In a nutshell
- The Great Ocean Road is a 243-kilometer scenic coastal drive near Melbourne and one of the top attractions in Australia.
- The standout highlights along the route are the iconic rock formations of the 12 Apostles, the dramatic Loch Ard Gorge, and the chance to spot koalas in the wild.
- You can explore the Great Ocean Road on a guided day trip from Melbourne or do it independently with a rental car — we cover both options in detail so you can decide what works best for you.
General Info About the Great Ocean Road
First, here’s a quick overview of the most important numbers and facts about the Great Ocean Road:
- Length: 243 kilometers
- Starting point: Torquay (Google Maps link, located about 100 kilometers west of Melbourne)
- End point: Allansford (Google Maps link)
If you’re short on time, your best bet is to book a guided day tour to the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne. In a single day, you’ll cover most of the route and stop at all the major highlights.
Even better, give yourself two or three days. That way you can do a self-guided road trip and spend as much time as you like at each stop. It’s also a great option if you’re driving between Melbourne and Adelaide.
Quick tip: Bring warm clothes. The weather along the Great Ocean Road is seriously unpredictable and can be much colder than you’d expect when you set out.
Great Ocean Road on a Map
This map shows you where the Great Ocean Road is in Australia. We’ve already marked the most important attractions for you.
Attractions Along the Great Ocean Road
Here are the top highlights along the Great Ocean Road, starting from Melbourne.
For each stop, we’ll tell you whether most guided tours include it — but always double-check with your specific tour, as itineraries can vary.
Point Addis
- Not a stop on guided tours
The first highlight on the Great Ocean Road is Point Addis — a coastal lookout just a 20-minute drive from Torquay. You can get some great photos of the coastline here, and the short detour is absolutely worth it.
Parking lot location at Point Addis
Split Point Lighthouse
- Stop on guided tours
The Split Point Lighthouse is one of our favorite stops on the Great Ocean Road. You can’t go inside, but there are several viewing platforms around it with stunning views over the rugged cliffs.
It’s a just under 30-minute drive from the start of the Great Ocean Road to get here.
Parking lot location at the lighthouse
Memorial Arch
- Stop on guided tours
From the lighthouse, it’s only a few minutes’ drive to the Memorial Arch — honestly, we found it pretty unremarkable. Snap a photo of the arch, take a quick walk down to the beach, and move on.
Parking lot location at the Memorial Arch
Lorne
- Stop on guided tours
Lorne is one of the larger towns along the Great Ocean Road, with some decent hotels and a great beach for watching surfers. It’s a really pleasant spot to stretch your legs.
Teddy’s Lookout is especially worth a visit.
Parking lot location at Lorne Beach
Apollo Bay
- Stop on guided tours
The drive from Lorne to Apollo Bay takes about an hour — and this stretch is one of our favorite sections of the entire Great Ocean Road. Pull over at one or two lookout points along the way; you won’t regret it.
Apollo Bay itself is a classic coastal town with a solid mix of places to stay, restaurants, and shops.
That makes it a great place to spend the night. On guided tours, this is typically the lunch stop.
Central parking lot location in Apollo Bay
Koalas in the Great Otway National Park
- Stop on guided tours
The Great Otway National Park is your best shot at spotting koalas in the wild. You can even scan the trees from the car — just make sure you’re in the passenger seat!
It’s also worth making the detour to the Cape Otway Lighthouse inside the park.
Twelve Apostles
- Stop on guided tours
After the Great Otway National Park, there’s not a lot to see for a good hour. But then comes the undisputed highlight of the entire drive: the 12 Apostles.
These limestone rock formations are world-famous and endlessly photogenic — though only eight of them are still standing today.
You’ll first stop at the Gibson Steps. If you have time, take a short walk along the beach here — it’s really special. Then drive on to the 12 Apostles parking lot and explore the lookout points.
Parking lot location at the Gibson Steps
Parking lot location at the 12 Apostles
Loch Ard Gorge
- Stop on guided tours
Just a few kilometers further on, you’ll find cliffs that rival the 12 Apostles: Loch Ard Gorge. The beach is seriously cool and super photogenic. You can also walk from the parking lot to several viewing platforms — well worth the short stroll.
Parking lot location at Loch Ard Gorge
London Bridge
- Not a stop on guided tours
Don’t let the name fool you — London Bridge is actually a natural rock arch in the sea that happens to look like a bridge. There’s a viewing platform right here that gives you the perfect angle.
Parking lot location at London Bridge
Day Tours from Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road
We only had a few days for sightseeing in Melbourne, so we booked a guided tour to the Great Ocean Road.
All the tours follow a similar format. The main differences are group size, whether lunch is included, and a few smaller details.
Check out the budget-friendly Great Ocean Road coach tour
Check out the Great Ocean Road small-group tour with snacks included
These were the stops on our day tour:
- Lighthouse (30 minutes)
- Memorial Arch (10 minutes)
- Lorne (15 minutes)
- Apollo Bay (50 minutes)
- Koala Watching (10 minutes)
- 12 Apostles (45 minutes)
- Loch Ard Gorge (30 minutes)
How the Day Tours Work
The best base for a day tour to the Great Ocean Road is Melbourne.
Check out our hotel tips for Melbourne
We departed Melbourne around 8:00 AM, picking up passengers at various stops around the city. There were 55 guests in total on our coach.
Around 10 AM, we got onto the Great Ocean Road — after a quick bathroom break. Our guide shared lots of interesting information along the way.
