Due to crashing waves over millennia, saltwater and erosion there are now only 8 limestone stacks remaining out of 12. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Weve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planets best destinations and adventures. There's a couple of fun things to see in the area including Battery Hill, an old fort, and a beautiful port . Check out Points South on Vrbo or compare prices on Booking.com. 8am-fly in, pick up car, drive to 12 apostles (inland route) 12.30- visit 12 Apostles, lunch ect, 2.30-Back on the road 5- Arrive at Lorne. Other options include coming from Adelaide, so if this is you, just read the itinerary backwards. No Great Ocean road trip is complete without making a stop atMemoria Arch, which is less than 30 minutes from Torquay and a real highlight of the journey. Both routes meet in Lorne, which is 15 minutes from Wye River. At the end of your Great Ocean Road itinerary, you can leave Port Fairy andhead back towards Melbourneon the M8 National highway to take on your next series of Aussie fun. The Great Ocean Road (2 mentions) Expect to see beaches, waterfalls, forests, lighthouses, limestone formations, koalas, and if youre lucky, whales. The inland route via Ballarat and Bordertown is faster, but the Great Ocean Road is an incredible experience. Youll also find the end of theGreat Ocean Walkhere, which allows you to get some stunning coastal views from a boardwalk before taking to the beach to see these immense stacks from the ground. . Official site for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Subscribe. We decided to skip sunrise and arrive about an hour later at 7.20am. Stop 1 Torquay We stayed at Anchors at Port Campbellwhere there are three cottages on a farm a few kilometres inland from town. The Cape Otway Lightstation is a 15-minute (each way) detour from the Great Ocean Road and is the only place we visited with an entrance fee ($18.50), but its well worth it. Great Ocean Road (6 mentions) 11:00 am start in Melbournedrive for about 30 minutes, 11:30 am eat at Shadowfax Wines We rented a car from the local company Advance Car Rental in Melbournea Toyota Corolla cost us $158 for six days. This gives you the opportunity to see the quieter countryside inland of vibrant rolling hills and farmlandyou could almost be in England. You can also compare many rental companies and find the cheapest cars at Rental Cars. The cottages are quite close together, so if you take a bath with the blinds up, you do have to trust your neighbours wont walk in front of your cottage (we had no issues). (I would have liked to stay longer but we were getting hungry for lunch as it was after 2pm). Many people also continue inland to the Grampians National Park, a fantastic hiking and wildlife location, before returning to Melbourne via the old gold mining town of Ballarat. Bells Beach (4 mentions)
Plan your journey with our route planner. For a view worth getting out of the comfort of your car for, your next stop is Point Roadknight in Anglesea. The quieter location meant we could really enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Its not the best quality chocolate, but we still enjoyed it. You are free to wander around the farm to try to see koalas and wallabies or head down to the lovely private beach for a walk or surf. While wandering around town youll surely spot a ton of street art, which is something Geelong is known for. Quest Warrnambool is the perfect place to do just that.
Stay the night in Warrnambool or head back towards Melbourne. Or get a full Melbourne to Lorne flight plan.

Its a casual, diner type place on the seafront strip thats known for its burgers. There are many free campsites and serviced holiday parks along the route, and you can either pitch your own tent or drive a campervan. What used to be a swamp was reclaimed and turned into these pretty gardens in 1858. The return walk took us 20 minutes and it is rather a steep climb back up.
You could then drive the Great Ocean Road at a more leisurely pace and spend the night in the Apollo Bay area before continuing back to Melbourne the next day. Conveniently located a little ways from Port Campbell, these serviced apartments have great rooms, a gorgeous pool area and make for a great stopover. Theres also a cafe if you want a longer break. The drive from Melbourne to Lorne isnt particularly long, only around 2 hours all up. If you decide to drive yourself, its best to drive in the opposite direction of our itinerary below. I highly recommend visiting in the morning to truly enjoy it. Its worth a quick stop to admire the surfers riding the waves from the viewing platform above. You can try chocolate buttons for free as you enter and then browse the massive selection of treats including lots of unusual flavours.
RACQ's Trip Planner allows you to find places, get directions or plan your next road trip. Wear shoes that are comfortable for walking.
(Seriously!) Family. You can view the falls from the side and clamber on the rocks to see them from the pool below. If youre looking to do a bit of waterfall chasing, this is a great place to find them! Its barely even a hamlet, just a collection of houses and farms spread along the coast, but the bigger town Apollo Bay is only 15 minutes away. travelers and answer their questions about Melbourne! But all the views are spectacular on this stretch of the Great Ocean Road Trip. nev-tagAustralianev-tagMelbournenev-tagVictoria Erin, Heading on a road trip along the Great Ocean Road soon, so great article to read. There are two viewing platforms to admire London Bridge a short walk from the car park. 1115km. Lorne is made for lunches. Its a beautiful drive but slow going.
The main issues can be poor visibility due to fog, slippery roads in wet weather, and traffic from vehicles and pedestrians in the busy sections. Takinga surf lessonis a sure-fire way to have you feeling confident on the board and in the water if you havent tried the sport before. We left at 10.30am and with the stops below arrived back in the city at 3.30pm. After the gorge youll pass the town of Port Campbell. And to get your fill of more art you can visit theGeelong Art GalleryandThe Heritage Center. Top Road Trips Stops: Torquay, Lorne, Great Otway National Park, 12 Apostles, Logan's Beach, Mount Gambier. Our particular itinerary starts in Melbourne and finishes in Port Fairy over 3 days, and is the exact route we have personally done numerous times. The ultimate Melbourne to Adelaide roadtrip along the Great Ocean Road and taking in Lorne, Apollo Bay, Port Fairy, Mount Gambier and Victor Harbour. There were a few people around then (and some photographers just leaving) but it was still quiet. Another worthwhile detour on the way to Port Campbell is Wreck Beach, but we didnt have the energy to stop. Head down to the Moyne River and stretch your legs along the wharves. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, This section could be endless, so rather than trying to Simon loved the cheese and vegetable pasty. You have given us a great itinerary to get the best out of our trip. Although officially the Great Ocean Road starts in Geelong, Melbourne is the ideal start to the trip as it provides the contrast of a big city with the quiet of the small towns dotted along the Great Ocean Road. The drive from . But no need to rush.

