Place, Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre
7 min walk
Rooms & beds
3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)
Room 1
1 Queen Bed
Room 2
1 Double Bed
Room 3
1 Single Bunk Bed
1 bathroom
Bathroom 1
Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Balcony
Garden
About this property
The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI
Welcome to The Secret Garden!
A perfectly positioned property in a quiet street, just a 300 metre stroll to the Apollo Bay beach and a short walk along the beach track to the shops, cafes and restaurants in the town centre.
The Secret Garden features a lovely garden area at both the front and rear of the property with a stunning array of roses, there is also a large covered deck area at the rear of the property (off the dining area) with table and chairs and BBQ, the ideal place to relax and unwind.
The property features open plan kitchen (coffee machine with pods provided), dining & living areas, 3 bedrooms ( 1 x queen, 1 x double & 1 x tri-bunk), all with nobo wall mounted electric heaters. All essentials you will require on holiday are provided. The bathroom (fully renovated) contains a free standing claw bath, large walk in shower, vanity & toilet. There is a selection of games, books & DVDs provided for your enjoyment.
Strict No Party Policy (schoolies, hens, bucks etc) See terms and conditions
Linen not provided - Hire available from our office
Pets welcome - inside & outside (Please keep them off all furniture)
Free Wifi
Forced move in days may apply over peak times. See terms and conditions
Add dates for prices
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Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Apollo Bay
Located in Apollo Bay, this holiday home is near the beach. Great Ocean Road Waterfront and Apollo Bay Harbour are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Apollo Bay Coastal Reserve and Wild Dog Creek Streamside Reserve. Discover the area's water adventures with surfing/body boarding and fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with mountain biking and hiking.
Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
Apollo Bay Bowls Club - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
Apollo Bay Golf Club - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
Restaurants
George's Restaurant - 11 min walk
Great Ocean Road Brewhouse - 15 min walk
Apollo Bay Hotel - 12 min walk
Chopstix Asian Noodle Bar - 10 min walk
Apollo Bay Seafood Cafe - 11 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI pet-friendly?
Yes, pets are allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI?
As of 15 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI on 24 May 2026 start from NZ$348, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is The Secret Garden - Hidden Gem & Free WIFI located?
Situated near the beach, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Apollo Bay Coastal Reserve and Great Ocean Road Waterfront. Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Centre and Apollo Bay Bowls Club are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Reviews
9.0
Wonderful
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Lovely home, short walk to the beach and easy access to trail to walk and ride bikes to town centre. Great kitchen facilities, a few fun games and books, and lovely backyard. Perfect for our little family of three and our doggy.
Polly H.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 October 2025
Hi Polly! Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the home, backyard, and easy access to the beach and trails. It’s wonderful that it suited your family (and your pup!) so well. We’d love to welcome you back anytime! - GOR Team
A great location well appointed with all those useful extras and a great coffee machine
Lisa S.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 25 December 2024
Thank you for the awesome review, we work hard to meet expectations like yours, and we're happy to hear we hit the mark for you. Come back and see us soon!
Old property but clean and comfortable and everything works
Kevin D.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 2 October 2023
Thank you for the excellent rating, Kevin! Our goal is always to serve you the best we can and we are glad to know that we delivered. We are excited to have you back soon!
This was a great property to stay at. Check in and check out was easy. The house was very comfortable and warm. Easy walk to the beach and town. We loved it.
Kevin C.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 September 2024
Hi Kevin, thank you so much for your kind words, we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us.
A comfortable holiday house with very good Smart TV and kitchen appliances. It really felt familiar.
Karen H.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 6 November 2024
Thank you for the awesome review, we work hard to meet expectations like yours, and we're happy to hear we hit the mark for you. Come back and see us soon!
The house was very comfortable and extremely well equipped. However, the gardens front and back and the unfenced creek next to the driveway require maintenance and safety upgrade.
Judy U.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 31 July 2023
Hi Judy, thank you for staying with us and sharing your feedback! We will make sure to share it with the appropriate team. We look forward to having you back soon!
We were delighted to find a holiday rental at Apollo Bay which had a fully enclosed back garden for our two large Groodles. The garden was safe and secure, and that's why we chose this property.
The kitchen is bursting with crockery and pots & pans and the coffee pod machine works well.
On the negative side, the living space is quite cramped and the bathroom (which looked recently renovated), had almost no horizontal surface to put anything on other than the floor.
The garden is full of birds but many of the plants have been neglected, especially the roses...distressing for a gardener.
You can hear the surf at night and it's a short walk to the beach.
Overall, good value for money and in a good location but he property needs some love.
Christine D.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 24 October 2023
Hi Christine,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on your recent stay. We are thrilled to know that you enjoyed that you enjoyed your stay, especially for your groodles. We value your feedback to improve satisfaction. We'll make sure to share it with the appropriate team for awareness and improvement. We hope to welcome you back at another time.
Verified
2/10 Terrible
Julie H.
20 September 2023
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, location
3 day stay
we were staying after racing the amy Gillett ride. so to relax. the floors were gritty underfoot, as if they had not been cleaned, there was thick fluff under the beds, and someone had left a pair of socks. our dogs went into garden that was overgrow (not like pictures) at the bottom of the garden was all muddy, so not very good for dogs to play. we were very disappointed so left a day early. when taking keys back at 6pm everything was closed at office and we could not get to the box to drop off as gate was locked. so we had to leave in office letter box. in all not a relaxing couple of days we had hoped for.
Julie H.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 6 October 2023
Hi Julie,
Thank you for your feedback on your recent arrival at The Secret Garden - 8 Casino Avenue. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and for not meeting your expectations. We encourage our guests to contact us for any issues at the property, especially if it is not cleaned to your satisfaction upon arrival. We could have sent someone out for assistance. However, rest assured that we're on top of this with our housekeeping and maintenance teams working on improving the units for future stays. We hope we can welcome you back again at another time.
At last - a holiday place with character!
Great location, really well equipped, a good size for a family of four and comfortable. Would definitely stay here again!
We were there for a week and everything we needed was there. A very pretty garden which we adored given we live on the 11th floor of an apartment. Walk to everything. Thank you owners, you deserve a medal ….
Great place to spend a week in Apollo Bay, house was tidy and clean. Great back deck and garden.
Only comment would be it could get very hot in there in the Summer, no curtains or blinds in the main rooms and no Air Condtioning.
Shaun D.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 7 January 2022
Thank you for your review of The Secret Garden. We are glad you enjoyed the property and the breeze of the ocean close by! Kind regards, Great Ocean Road Holidays
The property is situated in a good area, within a short walking-distance of the beach and shops. The front garden needs a trim as exiting the driveway is quite challenging.
Such a lovely place to stay, with everything we needed on hand. Comfortable, warm, lovely outlook into the garden where there was plenty of bird life and also glimpses of the ocean which was within earshot too. Just a lovely little oasis. Thankyou!
It was an easy walk to the beach and town. The property was good for our needs there were some things we didn’t realise. When it’s the secret garden it sort of is! The house is very sheltered by the garden which makes it private but the trees also stop you getting down the driveway if you have bikes on the roof! It also is very hard to see out the driveway. We found it quite cold, would not like to be there in winter. The backyard seemed very dog proof but our dog did manage to get into the neighbours yard. The garden did just need a good hack back!
It was clean, beds quite comfortable, kitchen well equipped and close to everything, all in all it was pretty good
A comfortable cosy house, with a great kitchen and stylish bathroom. Loved the garden which was great for my dog! Close to the beach and a short walk into town. A perfect place to stay!