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Travelling the Great Ocean Road Travel, sightseeing and accommodation The Great Ocean Road begins approximately 1 hours drive (100km - 60miles) from Melbourne at Torquay from the eastern approach, or 700km, (8 hours with an overnight stop from Adelaide), at the western end (Warrnambool). It can be included in a journey between Adelaide and Melbourne or the Great Southern Touring Route which takes in the Great Ocean Road, the Grampians National Park, Ballarat and (optionally) Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. It is one of Australia's premier destinations and should be included in any visit to Victoria. While you could drive the road and return to Melbourne in 1 day (around 650km or 7 hours) you would not have time to see any of the many attractions off the road. Besides, the Great Ocean Road is one of those romantic destinations, best shared and absorbed over a few days. It will create a lasting impressions and you will see some of Australia's best scenery. TRAVELLING BY CAR If you are travelling by car you have the advantage of choosing where you wish to stop, how much time you want to spend in any place, and the options to turn off the road and visit places which tours may not necessarily go. You can also extend your visit if you find any place particularly worth spending more time at. If you need to hire a car or mini-bus Click here for details and rates. ACCOMMODATION We have selected economical, quality accommodation along the route and most suggested motels are members of the Big Country Motels chain. You can apply for a free Big Country Member card through their website at Big Country Motels which entitles you to a 10% discount on the advertised rate. All motels are rated 3 star or better and provide free, detailed maps of the Great Ocean Road. ORGANISED TOURS There are many operators conducting organised tours along the Great Ocean Road for varying durations. A list of these will be found here. I have designed 4 tours which should suit most people and included costs for 2 adults (Meals not included). All options presume you leave Melbourne at 9.00am.
Option 2. From Melbourne with two overnight stops. Option 3. From Melbourne with three overnight stops. Option 4. From Melbourne with four overnight stops. If you are coming from the western end (Mt Gambier or Adelaide), or are doing the Great Southern Touring Route with the Grampians first, just reverse the plan. HIRING A CAR OR MINIBUS Prices vary between car rental companies but on average you can allow $70.00 per day including a free 250 km, plus insurance, for a small sedan, and $85-100 for a minibus. Additional kilometres are usually 10c each. Because you are returning the vehicle to Melbourne there is no 'drop-off' fee which would apply if you leave the vehicle at a destination other than where you collected it. National companies will meet you at the airport with a vehicle and we prefer to use Delta Car Rentals which we find economical and reliable. A list of their rates will be found Here You can book a vehicle through these pages. OPTION 1. (1 overnight stop) $100-$150.00 Leave Melbourne and drive directly to Torquay, visit the Surfworld museum and information centre, then continue on to Lorne, where you should arrive around 11.00am. Drive up and visit the Erskine Falls, just north of town, visit the lookout and see Erskine House and the beach. There are many cafes and restaurants where you can get something to eat and drink before you continue on towards Apollo Bay. Stop at the lookouts along the way and get some photographs. You should arrive in Apollo Bay around 2.00pm. Visit Marriners Lookout and the Cable Museum and have a stroll along the main street to absorb the atmosphere. A visit to the wharf is also a relaxing diversion. Leave Apollo Bay and pass through Marengo and into the Otway Ranges. On your left around 15km into the park is Maits Rest Rainforest Walk where you can spend an hour or so doing the walk. If you are ahead of time, turn left another 5km. on and visit the Cape Otway Lightstation which will take an hour or so. Otherwise, continue on to Lavers Hill where there are several tea-rooms and stop for a break. Just west of Lavers Hill is the Melba Gully State Park where you can take another rainforest walk which will take an hour or so. Continue on to Port Campbell and the Port Campbell National Park and turn right at the Interpretive Centre to the Apostles View Motel and settle in for the night. Other accommodation is available 10km. on at Port Campbell, but you will need to come back to the 12 Apostles to start your next day. Get and early breakfast and drive down to the 12 Apostles. Follow the attractions of the National Park west and see Loch Ard Gorge and stop in Port Campbell. A visit to the Loch Ard Museum is worthwhile, and you can pick up some lunch in the town as you pass through. Stop at the cemetery just north of town then cross the bridge over Campbells Creek and continue on to Peterborough seeing The Grotto and London Bridge along the way. Come back across the bridge over Curdies Inlet and turn north towards Timboon where a short detour takes you to the Timboon Farmhouse Cheesery where you can get some lunch before travelling on through Timboon to Colac