If there’s one thing that should be on every visitor’s itinerary to Australia, it’s the Great Ocean Road trip. It’s a scenic coastal road on the Southernmost tip of Victoria that spans 664 kilometers, or 413 miles, and connects the towns of Allanford and Torquay. A drive from one town to the other usually takes 9 hours, but if you’ve got the time, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore some of Australia’s best sights.
A lot of road trippers begin their journey from Melbourne, as it’s the capital city of Victoria. So here we’ve got a 3-day Great Ocean Road route from Melbourne, balancing iconic stops with hidden gems, perfect for those looking for a little bit of adventure and escape!
Where to rent a car?
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Plus, when you pre-book, you can get the best rates from Klook’s car rental providers such as Hertz, Alamo, Europcar, AVIS, and more! You can also choose from a wide range of vehicles—4-seater compact cars, SUVs, commercial vans, and more—as well as choose from various pickup and drop-off points.
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Once you’ve got your car rental sorted, then it’s time for the Great Ocean Road adventure to begin!
DAY 1: Melbourne to Apollo Bay
Estimated drive time: 4 hours (with stops)
Torquay
From Melbourne, hit the road early and head to Torquay, which is the official starting point of your Great Ocean Road drive. It’s a surfer’s paradise thanks to its many beautiful beaches with incredible surfs. Its laid-back vibe resembles that of California, making it a great place to take it slow and feel the sand between your toes.
Ride some waves or simply feel the ocean breeze at Bells Beach. Image credits @lustinherworld on Instagram
Bells Beach is only a seven-minute drive from the Torquay town proper and is the perfect kick- start to your Great Ocean Road drive. Here you can catch a wave or take a stroll along the beach while admiring the cliff formations and the waves lapping against the shore.
Lorne
After which, you can go on a 40-minute drive to Lorne, another quaint seaside town with fantastic beaches you can explore and worth stopping for lunch. The Bottle of Milk is a famous cafe and burger joint Lorne that’s just opposite of the beach. Then you can go to Main Beach, a safe 2-kilometre expanse protected by Point Grey, where you can have a breezy stroll by the beach perfect for stretching your legs before hitting the road again!
Apollo Bay
From Lorne, the drive to Apollo Bay offers a scenic view of the coastline that will definitely make you want to keep driving. But be sure to stop at Kennett River, one of the best spots to easily spot wild koalas in their natural habitat! Afterward, continue your journey to Apollo Bay, where you can relax by the sea, spend the night, and recharge for Day 2.
DAY 2: Apollo Bay to Port Campbell
Estimated total drive: 2 hours (short, but with many stops)
Great Otway National Park
You’ll be driving a lot less on Day 2 of this 3-day road trip from Melbourne (yay!), but you’ll be treated to plenty of fun stops. From Apollo Bay, head inland toward the heart of Great Otway National Park, where you’ll be surrounded by lush greenery and wildlife. Here, you can take the Maits Rest Rainforest Walk, a short trail full of moss-covered trees, which is a complete contrast to the coastline you witnessed the day before!
If you’re up for a little bit more of an adventure, you can try the Otway Fly Treetop Walk. But keep in mind that this is not your ordinary forest walk. Here, you’ll be suspended 30 metres above the ground exploring the canopies! It covers 600 metres of the forest, so you have a lot of ground (or, in this case, a steel walkway) to walk through. You’ll also reach the Spiral Tower, a whopping 47 metres high, giving you an even better vantage point of the verdant rainforest.
Have a boozy gastronomical experience at Forrest Brewing Company. Image credits @forrestbrewery on Instagram
From the National Park, you can take a small detour into the charming town of Forrest to visit the Forrest Brewing Company. It’s a microbrewery that produces one of Australia’s most exclusive, hard to come by beers. So naturally, you have to try some when you stop by during your Great Ocean Road trip.
Port Campbell
After Forrest, continue your journey to Port Campbell and towards the iconic 12 Apostles! It’s one of the most recognizable photos from any Great Ocean Road Trip, but nothing truly compares to walking toward that cliff edge and watching these giant limestones rise from the sea.
