The best Great Ocean Road tours to add to your list

By Jo Stewart
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Whether you’re into an epic 3-day guided hike or an action-packed day trip to remember, there’s a Great Ocean Road tour for you.

Victoria’s aesthetically blessed southern coastline is one of Australia’s most photographed spots. A region best visited with a fully charged phone (and with your best camera lens’ in tow) you won’t be able to stop yourself from snapping the Great Ocean Road’s embarrassing wealth of natural beauty. From multi-day guided hiking trips to fun bus trips with like-minded travellers, these Great Ocean Road tours enable you to see this famous stretch of coastline in a new light.

1. Intrepid Travel’s Great Ocean Road & Grampians Adventure

Best for: Outdoorsy travellers who are curious about First Nations culture

If you want to spend some solid time in the region, go all-in on this 6-day road trip with Intrepid Travel.

two people standing on top of the Hanging Rock

You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views at the top of Hanging Rock. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Starting in Melbourne and finishing in Adelaide, you’ll get to spend a couple of days playing on the Great Ocean Road as well as getting some quality mountain time in the Grampians too.

visitors walking along the Grampians National Park

The Grampians National Park is home to abundant flora and fauna. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Forget spending all your days cooped up in a bus, you’ll get to enjoy plenty of time doing things like hiking in nature, eating bush tucker foods at an outdoor cafe, and learning about First Nations culture from a local Indigenous guide.

spectacular scenery on top of Hanging Rock, Great Ocean Road

Hanging Rock rises 718m above sea level. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This tour offers a great balance between seeing the blockbuster sites (like the Twelve Apostles) and experiencing some of the lesser-known places and activities day trippers often miss out on.

an aerial view of Hanging Rock, Great Ocean Road

The weathered volcanic outcrop has become a prime setting for the classic Australian novel and film, Picnic at Hanging Rock. (Image: Visit Victoria)

2. Otway Eco Tours

Best for: Nature lovers who like to travel at a relaxed pace in small groups

If paddling a canoe across a lake home to platypus in the Great Otway National Park, watching the magical aura of glow worms at dusk or spending a day exploring a section of the Great Ocean Road on foot sounds like your thing, then make a booking with Otway Eco Tours.

a mossy forest on the Great Ocean Road

Wind your way through the moss-covered forest. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This ecotourism-certified and accredited organisation offers small groups the chance to experience slow journeys in nature in and around the Great Ocean Road.

a couple admiring a cascade on the Great Ocean Road, Otway Eco Tours

Otway Eco Tours offers tours that are great for nature lovers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Led by an experienced guide, you’ll come away with plenty of knowledge about the area’s native flora and fauna and a newfound appreciation of the wonderous beauty found in this very special corner of Australia.

a waterfall along the Great Ocean Road, Otway Eco Tours

See one of Victoria’s most spectacular cascading waterfalls. (Image: Visit Victoria)

3. Life’s An Adventure’s Great Ocean Walk

Best for: Active travellers keen to enjoy a pack-free walk with a soft landing

When it comes to getting a genuine feel for a place, there’s nothing quite like a multi-day hike. A 3-day journey along the Great Ocean Walk with Life’s An Adventure is a top option if you love walking, but also prefer not to camp or carry a heavy pack.

a helicopter flying above the Twelve Apostles

Marvel at the Twelve Apostles on a scenic helicopter ride. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Carrying just a light day pack, each night you’ll be able to refuel with delicious food and wine and bed down in boutique accommodation near the trail.

a night sky full of stars at the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road

The site is also popular for stargazers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Perhaps the best part of this tour is the inclusion of a helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles to marvel at the mammoth rock formations from above. If you want to experience a truly remarkable trip to remember, this is it.

an aerial view of the Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are estimated to be around 20 million years old. (Image: Visit Victoria)

4. Wildlife Tours Australia Great Ocean Road tour

Best for: Wildlife lovers and anyone short on time

If you’re visiting Melbourne and have a spare day up your sleeve this day tour is an excellent, affordable way to see all the well-known landmarks along the Great Ocean Road in a short amount of time. After getting picked up from one of 8 locations in central Melbourne, you’ll hit the road for the Surf Coast to enjoy the scenic drive of a lifetime.

