Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Melbourne to Lorne via Geelong and Geelong in around 3h 53m. This gives you the opportunity to see the quieter countryside inland of vibrant rolling hills and farmlandyou could almost be in England. Benefit. Dinner, stay over night. One of the most iconic road trips in all of Australia, if not the world, has got to be the Great Ocean Road drive.
If you're planning a road trip to Lorne, you can research locations to stop along the way.
Dinner, stay over night Friday 7am-Leave Lorne 9am- Arrive Barwon heads for sky dive then head back to Melbourne CBD, drop car off in city 2pm Check into hotel Sat & Sun If youre looking to do a bit of waterfall chasing, this is a great place to find them! Port Campbell is a tiny town, but its a great base for the Twelve Apostles. How long does it take to drive the Great Ocean Road? On the way youll see Tom and Eva, two rock stacks named after the only survivors of the shipwreck. You can visit the Marriners Lookout, Lake Elizabeth, and local museums such as The Bass Strait Shell Museum to discover more about sea life. In the late afternoon, photography was difficult as I was shooting into the sun, but itd be an excellent place for sunset. 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. Youll find them sitting up in the eucalyptus trees. There are plenty more accommodation optionsin Apollo Baysearch on Vrbo for holiday rentals or Booking for hotels, motels and B&Bs. Lorne is one of the most popular towns on a Great Ocean Road Trip.
For the best panoramic views in Apollo Bay head straight forMarriners Lookout. Its a hub for the local food scene with a small shop selling cheese, wine, beer, condiments and other products made in the area. Along the way you can sample cheese, whisky, beer, chocolate, fudge, strawberries (in summer), ice cream, and olives from local producers.
Hey! The Great Ocean Road is in the state of Victoria in south-eastern Australia. Please read our.
We left at 10am and arrived in Port Campbell at 2.45pm. The landscape varies depending on which route you take. 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. Despite staying close to Apollo Bay, we loved our cottage so much that we didnt visit the town until our way out. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:37 pmdrive for about 24 minutes, Shadowfax Wines You can do a Great Ocean Road Trip at any time of year. One day we had frost on the car in the morning but by the afternoon were eating ice cream in the sun with 20C temperatures. Cannon Hillis a great place to start if you want to get the lay of the land.
Theres also a cafe if you want a longer break. Dont forget that in Australia you drive on the left. This rock arch was once connected to the mainland until in collapsed in 1990 (leaving two tourists trapped but uninjured).
Journey Time: 10 minutes from Hopetoun FallsStop Time: 1 hour. Port Fairy. 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. Journey Time: 35 minutes from Apollo BayStop Time: 2 hours (including lunch).
Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Melbourne? Stop 2 Point Roadknight, Anglesea Soaring high above the limestone stacks youll get the best views of Victorias Shipwreck Coast.
Bay of Martyrs is an overlooked spot thats perfect for escaping the crowds.
The sun doesnt set behind the arch but the cliffs look beautiful in the glowing light. .
The whole trail is about 15km, but your best chances for spotting the cute indigenous animals are about 6km in atGrey River. With your own car however youll be able to stop when and where you want, spending as long as you need to check out the beaches, taking in the views and having the freedom to explore at your leisure. Beauchamp Falls wasnt on our original plan but ended up being my favourite stop of the day. Theres also a small but well-equipped kitchen, a balcony with table and chairs, and a bathroom with an excellent shower and a spa bath with a view. 7am-Leave Lorne . Another good stop in Aireys Inlet is Fairhaven Beach.
We had lunch and found the vegetarian options a bit limited if you didnt want cheese, but the food gets good reviews from meat-eaters. We visited two stops in the tiny town of Timboon for lunch and fitted in a couple more on our way back to Melbourne the next day.
Walk back down to the base of the bluff to enjoy relaxing on the beach for a while. You can view the falls from the side and clamber on the rocks to see them from the pool below.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation This lookout gives you the chance to see right out to sea and over the entire city.
We recommend Rental Cars, which has the largest range of vehicles for the best value on the market. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. We saw an adorable mother and baby koala! 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.
But one of the most incredible Great Ocean Road attractions is just around the corner. If you have an extra night, you could add it to either of those locations depending on your interestsApollo Bay is nearer forests and waterfalls and Port Campbell is nearer the Twelve Apostles and many other beautiful coastal rock formations.
For a shorter track check outMaits Restwhich will take you through a beautiful section of rainforest. A round trip from Melbourne to the 12 Apostles travelling along the Great Ocean Road will take your travel . 3rd Stop: Lorne. Take in the beauty of the 12 Apostles.
Theres also a cafe if you just want a coffee or one of the tasty looking cakes.
Please read our disclosure for more info. You can see our detailed GOR self-drive itinerary below.
Follow the inland route if you are headed back to Melbourne for a shorter drive. .
It would also be tempting to continue down past the end of the road to Warrnambool or Port Fairy for a night and visit the nearby Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve for a chance to see koalas, kangaroos, and emu in the wild. We enjoyed our cone in the lovely gardens. 5- Arrive at Lorne. Stop 3 Otway Harvest Trail We loved the quiet location. Split Point Lighthouse is still a functioning lighthouse, so you can only go inside on a tour. You have given us a great itinerary to get the best out of our trip.
Youll also find theAustralian Surfing Hall of Famehere as well. 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. We arrived in Port Campbell at 2.45pm and had a few hours rest before heading out to see the sunset at London Bridge, which is a quieter alternative to the Twelve Apostles. We didnt do this but tours take place every half an hour from 11am until 1.30pm for 3045 minutes and cost $10. Loch Ard Gorgeis the first attraction on the way, just a stones throw from the Twelve Apostles. We rented a car from the local company Advance Car Rental in Melbournea Toyota Corolla cost us $158 for six days.
If you are looking for other ideas on places to visit in Victoria, see our guide to the best day trips from Melbourne.
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. The ocean route via Angelsea (159km) is a spectacular coastal drive and an excellent introduction to the Great Ocean Road. I highly recommend visiting in the morning to truly enjoy it. Following the Otway Harvest Trail choose between local breweries, berry and fruit farms with quaint cafes, provedore grocers and restaurants a plenty. We were more interested in luxury accommodation on the Great Ocean Road as we wanted a place where we could relax and enjoy the views between sightseeing trips. Alternative Places to Stay Near Apollo Bay. The return walk took us 20 minutes and it is rather a steep climb back up.
Go on a culinary crusade via craft breweries and top regional restaurants on the short inland route back to Melbourne via Colac (below). Both routes meet in Lorne, which is 15 minutes from Wye River.
Journey Time: 15 minutes from Points South by the SeaStop Time: 15 minutes. This page contains affiliate links. Griffiths Islandcan be accessed by a footbridge nearby to the wharf and is a great place to do a little bird watching. From here you are well on your way to having covered a ton of ground.