The Great Ocean Road is an iconic stretch of highway that hugs the southern coastline of Australia.
You can cover it in one epic day trip, or take your time and do the drive over multiple days. There are so many incredible viewpoints – some are well known, others not so much – but there is so much to explore that I recommend you give yourself at least 2-3 full days.
It all culminates with the famous 12 Apostles, which is one of the most incredible views to be found in this part of the world.
But there are places to discover beyond this that are equally impressive and far less crowded. More on that later!
Table of Contents
Video Summary
Check out the full road trip video below as we make our way along the Great Ocean Road so you get the full visual experience.
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Great Ocean Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1 – Melbourne to Aireys Inlet
The drive from Melbourne to our first stop is 90 minutes in a south-west direction. You will pass through the city of Geelong which is a common stopover but we continued on until we reached the coast.
Bells Beach
This is a well-known destination for hosting the Bells Beach Pro surf event each year and is the first glimpse of this southern coastline on this road trip.
It was mid-afternoon when we arrived but still saw plenty of surfers out in the water at both ends of the beach.
There are multiple viewing platforms that give you a great view of the surf action. You can also see for miles along this glorious coastline!
It is a very peaceful area with not much else around. But it was a nice place to watch the sun start to set and a nice introduction to this stretch of coastline.
We did this drive in the middle of winter so despite the setting sun there were plenty of hours left in the day.
Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery
Five minutes away is the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. Where I was eager to have an afternoon coffee and try out the gelato, while also stocking up on some sweet treats for the days ahead on the road.
Inside is visually impressive with colorful and tasty treats and a few touristy items that make gimmicky souvenirs.
As for the ice cream, it was decent but not mind-blowing. But, we still left happy!
Anglesea Lookout
When passing through the town of Anglesea, we noticed a small lookout on the side of the road.
Here you can learn about multiple shipwrecks that took place off the coast in the 19th and early 20th century.
But unless that’s your thing it’s probably not worth the stop.
Airey’s Inlet
Now that darkness was setting in I booked a last-minute hotel in Airey’s Inlet. It was low season so it was easy to find an affordable room.
However, in the summer months you will not be as lucky, and booking ahead of time is recommended.
We spent the night in the Sunnymead Hotel and the quality of the room was outstanding!
I particularly enjoyed the assortment of teas available in the room. A nice relaxing touch at the end of a long day on the road.
Day 2 – Aireys Inlet to the 12 Apostles
We are back on the road at sunrise with the first stop just five minutes down the road.
Split Point Lighthouse
The Split Point lighthouse and lookout can get very busy during the day. With very limited parking and a steep incline to reach the lighthouse, it can become a long stopover if arriving at peak times.
However, at this early hour, there was no one around except for a few locals out walking their dogs.
We were able to park at the top of the hill right near the path leading to the lighthouse which saved us a lot of time.
As for the lighthouse, those who grew up in the 90s may recognize the scene from the TV show around the twist. But nostalgia aside, it’s a beautiful spot with multiple lookouts where you can view Castle Rock on one side, and the Sentinel Rock on the other.
If you want to explore the inside of the lighthouse, you can join a group tour for just over ten bucks. Buy your tickets below.
There is a nice beach at the bottom of the hill, but it was too early and too cold for that! So, we hit the road again towards the Memorial Arch.
Memorial Arch
This is a memorial dedicated to the returned servicemen who helped build the Great Ocean Road in the years after WW1.
This is a popular stopover with limited parking so again we were happy to be there nice and early in the day!
From this point, the road becomes much more windy as it hugs the coastline. Over the next few hours you will see some of the best coastal views this region has to offer.
In some sections, you will climb up to some impressive viewpoints with stunning views!
And I would encourage you to stop every time something catches your eye – this is something you will have less freedom to do if only on a day trip – so do yourself a favor and allow plenty of time to do as you please.
There are frequent stopping areas on the shoulder of the road. Some are very small, but most can accommodate enough vehicles with most stopping only briefly to check out the view and move on.
But, first we are going to take a small detour inland at the town of Lorne for a short hike to see the Erskine Falls.
Erskine Falls
A hike may be overstating it. There are two viewpoints to see the falls, one being just 80 meters from the car park, and the other being 220 meters.
The lower falls lookout will require a lot more steps but is manageable with only moderate levels of fitness. It’s an easy walk!
Unless you are really in the mood for a hike, I would suggest skipping this stop. It would not make my top 100 waterfalls that I have seen around the world.
