Australia Travel Guide: A Day Trip Along the Great Ocean Road
Marvel at nature’s wonders along the Great Ocean Road on the east coast of Australia.
I was fortunate enough to be able to go on a day trip along the beautiful and legendary Great Ocean Road this month, as it had only recently been reopened after being closed over the Christmas and New Year period due to devastating bush fires.
I primarily wanted to see the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road, but was blown away by all the sights that I hadn’t heard about before. The Great Ocean Road day trip did not disappoint, and I am still kicking myself for not having done this trip earlier during my time at university in Melbourne, given it is only a three hour drive away. Oh well – at least I made it, eventually!
Driving the Great Ocean Road is a must-do if you are spending time in Melbourne or Victoria, especially as Mother Nature has been grinding away at the rock formations and many have disintegrated over the past few decades.
It is incredibly easy breezy to do the trip if you have access to a car; otherwise, there are plenty of tour companies that offer group day trips to the area, albeit you will lose some flexibility in your agenda. Check out some of the organized tour itineraries and offerings for the Great Ocean Road here, if you book via Klook you can get approximately 10% off the price of the tour!
What to bring to the Great Ocean Road
Australian summers are *supposed* to be hot, but I must have just erased any memory of the freezing wind chill on the east coast of Australia. The Great Ocean Road is very much exposed to strong winds: during our trip, in the dead of the Australian summer (December to February), it was 18-20 degrees Celsius (64-68 Fahrenheit) but felt much colder because of what felt like icicles being hurled at my face. Bring: a windbreaker or warm sweater and a scarf. Layer, layer, layer.
- Because the Australian sun is so brutal, slap on some SPF so you don’t end up looking like an overcooked lobster.
- Comfortable walking shoes. There are short trails (under 1 KM) to each of the sights, so take care of your tootsies.
- Dramamine or some other motion sickness medication for the seriously winding road along the coast.
- Your camera or smartphone.
Where to stay if you’re visiting the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is located in Victoria on the east coast of Australia. If you want to visit the Great Ocean Road, the best place to stay is in Melbourne. I enjoyed my stay at The Larwill Studio, a boutique hotel in North Melbourne just a short tram ride away from the Melbourne CBD. Click here to check current rates at The Larwill Studio.
If you are renting a car, most hotels in the CBD will offer private parking. Some other options outside of the Melbourne CBD include Southbank, Carlton and St. Kilda. Click here to book your stay in Melbourne!
Alternatively, there are a range of different hotels along the Great Ocean Road itself that you can stay at if you don’t want to be in the city. Click here to book your stay near the Great Ocean Road! Ready to drive the Great Ocean Road? Read on.
Visiting Melbourne for the first time? Read my guide on the top 10 things to do if you only have 3 days in Melbourne!
What to do and see along the Great Ocean Road
If you’re driving from Melbourne, I would recommend that you drive inland to Port Campbell as this route is much faster and less winding, and work your way back via the Great Ocean Road. The cliffs along the coast are slightly reminiscent of the drive and panoramic views along the Amalfi coast. Check out this map to see where the various landmarks are located along the coast. Here are the ones we visited along the Great Ocean Road drive that were out-of-this-world.
From Port Campbell, drive another five to ten minutes to the Grotto. All of these landmarks have parking, free-of-charge, and do not charge any entry fees! Here’s what you shouldn’t miss off your Great Ocean Road itinerary.
1. The Grotto
The Grotto is a naturally carved out cave with beautiful rock pools that lie at the foot of the arch. There is a rock wall that acts as a barrier-slash-viewing pavilion and offers up an incredible view.
2. London Bridge/Arch
Once you’re done marveling at the Grotto, hop back in the car and drive east for five minutes and you’ll find yourself at the London Bridge, or what is now known as the London Arch following its collapse in 1990. The London Arch is a fairly underrated attraction and a fantastic pitstop on your Great Ocean Road trip.
Looking for another fantastic day trip from Melbourne? Head to the Yarra Valley to taste some of the best wine that Australia has to offer!
3. The Arch
A very underrated structure when you pit it against the others along the coast, but the viewing deck at the Arch not only offers up a glimpse through this rock formation but also a panoramic view of the massive cliffs on the other side.
4. Loch Ard Gorge
Unfortunately we ran out of time so didn’t make it to Loch Ard Gorge, but it is another popular landmark to visit along the Great Ocean Road. It is named after a shipwreck in the late 1800s where more than 50 people perished. It’s possible to walk all the way down to the beach via stairs.