Loch Ard Gorge at sunrise

Discover the dramatic beauty of Loch Ard Gorge. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Snap a photo at the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch, keep watch for koalas while walking through the rainforest in the Great Otway National Park and take in the monumental majesty of the Twelve Apostles that have stood for millennia.

a beach with rock formations at Loch Ard Gorge

Explore the sandy beach on foot. (Image: Visit Victoria)

After an action-packed day, you’ll be returned to Melbourne with a pocket full of magic memories stored in your phone.

an echidna along the Great Ocean Road

Echidnas commonly dig up dirt along the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

5. Walk 91

Best for: Fit travellers who prefer self-guided walks

Many people take on the Great Ocean Walk with a guide, but if you prefer your freedom you can book Walk 91 to take care of all the finicky logistics for you.

hikers on a coastal hike, Great Ocean Road

Tackle the wild side of the coastal hike with a guide. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Choose from packages that range from 3-day to 10-day hikes to enjoy spending your days walking the coastline knowing that your transport, bag transfers and accommodation are taken care of.

a rock formation alongside the coast, Great Ocean Road

Walk along Victoria’s rugged coastline. (Image: Visit Victoria)

You’ll even be supplied with a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), informative notes and walking poles if needed. This is an easy, breezy way to enjoy an epic walk, minus the logistical hassles.

hikers admiring the view from the Great Ocean Walk viewpoint

Rewarding coastal views await on the Great Ocean Walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

6. Ride Tours Great Ocean Road tours

Best for: 18 to 35-year-olds keen to check out the highlights of the Great Ocean Road

If you’re between 18 and 35 years old, Ride Tours offers one and two-day trips to see the highlights of the Great Ocean Road with other travellers from your generation.

a surfer at the Kennett River

Hit the waves at the Kennett River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

After a minibus picks you up from Melbourne CBD or St Kilda, you’ll be whisked away to see the sites of the Great Ocean Road in just a day or two.

a woman looking out to the Twelve Apostles

The trip includes a stop at the famed Twelve Apostles. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The one-day itinerary is jam-packed with stops at Fairhaven, Lorne, Kennett River, Apollo Bay and, of course, the star of the show, the Twelve Apostles. Returning you to the city by about 7.30pm, this economical tour is a fun way to see the best of the Great Ocean Road in just one day.

a couple relaxing by the Kennett River

Reconnect with nature and meander along the riverside. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Discover the best camping sites along the Great Ocean Road.

Jo Stewart is a freelance features writer who pens stories about nature, pop culture, music, art, design and more from her home in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria. When not writing, you can find her trawling through vinyl records and vintage fashion at op shops, antique stores and garage sales.
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A Great Ocean Road itinerary that’s not like the rest

    By Laura Waters
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    The Great Ocean Road is a Victorian icon. But there’s more to this stretch of coast than its famous rock formations, from volcanoes to hot springs and paddling with fur seals.

    Wind tugs my hair horizontal atop the crater rim. It’s a commanding outlook 240 metres above the volcanic plains that peers into a 90-metre-deep basin. Jagged nubs of reddish-brown scoria protruding through the grass are unyielding beneath my runners and not one tree marks the landscape, an expansive emptiness overhung by a vast blue sky.

    For a few fleeting moments, Mt Elephant in Western Victoria brings to mind the windblown Mongolian Steppe. But this hour-long walk is the first of many unexpected moments I’ll experience while exploring the Great Ocean Road with a friend over the next four days.

    I should probably know this place – I only live 90 minutes away – but, like many who visit the region, I’ve been distracted by the spotlight shining on its most famous drawcards, such as the iconic 12 Apostles. The Great Ocean Road is a state treasure, tackled by many as a day-long scenic drive punctuated with pauses at myriad lookouts, striking rock formations and idyllic beaches. But its lesser-known features can be unearthed when extending a visit over multiple days. Mt Elephant being a case in point.

    It was returned First World War servicemen who built the Great Ocean Road (largely by pick and shovel), creating simultaneously the world’s largest war memorial and a gloriously scenic drive that stretches 240 kilometres between the surf mecca of Torquay and Warrnambool.

    From craft breweries to hot springs

    the Noodledoof brewery and distillery, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    Noodledoof is based in Koroit and is both a brewery and distillery.