Teddys Lookout
Just south of Lorne is one of the most picturesque viewpoints along the coast. The platform overlooks the Lorne Scenic Beach and the entrance to the St George’s River.
A road will take you all the way up there so no hiking is required despite the very high position.
From here, the color of the water is beautiful, and if you are lucky you may be able to spot some whales off the coast. This is just one of many favorite Whale Watching positions.
Mount Defiance Lookout
If you were short on time then you could skip this one in favor of Teddy’s Lookout and Cape Patton.
If there is no rush then it’s a nice short stopover with great views over the beachfront.
Cape Patton Lookout
This is another epic viewpoint with views in both directions along the coastline.
It is from an elevated position that is equally windy as it is spectacular! Add this one to your list of essential stopovers.
On the way, keep a lookout for a stretch of road near Wye River where the colors of the water were amazing. Especially for a cloudy winter’s day – I can only imagine how much they sparkle under a summery blue sky!
Apollo Bay
Apollo Bay is a popular home base for vacationers in this part of the world. It is also the perfect lunch stopover for those just passing through.
The main street has a long shopping strip with a good variety of food options. All right opposite the beach with a large parkland in between.
You can’t go past Apollo Bay without stopping for a meat pie. There are a handful of bakeries on the main shopping street and I am yet to have a bad pie here.
Watch out for the magpies if you are eating outside. They will be eyeing off your lunch so be vigilant!
The coffee was not as impressive, but it paired very well with a vanilla slice. Due to the high winds, we retreated to the car to enjoy this treat.
There is a car park at the end of the town where you get a great view back over the beach that was a nice spot to camp out for half an hour.
Just what we needed before heading away from the coastline to check out the Maits Rest Rainforest Trail.
Maits Rest
Here you will find trees upwards of 300 years old along a wooden boardwalk that is very easy to navigate.
The walk is mostly flat and very easy to navigate. You can complete a lap in as little as 20-30 minutes and no more than an hour if you really take your time.
The trees are incredible structures, and you can even peak your head inside some of the hollowed out trunks!
Cape Otway
Next up we would take a big detour away from the main road to head towards Cape Otway. Here you will find another picturesque lighthouse surrounded by amazing views and a number of historical structures.
This is another popular whale-watching spot with the area to the right of the lighthouse frequented by these giant mammals.
We were lucky enough to see one when walking towards the lighthouse, but only for a brief moment.
There is a better viewpoint high up on a nearby hill where you get a clear view of the water. We hung out there for a while with the camera ready hoping to capture another whale on the surface, but no luck!!
Right next to this spot is an old telegraph station, which looks more like a machine gun bunker. But this was used for communications rather than housing any artillery.
This area does require an entry fee and a bit more walking than previous stops. There is a cafe onsite where you can have a coffee and some scones to recharge.
There are also accommodation options and a camping ground if you are looking to hang around a bit longer.
Oh, and keep an eye out for the local wildlife. You are likely to see small wallabies hopping by and there are snake warning signs along some of the pathways.
We were also told that koalas hang out in some of the trees, but we didn’t see any, unfortunately.
We now had a solid 90 minute drive in poor weather to reach our accommodation for the night. This was a bit more low-key and away from the main road – almost felt like a farm stay.
A very nice and quiet spot to relax for the evening – due to the poor weather it was absolutely freezing! So props to the working heater in the room!
But most importantly, it was a 3-4 minute drive to the twelve apostles. Our first destination the following morning.
Day 3 – 12 Apostles to Bay of Islands
We had a slight delay in the morning waiting for a thick fog to lift. The silver lining was that this usually means clear blue skies!!
And we were not disappointed. We could not have asked for better conditions on arrival at this stunning location.
The 12 Apostles
We arrived just after 9am and still managed to beat the crowds. We had the viewing platforms almost to ourselves initially, with a steady stream of people also joining over the 40 minutes or so we spent enjoying the views.
The most iconic view is towards the north-west where you will see most of the remaining rocky structures, as they get pounded by the cold rough seas of the southern ocean.
If you continue further along the trail to Saddle Lookout then you can also see the view to the south-east and two more of the apostles.
It is along this beach where the Gibson Steps are located that allow you to access the beach level… which would be our next stop.
Gibson Steps
The steps are calved into the rock face overlooking the sand and are relatively easy to navigate.
At this hour, the cliff face casts a big shadow across the beach area – and it is much colder without that sun!!
You’ll have to walk a couple of hundred meters along the sand to reach the giant rocky structures but this is totally worth it and was the highlight of the whole road trip.
I loved being able to look up at the rock formations rather than down so I could fully appreciate the size of these things!