5. The Twelve Apostles (but there are actually eight)
Last but definitely not least, the most popular landmark along the Great Ocean Road: the Twelve Apostles. There are currently eight of these sea stacks (much like the Fariglioni formation in Capri) left standing.
The last one was swallowed by the sea more than a decade ago in 2005, but you never know when the next one will fall so now’s the time to visit. If you manage to time the trip right, you may be able to catch the sunset (after 8 PM during the summer!) as you cruise back to the city.
Bonus: On your way back along the Great Ocean Road, stop off at the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse in Apollo Bay and try some of the local craft beers and beer battered chips.
I hope this article has shed some light on the Great Ocean Road attractions beyond the iconic Twelve Apostles! Have you visited the Great Ocean Road? Tell me all about it in the comments section below!
Check out this article for some other ideas for things to do in Australia OR click here for more Australia destination guides and travel tips!
You might also enjoy reading these guides:
- For another Melbourne day trip option I highly recommend heading out to the Yarra Valley for a wine-filled day. Here is the best Yarra Valley wine tour to book and an easy 1 day itinerary
- Staying in Melbourne? Read this list of the best things to do in Melbourne so that you can eat, drink and play to your heart’s content
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Omg such a beautiful place and the water a baby that I am… just wannna be there… honest confession I wish I could spend a year in each country in this world and Now it’s Australia on my mind… the pictures are so beautiful ?
I have never been to Australia but I have heard of Great Ocean Road. I think it surely is a magical place on earth
I hope you make it to Australia soon, Baia! There are tons of incredible places to see – and the wine is superb!
I really wanted to do this road trip in my last visit in Australia but didn’t get to do it. Especially want to see the Twelve Apostles but the other rock formations look amazing too! When I get back there, I’ll definitely be doing this drive.
I hope you guys make it there soon! I love your photos and would it would be great to see what you produce.
Your first shot looks right out of a painting! This seems like the perfect day. I’m a bit of a geology/land form nerd so this seems like my perfect road trip 🙂
Then you’d definitely love these rock formations! It reminds me a lot of the Algarve coast in Portugal.
The Great Ocean Road is one of my absolute favourite drives in the world! We spent 3 days travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne and loved every minute of it
Isn’t it so incredible? Did you stop in Torquay to check out the surf?
You have caught some amazing views along the great ocean road. Along with a helpful guide. Already bookmarked. I have not yet been to Australia. But with the amount of information that I have gathered, when I visit here the first time, the great ocean road will be a must experience. What if we don’t want to drive? What are the options then?
Hi Neha, there are a number of group tours that depart from Melbourne each day. The issue with that is that they don’t necessarily stop at each and every stop 🙂
Australia is at the top of my bucket list! I am going to save this post for when I finally make it here. Fingers crossed it is soon! The coast is just breath taking. I really want to go to The Arch!
The country is soooo massive it would take a year to see it all! Make sure you head over to the west coast as well, the Margaret River region is gorgeous!
https://www.yogawinetravel.com/9-visually-stunning-places-you-must-visit-in-the-margaret-river-region-australia/
I love how easy to read and succinct your descriptions were. Since I’m a visual person, you had great photos to accompany the text too! I also really appreciated all the links if I wanted to dive deeper into something you were describing. Happy Travels!
We got lucky with the seriously amazing blue skies, Eddie!
Ooh I love how dramatic the Great Ocean Road coastline is! So many beautiful vistas! Good tip with the windbreaker, for sure! I would love to be able to get out there to see the Twelve (Eight) Apostles before they become Five or something like that! Love the pictures! So colorful!
Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before they collapse (like the arch in Malta!) – it’s such a stunning place to visit, I hope you make it there soon!
Yes they told me that I should go there too, I just visited Sidney but I guess I missed a lots…..Your pictures are really outstanding with clear details. If Australia wouldn’t be so far away (i am in spain)!!! thank you for your sharing!
It’s true, Australia is SO far away from most places! You’d need a few months to explore the main sights.
Ok – I think I need to get my driving licenses as soon as possible (or find a friend who can drive!) The photos are amazing!
I’ve never been to Australia, but it’s on my list!
It’s easy to never fvisit places you live close to. I still haven’t been to half the places in UK!
Haha it’s super easy in Hong Kong – go and get your license! 😛 Australia is such an amazing place – I’m fairly sure it’s bigger than Europe in land mass!