Ziplining, surfing, horse riding, canoes, and kayaking, to name a few. We had a villa, a small, two bedroom cabin with a kitchen and ensuite bathroom. The Great Ocean Road offers amazing scenery, unforgettable natural features and quaint towns making it a unique vacation spot. Includes: 4 nights' accommodation, 5 days unlimited km use of a compact sized car and fully detailed itinerary with local and regional maps. In Portland we stayed at the Portland Holiday Village. It was in this area that we were treated to stunning views. The Great Ocean Road was built as a memorial for soldiers of World War I and this timber arch commemorates them. After passing through Port Campbell, youll pass by The Arch and London Bridge. Enjoy the iconic Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, hand feed kangaroos and wallabies at Moonlit Sanctuary, visit the famous Brighton Beach boxes and more on a day trip from Melbourne to Phillip Island. The Twelve Apostles are giant limestone stacks jutting out of the ocean that form one of the most recognizable landscapes in Australia. The V/line service offers frequent train travel departing Melbournes Southern Cross Station and running to both Geelong and Warrnambool. It offers easy transport options to Geelong and Torquay as well as plenty of car hire options. One down side to this is that you will be travelling on the side of the road which isnt on the coast side. The Great Ocean Road winds through picturesque locations that outdo one another in terms of visual extravaganza. Lorne is a picturesque town set between Loutit Bay and the Otway National Park, it is where the bush meets the ocean. The drive offers plenty of places to stop off and explore. While wandering around town youll surely spot a ton of street art, which is something Geelong is known for. A staircase leads you to view it at the eye-level and is best experience at low tide at sunrise or sunset. We know what you mean by just taking your time and booking the day of but we would recommend booking in advance as it is so much busier now. The Great Ocean Road in Victoria is a world-famous, Australian National Heritage-listed site along the Sydney to Melbourne drive. We are Alesha and Jarryd, the award-winning writers and professional photographers behind this blog. Live chat with local experts anywhere, anytime. It has diverse vegetation ranging from lush rainforest to rugged coastline, it has everything from stunning waterfalls to tranquil lakes. The cliffs over the beach offer gorgeous views of the swells coming in from the Southern Ocean. How long does it take to drive the Great Ocean Road? Things to do in Melbourne Day Trips from Melbourne Great Ocean Road Tour From Melbourne. Surf Culture at Australian National Museum of Surfing. We set off from the city at 6am. From Torquay to Warrnambool (the last town on the Great Ocean Road), expect to spend at least 4 hours of driving which doesnt include stops. The Memorial Arch (youve probably seen photos of people standing underneath it) symbolises the start of the road. Join our small group coastal adventure to the beaches, rainforests and more of the Great Ocean Road. To get here, however, was a two-hour drive via the M1 highway from Melbourne. Dogs are permitted to join you in a vehicle driving along the length of the Great Ocean Road, even when the highway passes through areas of national park. 8 Days or so of hiking from Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles following the coastline with views and experiences not possible by car or bus. Just prepare yourself for a full day with an early start and late(ish) finish. Required fields are marked *. Great commentary. Tip: If youre hungry on the drive back to Melbourne, stop at Colac for food. Plan ahead and give yourself at least 1 full day. Your email address will not be published. Theres a lot to see and do along the way. The sea enters the area through a narrow opening between two rock pillars. These two areas are highly populated by local surfers, keen to ride their magnificent waves. Curious Goose | The Grampians and The Great Ocean Road - a 4 day self Always hustling towards the least trodden path, she has encountered some wonderful people during her escapades and if you ever meet her, she won't stop gushing about them. If you're planning your big Great Ocean Road trip from Melbourne, here are all the transport options that could get you there. Departs: 7:00am. Your story was very useful for us to plan our one day trip in March 2020 just before the corona virus outbreak. Your password has been reset successfully please login with new password. As one of the world's leading travel journalists, our content and adventures have been featured by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, CNN, BBC, Forbes, Business Insider, Washington Post, Yahoo!, BuzzFeed, Channel 7, Channel 10, ABC, The Guardian, and plenty other publications. Drive from Melbourne, via the Princes Highway, straight to Warrnambool (over 3 hours drive). Its definitely worth pulling over to read the history of the road as well as getting