I also enjoyed hearing the roar of the waves crashing in, even if they were only small on that day.
The whole experience was simply amazing!
While the 12 apostles are the pinnacle of the Great Ocean Rd, even in this little corner there are a ton of other sites to visit.
Most are on the other side of Port Campbell, but there is one more to cover just nearby before we take a big inland detour.
Razorback and Island Archway
This is a small walking trail just a few minutes down the road from the 12 Apostles. It is an easy and flat walk from the car park to both of these sights.
You will reach the Island Archway first with a small viewing platform on your right hand side. The view over a small but rough bay has more rock formations in a similar style but smaller scale.
At the end of the trail is the Razorback. This is a much more impressive structure and something that the photos do not do justice.
The sea crashing at the base of this big wall of rock made me grateful to be on this side of the fence.
12 Apostles Gourmet Food Trail
We’ll be back to coastal features shortly, but we now took a detour along the 12 Apostles Gourmet Food trail to sample some of the local produce.
This is a self-driving route where you will pass by an incredible list of indulgent food stops right on the farm, including dairy farms with an attached cheese store, chocolateries, and fudge vendors. As well as distilleries, breweries, and vineyards for those wanting a more adult-targeted experience.
The fudge-tasting plate was a highlight on this trip. As were the scones!
On a previous visit, I also recall leaving with an ungodly amount of cheese! You can choose your own adventure on this food trail and there really is something to suit all tastes and interests.
Some of the farms also allow you to get up close with the animals.
The trail is worth at least half a day so you can drive around some nice countryside while sampling all the local produce. But you could easily spend 2-3 days in different corners of the route in between some of the coastal sightseeing. Especially if you are staying in Port Campbell.
Now, back to the coast.
London Bridge
London Bridge was the next stop – and yes it did fall down!
The giant archway was connected to the mainland until the bridge eroded to the point of collapse a few decades ago.
What remains is still impressive, but that gap is big and the edges sharp. It must have been a hell of an event when it all crashed down!!
The car park is right alongside the viewing platform so this is another quick and easy stop as you make your way along the coast.
Grotto
This is a place where you will have to queue up if you want to take the perfect Instagram shot! We didn’t, but the image above is a fair indication of how nice it would be.
The reflection is very cool but it is not the kind of place you hang around. Especially with the line of people up and down the staircase, which is the only access point for people waiting to snap that pic.
It is worth a stopover if you are passing by but be warned you may have to scoot past the line if you just want to see the view.
We had one more big stop for the day, and it was a place that I didn’t know existed until we arrived but is almost as impressive as the 12 apostles.
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is only 30 minutes further along the Great Ocean Road but is a lesser-known gem, and a stop I have not seen on many of the day trip itineraries.
There is a sequence of smaller but similar rock formations scattered around the bay in a similar fashion to the twelve apostles, albeit on a moderate scale.
It is another amazing spot with very few people there – which could just be due to our winter visit.
Another group already at the lookout spotted a whale moments before we arrived. Unfortunately, we were not as lucky. But its nice to know they are out there and if you were patient you are likely to see one in the right season.
Returning from the Great Ocean Road
This is where the Great Ocean Road swings inland. If you wish to return to Melbourne then the inland highways are far more direct with shorter travel times than the road you have covered of the last three days.
If you would like to continue your road trip adventure there are multiple directions you could take. Two great options are:
- Continue along the coast to Warnambool.
- Head north towards the Grampians National Park. There are multiple access points and a broad variety of activities.
Where to Stay Along the Great Ocean Road
Our stays were unplanned and dependent on how far we drove each day. It was low season and easy to book good quality accommodation at the last minute for a reasonable price.
We stayed at:
If you are planning a longer vacation and plan to stay for multiple nights then I recommend staying in one of the larger towns so you have easy access to restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
The best towns to stay in along the Great Ocean Road are below. Click the links to see the accommodation options available – and remember to book well in advance in the warmer months.
- Port Campbell (closest to the 12 Apostles and Gourmet Food Trail)
- Apollo Bay (about halfway along the Great Ocean Rd)
- Lorne (close to some of the best lookouts)
- Anglesea (gateway to the Great Ocean Road)
Conclusion
Everyone should do a road trip along the Great Ocean Road once in their life.
It’s an incredible part of the world and at times feels like the end of the earth with the next stop being Antarctica!
Hopefully this article has inspired you to take the slower route and enjoy an extended road trip, rather than the day trip that fast tracks to the 12 Apostles.
There is so much more to enjoy along the way.