For those wanting to marvel at these giant limestones from a different perspective, you can go on a 12 Apostles Tandem skydiving! Hop on a plane at ten to fifteen thousand feet in the air, strap on your safety gear, and let your diving partner guide you during your freefall. You’ll have a view of Port Campbell National Park like no other—you can even see all the way to Loch Ard Gorge and the Bay of Martyrs!
If you’d rather stay on the ground, you can drive towards Gibson Steps where you can walk down the beach with a view of the cliffs towering above you, which still gives you a different perspective!
Stay the night in Port Campbell. It’s a quiet town but with many hotel and motel options around where you can have a restful night. If you’re traveling during the summer (when the sun sets later!), you can even head back out for sunset at the 12 Apostles after having dinner and witness one of the most beautiful golden hours in Australia!
Day 3: Port Campbell to Melbourne
Estimated total drive: 5 hours (with stops)
Natural Rock Formations
Port Campbell is a quiet town so you’ll be treated to a peaceful morning where you can enjoy the coastal air before easing back onto the road. Before driving back inland, make your way further west along the coastline! You can start with the natural rock formations: The Grotto, The Arch, and London Bridge. Make sure your devices are charged and still have photo storage because you’d definitely want to take a lot of photos with these marvelous rock formations in the background.
Warrnambool
From there, continue toward Warrnambool, which is the biggest town on the end of your Great Ocean Road trip. The arts scene is particularly active at Liebig Street, where the Warrnambool Art Gallery resides. You can also indulge your taste buds at the local restaurants, cafés, and breweries.
And if you’re visiting between June and October, be sure to stop by Logan’s Beach whale- watching platforms where you can see whales come close to the shore! But even outside of whale season, the long stretch of beach and the energy of the town make this stop worth it.
After you’ve wandered enough, you can then start the journey back to Melbourne. It’s the end of your road trip but you’ll still be treated with views of rolling farmlands, small Victorian towns, and the calm country road before the busy city skyline of Melbourne reappears in the distance.
The Magic of the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road Trip is easily one of those journeys and experiences that remind you just how truly diverse Australia is. You’ll witness how within a few hours, you’ll go from surf beaches to rain forests to cliffside sunsets that feel magical and other-worldy.
If you’d rather just sit back and enjoy the journey without having to drive, you can join a Great Ocean Road Day Tour from Melbourne! This is a 13-hour day tour covering the most iconic spots of the road trip in just one day.
If you’d like to avoid the crowds, you can also opt to join the Magic-Reversed Great Ocean Road Day Tour from Melbourne. It’s called “reversed” because you’ll be traveling the coastal route backwards and visiting the popular spots like the 12 Apostles during the less busy times of the day and thus, a more “magical” experience for some!
FAQs
What is the best 3-day itinerary from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road?
There’s not one best 3-day Great Ocean Road itinerary from Melbourne but you’d want to include the most iconic stops between Torquay and Port Campbell along the route when you’re planning your journey! Some of these icons are the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Splitpoint Lighthouse, and Eagle Rock Lookout to name a few.
What key stops should you include in a 3-day Great Ocean Road trip?
Our 3-day Great Ocean Road itinerary from Melbourne includes all the key stops on this journey:
- Bells Beach in Torquay
- Kennet River for koala spotting
- Great Otway National Park
- 12 Apostles
- Gibson Steps
- The natural rock formations: Loch Ard Gorge, The Grotto, London Bridge
What is the best time of year for a road-trip from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road?
It really depends on your preference and perhaps just the timing of your trip because it’s always a good time to go on a road trip year-round! But if you want the best mix of scenery, weather, and comfort, you’d want to do the Great Ocean Road trip between November and March (end-Autumn through mid-Spring).
Should you self-drive or join a guided tour from Melbourne for the Great Ocean Road?
This depends on the type of experience you prefer. If you want more freedom and to follow your own time and schedule, then a self-drive road trip would be better. But if you’d rather see all the best the Great Ocean Road offers within a day without driving, then you can always join a guided tour!
What accommodations or stops do you need to book ahead for a 3-day Great Ocean Road itinerary?
Our 3-day Great Ocean Road itinerary from Melbourne has overnight stops in Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. So you’d want to book a hotel in these areas ahead of time for a hassle-free trip! Luckily there are a lot of hotel options around Apollo Bay and Port Campbell so you don’t have to worry about having to spend a night in your car!
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