and the Prince Highway. From here you are around 160km. from Melbourne and there is an easy drive back through Geelong. Petrol: $50.00, Accommodation $80.00. OPTION 2. (2 overnight stops) $200-$250.00 Option 2 cover the same route as above but adds an extra night at Apollo Bay and many more attractions. Between Melbourne and Geelong, turn south at Werribee and visit the Werribee Park Mansion and Freerange Zoo. In Geelong, visit the National Wool Museum in Moorabool St. Between Torquay and Anglesea turn south to Bells Beach to see where the National Surfing Championships are held At Aireys Inlet visit the Split Point Lighthouse and see the old bark hut. Between Lorne and Wye River, stop at the old grave beside the road at the 154km road marker. In Apollo Bay take a Glow Worm night tour. When you arrive in Apollo Bay drive through to Marengo, about 2 km. along the Great Ocean Road and book into the Motel Marengo. (Spa rooms are available). The hosts will book you on a glow worm tour and give you information about the town and what to see and do. If you arrive early take a drive to Maits Rest Walk and the Otway Lighthouse and return to the motel (about 2 hours). You can now leave Apollo Bay via the road from Skenes Creek to Colac and detour along Turtons Track through the rainforest to Beech Forest and rejoin the Great Ocean Road at Lavers Hill the next day. Hopetoun and Beauchamp Falls are off this road near Beech Forest. Stop for lunch in Lavers Hill and then visit Melba Gully. After leaving here, continue on to the turn-off to Moonlight Head and drive in for some spectacular views of the coast from The Gable Lookout, a short walk from the car park. Near Princetown, call into the Otway Wildlife Park before continuing on to the Twelve Apostles. Book in to the motel and follow the same procedure from here as in Option 1. Petrol: $50.00, Accommodation: $160.00. Entry Fees: $20.00. OPTION 3. (3 overnight stops) $250.00-$300.00 Includes all the attractions of Option 2 and adds an extra night in Warrnambool. Follow Option 2 to Peterborough. From the Timboon Cheesery, turn west towards Curdievale and stop at the Boggy Creek Pub for meal. Rejoin the Great Ocean Road and turn into Childers Cove (6km) where ' The Children ' was wrecked. Rejoin the road and continue on to Allansford Cheeseworld where you can sample local cheeses and small goods before rejoining the Princes Hwy 12 km east of Warrnambool. Turn off to see Hopkins Falls on the way into Warrnambool. Book into the Chateau Lodge Motel, near the Information Centre in Spence St. and in the afternoon, visit the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum to see the history and displays relating to maritime activity along the coast. If you are visiting between May and September, drive out to Logans Beach and the whale-watching platform to see the Southern Right Whales. There are many restaurants and takeaway outlets in Warrnabool for you to enjoy a leisurely dinner that evening. Next morning, head west a few kilometres to Tower Hill Sanctuary where you will see kangaroos and emus before heading back through Warrnambool along the Princes Highway through Geelong to Melbourne (300km - 3 hours). At Camperdown, take the short drive to the top of Mt Leura for panoramic views over the town and district, and near Colac, stop and see the Floating Islands reserve beside the road. At Winchelsea, turn north onto the Inverleigh Rd at the service station to see the historic, National Trust administered, Barwon Park Mansion. (Open Sundays). Petrol: $60.00, Accommodation: $200.00. Entry: $40.00. OPTION 4. (4 overnight stops) $300-$350.00 Add an extra night in Geelong at the Kardinia Park or Kiloran Motel to explore the town and the Bellarine Peninsula, and to give you an early start for the Great Ocean Road the next morning. There are dozens of things to explore in Geelong and on the Bellarine Peninsula, and you should see our section on Geelong to plan an overnight stop. Between Geelong and Torquay you can visit the Wildlife Park, Narana Creations to see genuine aboriginal artifacts, and turn east at Blackgate Road to visit the Tiger Moth World and take a joyflight over the region. An experience to remember. There is also an adventure park here to entertain the kiddies. At Anglesea, visit the golf course which is renowned for its free-ranging kangaroos, or you can hire a pedal boat on the Anglesea River. At Aireys Inlet there is a coastal walk which passes the lighthouse and gives you extensive coastal views. Around Lorne, there are many walks in the Otway Ranges. All along the road there are many swimming and surfing beaches to visit and spend a bit of time at. You will also find many galleries and other places of interest to call in to. A 4 day tour will still not allow you to see everything the Great Ocean Road has to offer, but it is an adequate time to explore most of the features along the road. If you would like a special interest tour please contact us for suggestions. Petrol: $60.00, Accommodation: $250.00. Entry: $50.00. If you are doing the popular round trip from Melbourne including the Grampians National Park and Ballarat Click here for the great Southern Touring Route. If you are continuing on to Mount Gambier and Adelaide Click Here Compiled 16/4/2001. Pete Wilkins |