that classic holiday snap. Melbourne to Apollo Bay 187 km/116 miles, about 3 hours Ease into your road trip with the leisurely drive from Melbourne to Torquay, just over an hour's drive. Last week, 1156 properties were scheduled to be auctioned in Melbourne. You can do this in one big day (its almost 600km direct), but we personally recommend breaking the trip up into 2 or 3 days, spending some time in Mount Gambier and Coorong National Park. This port city is the second-largest in the state of Victoria and overlooks the gorgeousCorio Bay. Like I mentioned before, covering all of these in a day may be a long shot, hence plan for a 2 day Great Ocean Road trip. Both are amazing expressions of natural beauty and are worth checking out. Melbourne to Apollo Bay 187 km/116 miles, about 3 hours Ease into your roadtrip with the leisurely drive from Melbourne to Torquay, just over an hour's drive. 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. Our journey ended an hour and a half later, finally at Melbourne. Best way from Portland to Melbourne - Melbourne Forum You can also use the share icon and share it on Facebook. See above for that. - Bunyip Tours, Melbourne Traveller Reviews Find out more here. In 1932, the road was thrown open to the public and has since then become one of the worlds best road trip destinations. Thousands of visitors flock here for summer and for festivals during the year, including the world famous Folkie. The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 240-kilometre (150 mi) stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford.Built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932 and dedicated to soldiers killed during World War I, the road is the world's largest war memorial.Winding through varying terrain along the coast . Visit some of the valleys most impressive wineries, go on a skydiving experience and simply kick your heels and relax. 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. Drive Time: 30 minutes to Port Fairy, 4 hours to Melbourne. Wealso have information on a great hike in Kings Canyon and a recap of our experience in the Red Centre of Australia. Stunning photos. Great Ocean Road Tours that offer the best itinerary and great sights within a day from Melbourne. There is no dearth of viewpoints on the Great Ocean Road and Teddys Lookout is another magnificent spot added to the list. Frolic in the ocean and then head up to the lush rainforests abundant with wildlife. 1 Day Great Ocean Road & 12 Apostles Tour $104 Melbourne real estate: Full list of sales, auction results for February Visit surf beaches, seaside towns, and national parks; and see rain forest, wild koalas, and towering waterfalls. The Best 5 Day Great Ocean Road Itinerary (Self Drive) Please enter your email address or username. Theyll even show you how to throw a Boomerang and spear! Don't be an idiot. Loch Iel (Pink Lake) The inland Melbourne to Adelaide drive takes around 5.5 hours from the Grampians. I dashed out of the cave to higher ground, able to stay dry. You will also reach the main stops at a different time to the crowds. Great Ocean Road & Beyond Melbourne to Adelaide (Single Traveller I guess the quickest and easiest route from Portland back to Melbourne would be up to Hamilton then via the Glenelg Hwy to Ballarat then it is freeway on to Melbourne. One of the most adventurous things to do on the Great Ocean Road drive is to do a bit of scuba diving. It starts at the surfing town of Torquay and finishes near Warrnambool. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Most of the people here were Chinese. It starts in Torquay and continues westward to Allansford. One of the best things to do on the Great Ocean Road is going out for a paddle at some of the most famous surf beaches in Australia. The waves here were big, similar to US east coast waves just before a hurricane. An absolute must-do for anyone wanting one of the best views of this part of the Great Ocean Road is to book in for aTwelve Apostles Helicopter Ride. During your travel, you plan to visit the following-1) Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, Victoria, Australia. This isnt a big deal though as you will still have great views of the scenery either way. 30 mins), 446 Km - Distance from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road, FAQ about Distance from Melbourne to Portland, The driving distance from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road is, Directions from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road, map from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road, Travel time from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road, Distance from Melbourne to New York , United States, Distance from Melbourne to Canberra via Albury NSW 2640, Distance from Melbourne to Canberra via Albury New South Wales, Distance from Melbourne to Canberra via Orbost. Most visitors to the Great Ocean Road travel from Melbourne, which is the nearest major city. Recommended Experiences Yarra Valley Full Day Gourmet Tour Skydive Yarra Valley Tandem Freefall. Its not nearly as scenic to do it this way, but it does save you about 50 km and one hour of driving. 