The Great Ocean Road is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most popular and scenic driving routes. Natural highlights include the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Elephant Rock.
This self-drive itinerary incorporates overnight stays at a number of the coast’s charming towns and villages, each with its own unique history to share. Learn about the early whaling bases, the frenzied goldrush of the 1850s, and the dramatic maritime history of this treacherous stretch of coast, or search for the region’s current inhabitants, including wallabies and penguins. Numerous highlights await, but the greatest of these will be the breathtaking backdrop of one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world.
On arrival in Melbourne you will be met and transferred to your city centre hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Pick up your rental car and commence your drive via Lorne to Apollo Bay, a scenic little fishing port boasting some magnificent beaches. There are two museums in town, the Bass Strait Shell Museum which features a huge display of shells from all around the world, along with information on shipwrecks that have occurred off this treacherous coastline, and the Historical Museum which has thousands of photographs showcasing the area’s shipping history. A steep and narrow road will take you to Mariners Lookout east of town, where a short walk leads to spectacular views of the township and the coastline.
Spend the day exploring Cape Otway at your leisure. A short drive from Apollo Bay, the Otway Ranges and Otway National Park offer desne rainforest, thunderous waterfalls and lush fern gullies. Take a treetop walk along the Otway Fly for breathtaking views or visit mainland Australia’s oldest lighthouse at Cape Otway. The Cape Otway Lightstation was built in 1848 and perches 90 metres above the Bass Strait. It is fondly nicknamed the ‘Beacon of Hope’.
Continue west along the Great Ocean Road to Port Fairy. Today you’ll discover the region’s best known natural attractions – the iconic rock formations of the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge which stand just offshore as you approach Port Campbell. Further along the coast at Warrnambool is a clifftop viewing platform which offers excellent whale watching opportunities. Between late May and August each year, southern right whales return from Antarctica to give birth here at a spot known as Logans Beach Whale Nursery. Travel on to Port Fairy, a seaside resort and fishing port at the mouth of the Moyne River, for an overnight stay.
Follow the coast road via Portland to Mt Gambier – you may choose to detour to visit Mt Richmond National Park, or the spectacular seascapes of Cape Nelson. Mt Gambier is located on the slopes of an extinct volcano and has two famous attractions, the Blue Lake and the Cave in the centre of the city. The lake is famous for its change of colour from winter grey to intense blue in November each year. It remains blue until late March, and aside from its beauty, is the city’s source of domestic water.
Depart Mt. Gambier along the Princes Highway to the town of Millicent, from where you can make your way back to the coast for the scenic drive to Robe. The Port of Robe was originally founded in 1847 and gradually grew, exporting wool and horses. Nearby Little Dip Conservation Park, 4km to the south, is well worth a visit.
Follow the road along the edge of Coorong National Park and through the prolific wine-producing regions of McLaren Vale and Hahndorf. If time permits you may like to detour to Mt. Lofty, from where you can enjoy views over Adelaide before making your way into the city for an overnight stay.
Your Great Ocean Road adventure ends today as you return your rental car and depart Adelaide.
Prices & departures
What's Included
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Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
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Car rental throughout
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Arrival transfer from airport to hotel
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24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
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No surcharge guarantee
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Full financial protection
From £822 Excluding Flights
7 Nights
Year Round
Prices are per person based upon 2 sharing, subject to availability. Your Travel Specialist will confirm the exact price based upon your tailored requirements, inclusions, and travel dates.
Make this trip yours
Every trip you see here can be adapted to suit you using inside-out knowledge to create one-off experiences created just for you.
Lauren
1
Breaching humpback spotted
2
Eyelash vipers spotted
We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.
Experts with real experience
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Gary
Travel Specialist
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Lauren
Travel Specialist
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Dawn
Head of Customer Experience
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Kieran
Travel Specialist
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Freya
Travel Specialist
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Eric
Travel Specialist
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Darren
Travel Specialist
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Jo
Travel Specialist
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Rosie
Travel Specialist
