If you only have a long weekend, this 3 day Great Ocean Road itinerary from Melbourne is the one I give to every friend who visits. Day one covers the surf coast from Torquay to Apollo Bay, day two takes you through the Otways rainforest to the Twelve Apostles for sunset, and day three is for the Shipwreck Coast before you zip back to Melbourne on the inland highway. It’s about 250 kilometres one way along the coast, so three days gives you time to actually stop, walk and eat rather than staring at the road.
I grew up doing this drive with my family and I’ve done it a dozen times since, in every season. Here’s how I’d plan it now.
Before You Go: Great Ocean Road Planning Basics
Day 1: Melbourne to Apollo Bay via Torquay and Lorne
Leave Melbourne by 8am to beat the traffic over the West Gate. It’s around 90 minutes to Torquay, the official start of the coast road and the home of Australian surf culture. Grab a coffee, then drive five minutes to Bells Beach. Even if there are no surfers, the cliffs and the swell are worth a look.
Next, stop at the Memorial Arch near Eastern View for the classic photo, then carry on to Aireys Inlet and walk up to Split Point Lighthouse. Lorne is your lunch stop; it has the best range of cafés on the whole route. If you have legs for it, drive up to Erskine Falls, a short but steep walk to a fern-lined waterfall.
The stretch from Lorne to Apollo Bay is the most dramatic coastal driving of the trip, with the road hugging the cliffs. Pull over at Kennett River and wander slowly up Grey River Road, looking up into the gums. This is the most reliable spot I know for seeing wild koalas. Please don’t feed the birds, however friendly they are. Sleep in Apollo Bay.
Day 2: The Otways to the Twelve Apostles at Sunset
Head inland into the Great Otway National Park. Maits Rest is a short boardwalk loop through ancient myrtle beech rainforest and it feels like another planet compared to the beaches. Then take the turn-off to Cape Otway Lightstation, one of the oldest working lighthouses on the mainland. Check the official site for current entry and opening times.
In the afternoon, drive on to Port Campbell and check into your accommodation. Here’s my big tip: don’t visit the Twelve Apostles in the middle of the day. Tour buses from Melbourne arrive around lunchtime and the boardwalk gets packed. Go back at sunset instead, when the limestone stacks glow orange and the crowds have thinned. Afterwards, walk down Gibson Steps to the beach if it’s still light and the tide is low.
Day 3: Loch Ard Gorge, the Shipwreck Coast and Home
Start early at Loch Ard Gorge, which I honestly think is the most beautiful stop on the whole Great Ocean Road. Read the shipwreck story on the signs, then walk the short trails to the Blowhole and Thunder Cave. Continue west to The Arch, London Bridge (now London Arch, since part of it collapsed) and The Grotto. The Bay of Islands near Peterborough is quieter and just as lovely.