6 Melbourne: Werribee Open Range Zoo Admission Ticket. Starting from Torquay, this route takes you through beautiful seaside towns and rain forests as you follow the winding road along the exquisite coastline. Great Ocean Road starts at Torquay and finishes in Allansford. The Twelve Apostlesare one of the most amazing sights within Australia and its not hard to see why as you drive along the coast from Great Otway. Learn about the Best Things to Do in Melbourne and get a recap of our experiences here. A Melbourne road trip to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road can be done over 5 days, easily seeing the best of the Ocean Road highlights. Screened at CinefestOZ, Portland International Film Festival, Social Justice Film Festival (Seattle), St Louis International Film Festival, Mostly . There were no surfers, really there was no one else here other than a few curious people like ourselves. Find more of them listed here. Headout is building the future of how we experience our cities. Melbourne To Phillip Island Tour: A Complete Guide For A Perfect Day Trip, We've served 15 million+ guests and we are here for you, All You Need For An Epic Great Ocean Road Tour From Melbourne, Happy customers across 10,000+ experiences, 5,000+ verified reviews with 90% excellent score, Featured and recommended by the best brands, Have a question? The road driving distance between Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road is 446 Km. The Great Ocean Road Australia | Victoria's Most Scenic Stretch However, Loch Ard Gorge is still a stunning place for a swim. 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. Sail through the clouds with only 1 other person for an up-close and personal adventure. As Victorias 5th largest city, Warrnambool is a lot bigger than most of the seaside towns along the Great Ocean Road drive. MELBOURNE: Melbourne is our favorite city in Australia. The Email id you have Entered is not Registered With us. A road trip along the Great Ocean Road & Grampians National Park is a trip where you feel small in the universe. Experience the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne to Adelaide. From AUD$940.00* per person, based on [] Youll also find theAustralian Surfing Hall of Famehere as well. Michael Dahlstrom - Environment Editor - Yahoo | LinkedIn . 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. Perfect write up, very helpful indeed, Appreciate your work guys, Cheers. While it is a large city the laid back beach vibe is very present here and you could wind up spending more time here than you planned. Carry a fast-drying towel, a bathing suit and a change of clothes to go swimming. If youre looking to do a bit of waterfall chasing, this is a great place to find them! Great Ocean Road & Grampians Road Trip | Apollo Campervans AU Julie Last updated: October 8, 2022 Australia 4 Comments. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Portland is 6 hours (540 km) away from Adelaide. Most of the highlights are located around Port Campbell. The Perth to Adelaide Drive (via the Nullarbor Plain) 3,700 km | 16 days Swim with dolphins, climb the giant Gloucester Tree, camp among . Distance: 507km / 7 hours roundtrip. Home to some of Australia's best-known surf beaches, Torquay marks the official beginning of the Great Ocean Road. The worlds largest war memorial is built along the road whose story began in 1919 when World War I heroes returned home and started building a memorial for their martyrs. The Great Ocean Road is the most famous coastal road in Australia and meanders along sheer limestone cliff tops, spectacular jutting headlands beside the edge of pristine beaches. If your tour is on schedule you might find yourself some time for a swim. 1 Melbourne: 1-Day Entry Ticket to Melbourne Zoo. The four of us were ecstatic to be off those winding roads. We want to book accommodation as we go . Tyler and Kara joined us, took a look around, and then went back to their game. December to February is the best time to take a Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne. Apollo Bay is a gorgeous seaside village, located at the entry to the Otways, and without a doubt is one of the most scenic and picturesque stops on our Great Ocean Road drive. The coastline will be on the left side of the bus for Great Ocean Road tours starting from Melbourne, so if the bus seats are not pre-booked you can try to catch a window-seat on the left side. From Melbourne, head to Geelong and then south to Torquay. One of the best walking tracks to visit here isMelba Gulleywhich is full of gorgeous giant fern trees and home to glow worm caves, which are best seen after dark. Check out the Vline train & bus timetable to make your way between Geelong and Warrnambool. Note: This post contains affiliate links. Covering nearly 200 hectares, this park is one of the few Great Ocean Road highlights that is not a beach. It takes 3 day to drive through the Great Ocean Road and to see all the attractions on the way. However, the Great Ocean Road is a hit at any time of the year and here is why . 