Jan Juc ThePort FairyBotanical Gardensare a lovely spot for an afternoon walk and to admire the plants and flowers. The current exchange rate is 1 AUD = 0.78 USD and 0.56 GBP. Go for a swim in the southern ocean, soak in the sun or admire the stunning views out over Corio Bay and go for a stroll along theEastern Promenade. Theres a pull-down bed in the living room so the cottages can sleep up to four people. Journey Time: 3 minutes from RedwoodsStop Time: 20 minutes. Road trip: Melbourne to Adelaide in 6 days. Again thank you. 3.1 Set off from Melbourne early 3.2 Stop in Torquay 3.3 Visit Bells Beach 3.4 Great Ocean Road sign 3.5 Stop in Lorne for lunch 3.6 Erskine Falls 3.7 Sunset at the Twelve Apostles 3.8 Sleep in Apollo Bay 4 Great Ocean Road itinerary - Day 2 4.1 Hopetoun Falls 4.2 Triplet Falls 4.3 Otway Fly Treetop Adventures 4.4 Gibson Steps 4.5 Loch Ard Gorge It would be quieter in the morning. Train operators V/Line Bus operators Gull Airport Service Public Transport Victoria V/Line Other operators Jayride Want to know more about travelling around Australia Lorneis the closest town from the arch and a great spot to grab some lunch atBottle of Milk, use the facilities and continue on towardsKennett River. Theres a distant view of the lighthouse after 1.5km, but the trail continues beyond that as this is a section of the Great Ocean Walk. Train operators. because there's an entire community of travelers talking G.O.R.G.E Chocolates (20 minutes from Port Campbell) is a small, low-key chocolate shop thats very different from the touristy affair of the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie. Stock up on essentials, fill up the car, turn up the radio and head towards Apollo Bay! If you fancy trying your luck to spot some wildlife head out to nearbyLake Elizabeth. Soaring high above the limestone stacks youll get the best views of Victorias Shipwreck Coast.
We didnt expect to spend so long at a chocolate shop, but this place is huge!
Bells Beach is a famous surf beach with huge waves and is home to the Rip Curl Pro surfing competition in April. Learn how your comment data is processed. Along the way you can sample cheese, whisky, beer, chocolate, fudge, strawberries (in summer), ice cream, and olives from local producers. We stayed in a luxury cottage at Points South by the Seaand it was perfect. You can't put 'Australia' and 'road trip' in the same sentence and not have the Great Ocean Road spring to mind. Note there are no toilets at any of the other sights on todays itinerary. Thanks. If that is not an option though, or you dont like the idea of driving on the wrong side of the road, there are plenty of excellent tours likethis onethat will take you to see all the sights including the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell, Otway National Park and more. You can take a bus from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Lorne via Skybus Coach Terminal/Southern Cross, Southern Cross Coach Terminal/Spencer St, and Geelong in around 5h 11m. The only exception is if you only have one day for the drive, which I explain below. We only recommend the best accommodations, tours and products, and regularly review these. Loch Ard Gorge is another place that you dont want to miss. Thanks for your support, kind friend!
Happy travels. next trip! This is the only Great Ocean Road Map you will ever need.
Below Ive included driving times between stops and how long we spent at each destination. We chose to drive back from Port Campbell to Melbourne via the inland route (3 hours) rather than continue on for the final section of the Great Ocean Road that ends just before Warrnambool. When we drove past around 2.30pm, the viewing platform was rammed. The cottage is very well-equipped and Bryan is a fantastic host who goes out of his way to help you make the most of your stay and share his tips for the area.

One of Victoria's most scenic drives, Great Ocean Road provides plenty of exciting pit stopsexplore the surfing town of Bells Beach, discover the waterfalls of Lorne, zipline through the Otway Ranges, and visit The Twelve Apostles rock formations. The lake views here are stunning and if youre lucky you might even be able to lay your eyes on a platypus or two. Journey Time: 7 minutes from The GrottoStop Time: 20 minutes. What is a partial cave, archway and blowhole, The Grotto is definitely something to marvel at. You can also travel from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road, but youll need at least a few days as its a distance of nearly 1000km (620 miles). Make sure you book ahead though, as its not something you can just show up and do. I recommend packing a water bottle (we always travel with a few Vapur flexible bottles as they are light and foldable when empty) and a travel coffee mug or thermos.
We arrived at our accommodation at 4.40pm.
DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you book accommodation, tours or buy a product, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you are wondering the best direction to drive the Great Ocean Road, I recommend driving it from east to west, starting in Torquay. The sun doesnt set behind the arch but the cliffs look beautiful in the glowing light. You could also fit them in on the previous day. The landscape varies depending on which route you take. If you really want a unique perspective though, and love a bit of adventure, how does skydiving over the 12 Apostles sound? Its a hub for the local food scene with a small shop selling cheese, wine, beer, condiments and other products made in the area. This page contains affiliate links. Keep an eye open as you wander the trails for koalas up in the trees and beautiful native birds soaring around too.
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