Do this trip if you really want to. Personally, the view gets repetitive eventually…as Dylan famously said, “I drove all this way to see rocks!”
It is an 8-hour drive at minimum with stops in-between. The entire trip being over 500kms. I found this good guide for a DIY day trip to the Great Ocean Road and just putting in a summary of the stopovers here.
You can rent a car and do this drive yourself, or book your own driver via Air Tasker, or join a tour group.
| Time | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | BP Little River as a first servo stop | Depart Melbourne via Highway One. Servo stop if you need it. |
| 8:20 AM to 8:40 AM | Memorial Arch | A really quick stopover for tourists where they just take a pic with the arc. |
| 9:00 AM to 9:30 AM | Lorne | 30 mins exploration at the town max if you are doing a day trip. |
| 9:35 AM to 9:50 AM | Teddy’s Lookout | Admire the view; take pics. |
| 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM | Kennett River Koala Walk | Walking trail. |
| 11:05 AM to 11:10 AM | Cape Patton Lookout | Admire the view, take pics. |
| 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Apollo Bay | Explore the town, grab a quick lunch. Ensure you do a toilet break. |
| 12:50 PM to 1:20 PM | Maits Rest Rainforest Walk | Walking trail, no toilets. |
| 1:50 PM to 1:55 PM | Lavers Hill | Last toilet stop if needed (5 mins). |
| 2:40 PM to 3:10 PM | Gibson’s Steps | Admire the view, take pics. |
| 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM | The Twelve Apostles | Admire the view, take pics. Cafe and info centre is open until 5 PM although the viewing area is open all day. |
| 4:05 PM to 4:50 PM | Loch Ard Gorge | Admire the view, take pics. |
| 5:00 PM until your preferred time to depart | Port Campbell | Eat, toilet break, or skip if you prefer. |
| The Arch | Admire the view, take pics. Honestly, won’t look much different from the previous stops… | |
| London Bridge | Same as above. | |
| The Grotto | Same as above. |
From Port Campbell, head back to Melbourne via GPS and following the signs. Take the main roads and highways and be careful when driving at night.