Restroom info: The tours include plenty of bathroom breaks, and restrooms are available at almost all the major stops. They’re free of charge.
At the lighthouse, we had 30 minutes, which felt a little short. The 10 minutes at the Memorial Arch, on the other hand, was more than enough — we honestly could have skipped it entirely.
In Lorne, we stopped at the lookout to watch the surfers.
A walk along the beach would have been great too, but since the weather wasn’t cooperating, 15 minutes felt like plenty.
Around 1 PM, we arrived in Apollo Bay for our lunch break. If you’ve packed your own food, there are plenty of tables and benches in the park. Otherwise, the Food Court is the best value for money, and the Chinese restaurant The Vault is also said to be really good.
Clothing tip: Pack layers for all kinds of weather. When we were in Apollo Bay, it was raining and windy — and we seriously regretted wearing shorts. By the end of the tour, it was warm and sunny.
After lunch, we headed toward the Great Otway National Park. It had really started to rain by then — which was actually good news, since koalas are more likely to come out in wet weather.
After just a few minutes of driving, we got lucky and spotted a koala in a tree. We’re not sure we would have found it on our own, but our guide had a real knack for it.
After that brief stop, we drove straight to the Twelve Apostles. Just as we arrived, the clouds parted and suddenly there was blue sky and sunshine.
We drove past the Gibson Steps without stopping, but had a solid 45 minutes at the lookout points at the 12 Apostles.
Right next to the Twelve Apostles is Loch Ard Gorge — another stunning rock formation and our final stop of the day.
From there it was about a three-hour drive back to Melbourne, so we skipped the final stretch of the Great Ocean Road.
We were dropped off in Melbourne around 8 PM.
Our Verdict on the Great Ocean Road Tour
If you’re short on time, we definitely recommend the tour. You get to see all the major highlights, and everything runs smoothly.
What we found frustrating was waiting at every stop for people who came back late — it added up to a surprising amount of lost time.
You should also know that you’ll spend most of the day on the bus with only short windows at each attraction. But honestly, there’s no other way to cover it all in a single day.
We were happy with our guide, and the Great Ocean Road is absolutely worth the trip.
That said, if you have more time, exploring it on your own is the better experience.
Great Ocean Road Self-Guided Road Trip
Doing the Great Ocean Road on your own is the best way to experience it. Road conditions are excellent, and you have total flexibility. You can compare rental car deals on Discovercars to find the best price for your trip.
Find the best rental car on Discovercars
How much time you spend on the Great Ocean Road is entirely up to you. We recommend planning three days to do it justice.
If you’re planning a camper trip in Australia, you can easily add the Great Ocean Road to your itinerary as well.
Lies auch:
Day 1
- Drive from Melbourne to Torquay
- Split Point Lighthouse
- Memorial Arch
- Lorne
- Apollo Bay
Total distance: About 200 kilometers (three hours)
We recommend spending the night in Apollo Bay. There’s a great selection of accommodation and restaurants here.
Our hotel pick: Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn — excellent value for money and free parking.
Day 2
- Great Otway National Park
- Twelve Apostles
- Loch Ard Gorge
Total distance: About 100 kilometers (1.5 hours)
The drive on this day is shorter, but the scenery is more dramatic and you’ll have time to really soak it in. Port Campbell is a great place to overnight, since it’s right next to the Twelve Apostles.
That way you can head back to the lookout point at sunset in the evening. Plus, the beach near the Twelve Apostles is perfect for an evening stroll.
Our hotel pick: Portside Motel — really nice for a motel, free parking, and great value too.
Day 3
- London Bridge
- Drive to Allansford (end of the road)
There isn’t a lot of sightseeing left on the final day.
From Allansford, you can either head back to Melbourne or continue your road trip toward Adelaide.
Total distance (to Melbourne): About 300 kilometers (3.5 hours)
We wouldn’t attempt the drive to Adelaide in a single day — plan at least one overnight stop along the way, otherwise you’re looking at nearly eight hours behind the wheel.
Great Ocean Road Walk
If you have plenty of time and love hiking, you can also tackle the Great Ocean Walk. It’s a bit shorter than the road itself, but lets you experience the coastal scenery at a completely different pace.
- Length: 105 kilometers
- Duration: 5–8 days
- Starting point: Apollo Bay (Google Maps link)
- End point: Twelve Apostles (Google Maps link)
How long the trail takes depends on your fitness level and experience. Your best bet is to check the Great Ocean Walk website for all the details.
If you want to camp, you’ll need to book spots at designated campsites in advance. You’ll also pass through plenty of towns with accommodation along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Great Ocean Road
When is the best time to visit the Great Ocean Road?
The best months are October through April.
The weather peaks during summer — December through February — but that’s also when crowds are at their worst.
We actually prefer the shoulder months of October, November, March, and April for that reason.
Also keep in mind that weather in the region is highly unpredictable — you can experience sunshine, rain, and wind all in the same day.
Where exactly are the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road?
The 12 Apostles are located right on the Great Ocean Road.
From the parking lot, it’s about a 10–15 minute walk to the main lookout points.
Why are the rocks called the 12 Apostles?
Pure marketing, actually. They used to be called Sow and Piglets.
How many of the 12 Apostles are still standing?
Eight rocks are still standing. The others have collapsed over time.
Why are the 12 Apostles important to Australia?
They’re one of the top attractions in the country and among the most visited sights on the entire continent.
How long is the Great Ocean Road?
243 kilometers, running from Torquay to Allansford.