    We fast-track inland to Noodledoof, a craft brewery and distillery that makes for a convenient pit stop in Koroit. After devouring a pulled pork ‘sando’ with smoky apple rub and slaw, we head towards our next discovery. Victoria’s Western Volcanic Plains is the world’s third largest volcanic plain and the origins of Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve are abundantly clear from first sight. The small island of conical hills sits adrift within the crater lake of a larger volcanic rim, connected by a narrow isthmus and creating an almost isolated reserve for native Australian wildlife.

    two kangaroos are standing in the grass near the ocean at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

    Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is home to many native Australian animals. (Image: Ben Savage)

    We’re barely parked before noticing a dozen people with their heads tilted towards the treetops and the koalas scattered there. One koala clings to a thin branch, unhurriedly plucking fresh gum leaves while its perch swings wildly in the 60-kilometre-per-hour gusts. Others are wedged in more solid forks, limbs dangling lazily. On the ground, a pair of emus pace slowly, feathered skirts lofting like flouncy tutus.

    the volcanic crater at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

    The sanctuary sits in a large volcanic crater near the Great Ocean Road.. (Image: Ben Savage)

    Four walks here range from 30 minutes to an hour, tracing across remnant lava flow and around wetlands, lakes and craters. Echidnas, kangaroos, turtles and bird sightings are common.

    From up high, the distant big blue of the ocean beckons, leading us to Warrnambool and the Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs. There’s an immediate sense of calm to be found in the hotel’s seafront location, moments from coastal paths, boardwalks and the sheltered Stingray Bay.

    food and drinks on the table at Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    Drift into Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant to enjoy nourishing dishes inspired by local produce.

    Even more calming is the outdoor bathing sanctuary, filled with geothermal mineral water pumped from 850 metres underground. We’re booked for a twilight bathing session, so a quick bite at the hotel’s Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant seems a good idea, but we soon lament not having more time (and belly room) to savour our whipped ricotta with charred sourdough, soba noodles and wakame salad, and chorizo and manchego arancini (or “balls of heaven” as our waiter calls them).

    a woman soaking in an outdoor hotspring at Deep Blue Hotel

    Soak in the outdoor hot springs while staying at the Deep Blue Hotel. (Image: Caitlyn Leggett/The Wanderlust Times)

    Really, we’re just swapping one delight for another though. Amid the landscaped maze of steaming pools and caves is a waterfall raining drops so heavy they make my scalp tingle, sending shivers down my entire body. In another pool I’m cradled, weightless and warm. As time passes, the chatter quietens as bathers slip into peaceful meditation.

    Seeing the 12 Apostles anew

    the iconic 12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    The iconic 12 Apostles (of which seven remain) stand like sentinels in the wild Southern Ocean. (Image: Kirk Richards)

    Between the Bay of Islands and the 12 Apostles is where the majority of scenic lookouts are. And though stopping for every one of them requires pulling over what seems like every 10 minutes, all are eminently worthy.

    No matter how many times I see The Razorback, a sheer limestone wall rising from pounding seas, I’m in awe. Then there’s London Bridge, The Grotto, The Arch, Loch Ard Gorge (where the only two survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck crawled ashore in 1878) and many more.

    the Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    Loch Ard Gorge is on Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Mark Watson)

    I must have visited the 12 Apostles a dozen times, but this visit is different. Most witness the string of 45-metre-high water-bound limestone towers from an enormous cantilevered viewing platform – sunsets are especially captivating – but 12 Apostles Helicopters show me another vantage point, broaching the sheer fringe of the cliffs and out over the Southern Ocean.

    the 12 Apostles at sunset

    Seven of the original 12 Apostles are still standing. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

    Through a bubble front window, wrapping head to toe, the coastline is revealed in unfettered glory, its endless deep coves and rock formations nibbled by the eroding power of waves. In winter, whales might be spotted. “See that hole?” our pilot points to a sea-bound rock arch. “This chopper would fit through it, rotors and all.”

    Only by getting closer can we understand the scale of the place. A walk down the Gibson Steps leads us to a wild surf beach beneath 70-metre cliffs so sheer it’s as though they have been cut with a knife. For a while I sit on the sand and take it all in, the frothing surf and fragrant ocean mist; Gog and Magog, two rock stacks standing as offshore sentinels.

    To sailors in the 1800s and 1900s, this was an inhospitable coastline that wrecked hundreds of ships. But Port Campbell, set in a deep cove, feels like the haven it’s been for centuries. Now, its sheltered beach is accompanied by one main street and the scenic Port Campbell Discovery Walk, which eases over a suspension bridge and around the clifftops.

    The town is entirely walkable, allowing us to down car keys and surrender ourselves to the hospitality of Waves Port Campbell and its spacious spa suites (there are cliff views from my bed), a buzzing restaurant and bar. A minute’s walk away, the characterful Port Campbell Hotel entices for a cosy after-dinner vino and chat with the locals.