52 Great Weekends > No 3: Portland No 3: Portland Located a little over 4hrs Melbourne, Portland is well worth the drive. What is a partial cave, archway and blowhole, The Grotto is definitely something to marvel at. The Subaru Forester has been an exceptional ride on the trip on the Melbourne to Adelaide via Great Ocean Road trip - powerful, economical, spacious, and with loads of safety features built-in, making the long drives a comfortable experience. Any advice greatly appreciated! Your Great Ocean Road itinerary may be coming to an end, but dont worry, youll finish up with a dreamy little visit toPort Fairy. Both are natural, offshore stone archways. In the shadow of the Otway ranges meeting Cape Otway is the Apollo Bay, midway of the Great Ocean Road. 1. Let us help you get started with planning your Great Ocean Road itinerary. Spectacular and diverse scenery, wildlife, byo tent or book accommodation along the way. Day 3: Warrnambool to Port Fairy then Melbourne (or Adelaide). If you're planning a self-guided tour, this could come handy. Less traffic on the road and more time to spend at stops. You can also try a different route while coming back by adding multiple destinations. Book Great Ocean Road Tours & Tickets in Melbourne Today - Viator Your email address will not be published. Sandstone cliffs plunging into the ocean, pillars of hardened sandstone sitting just offshore, all of this being pounded by some serious waves. can include Port Fairy and more coastal towns. Explore Victoria's Great Ocean Road on an all-day reverse tour Discover the region's history and culture with a knowledgeable local guide Get going early and enjoy a small-group experience that beats the crowds Experience London Bridge, 12 Apostles, Great Otway, and other sites National Park fees Live commentary on board Professional guide 5+. Going up is going to be a task though! Things all of a sudden became a lot more exciting. It shows off sheer limestone cliffs, dairy farms and heathland, and gets you up close and personal with the crashing . ThePort FairyBotanical Gardensare a lovely spot for an afternoon walk and to admire the plants and flowers. Although you could go through the city of Geelong, south-west of Melbourne, there's no need to as the Freeway Extension bypasses it, thus speeding . Walk up near the Grey River Road and you will find koalas lounging on the trees. Its a highlight of a Great Ocean Road itinerary! To get more information on the Great Ocean Road, visit the official tourism website here. We enjoyed our travels on the Great Ocean Road, the area of Port Campbell National Park being the highlight of the day. Get outdoors on bushwalking, surfing and mountain biking expeditions or take the cultural route through galleries, museums and heritage attractions. Made famous for theRip Curl Prohosted every Easter, Bells Beach is not only beautiful but a huge part of both Australian and surf culture. If you are spending a night while on the road, the best coastal towns to rent a motel are Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Around the Otway National Park. December to February is summer, March to May is autumn, June to August is winter and September to November is spring. Other good breaks in addition to Bells Beach includeSan Juc, Winki Pop, Bird RockandSparrowsjust to name a few. Happy travels. Great Ocean Road Drive Info - Time, Distance & Tips A large wave crashed on shore, quickly heading towards our cave and where we thought we would be safe. Its a small village, but Port Campbell is a nice place to stop for a snack and some fuel. Read our detailed blog to know all about Skydiving in Melbourne and book your Great Ocean Road skydive. Lorne Seabaths, Gym, inground Trampolines for kids, and more. Check our. Great Ocean Road travel guide Brekkie tacos, smoothie bowls and a full lunch menu to eat in or take away will please anyone visiting. The coastline of the Great Ocean Road is constantly changing and one such natural formation is the London Arch. . But if you are driving under the speed limit and following protocols, it could be one of the best drives of your life given the amazing view throughout the drive. 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. This is one way to get away from other tourists. Starting from Torquay, this route takes you through beautiful seaside towns and rain forests as you follow the winding road along the exquisite coastline. You can also find the flight distance or distance to fly from Melbourne to Portland via Great Ocean Road. Griffiths Islandcan be accessed by a footbridge nearby to the wharf and is a great place to do a little bird watching. The Great Ocean Road is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Melbourne with dual lane highway conditions for most of the journey and excellent signposting. No 3: Portland - Visit Great Ocean Road The distance from Adelaide to Melbourne is 1500km on this itinerary, which amounts to over 21 hours worth of driving.