account and may reflect route choice, follow the official map and set a turnaround rather than adopting its distance as fact.

Alternatives: when another campground is a better fit#

• Choose Johanna Beach Campground if a caravan-compatible numbered bay or exposed surf setting matters more than Blanket Bay's sheltered cove. Johanna is windier, has no solid-fuel fires and still requires self-supplied drinking water.
• Choose Aire River West for 40 grassy sites, estuary paddling and more caravan options. Its access roads are narrow and unsealed, the bridge has a 5-tonne limit, high vehicles are discouraged on one approach, and seasonal site closures apply.

Recheck before leaving home#

Check the live price, selected site's equipment category, park alerts, fire restrictions and road conditions. Contact GORCAPA on 1300 736 533 if road access, an accessibility route or equipment fit would decide the trip. Bring water even if a traveller says a tap was flowing: the official supply is non-potable.