    The hidden side of the Great Ocean Road

    the exterior of Timboon Railway Shed Distillery

    Enjoy a tipple at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    While this region of Victoria is synonymous with scenic drives, two-wheeled forays show another side. Stretching 20 kilometres between Port Campbell and quaint Timboon is the 12 Apostles Trail, an easy ride (especially with e-bikes from Ride With Us) through dairy farmland and scented forest, with Schulz Organic Creamery & Cafe lingering midway. Organic winery Babche, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and the legendary Timboon Fine Ice Cream await at the finish.

    three people riding bikes from Ride With Us on a trail in the woods, Great Ocean Road Itinerary

    Hire a bike from Ride With Us to tackle the trail from Timboon to Port Campbell. (Image: Belinda Van Zanen)

    When we later explore some of the roughly 70 kilometres of mountain bike trails scribbled across Forrest in the Otway Ranges, with Michelle Davidson from Forrest MTB Hire, I’m expecting – somewhat presumptuously – another e-bike, but full leg power is required. Fortunately, the gears are so good and the trails so forgiving (plenty of switchbacks) that I’m soon grinning my way over gentle roller coasters between the tree ferns and grass trees.

    Tight turns have always been my nemesis, but Michelle’s an expert coach and advises to look beyond the apex of the bend and “lead with my belly button”. It’s an instant success. “Anyone can ride here,” she says. “The trails are wider and shorter. I’ve had women in their sixties learn here.”

    a lush tree canopy at Otway Fly Treetop Adventures

    Trek through the trees at Otway Fly Treetop Adventures. (Image: Mark Chew/Visit Victoria)

    Mountain biking aside, the Otways are also renowned for lush rainforest, waterfalls and walks. But nothing compares to the perspectives from Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, where a 600-metre elevated walkway enables a slow contemplation of rarely seen views.

    We come face to face with epiphytes and the mighty trunks of myrtle beech and blackwood, and peer over the circular crowns of tree ferns 30 metres below on the forest floor. Somewhere, a creek rushes; birds sing. It’s hard to tell whether the tree trunks are swaying or we are. I don’t want to come down.

    southern rock lobster on a plate at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op

    Tuck into southern rock lobster at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

    Eventually we do, returning to the blue at the laid-back fishing port (read: seafood heaven) of Apollo Bay and its glorious three-kilometre beach. Our cabin at Marengo Family Caravan Park is a stone’s throw from coastal platforms and pools just begging to be explored. Offshore, roughly 200 Australian fur seals gather, which we encounter twirling beneath our boats the next morning on a paddle with Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak.

    the exterior of Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    The co-op supplies some of Australia’s best restaurants. (Image: Adeline & Lumiere)

    I’ve gone from visiting the region in one day to exploring it over four, yet still wish I had more time. Not just to see more but to do less; all those beaches deserving of a solid linger. Next time…

    an Australian fur seal swimming in the ocean

    Spot Australian fur seals on a paddle with Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak. (Image: Tourism Australia/Cameron Murray)

    A traveller’s checklist

    Getting there

    A 90-minute drive west from Melbourne/Naarm leads to Torquay and the start of the Great Ocean Road.

    Playing there

    There are dozens of walks, beaches and coastal lookouts to explore. Aerial views with Otway Fly Treetop Adventures and 12 Apostles Helicopters offer a different perspective. The Forrest MTB Hire team are the experts on Forrest’s 70 kilometres of mountain bike trails. Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak enable close encounters with seals.

    Staying there

    the Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs near Warrnambool’s foreshore

    Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs is a stone’s throw from Warrnambool’s foreshore. (Image: Caitlyn Leggett/The Wanderlust Times)

    Hot springs are on tap at Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs. Waves Port Campbell has spacious suites (most with spa baths) and one of the town’s best eateries. For absolute waterfront, the campsites and cabins at Marengo Family Caravan Park in Apollo Bay can’t be beaten.

    Eating there

    a spread of food on the table at The Perch Lavers Hill, Great Ocean Road itinerary

    The Perch Lavers Hill adheres to an ‘eat well, feel well’ philosophy. (Image: Taryn Elder)

    Good food is plentiful, with notable options including The Perch Lavers Hill, beachfront Pavilion Cafe & Bar in Warrnambool, Port Campbell’s Grassroots Deli Cafe and Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op.