The Great Ocean Road runs about 240 kilometres along Victoria’s southwest coast, from Torquay to Allansford. It was built between 1919 and 1932 by returned First World War soldiers, largely by hand, and is dedicated to those killed in the war – which makes it the largest war memorial in the world.
It is also the best short road trip in Australia, and the one most commonly ruined by doing it as a single day tour from Melbourne.
Do not do it in a day
This is the central piece of advice.
Day tours from Melbourne exist in large numbers, and they work by driving fast, stopping briefly, and arriving at the Twelve Apostles in the middle of the day along with every other coach.
The problems compound: you see the coast through a window, you get the busiest sites at the busiest hour, and you face a long return drive in the dark.
Two days minimum, three is better. Self-drive, and stay overnight somewhere along the route.
The route, section by section
Torquay to Lorne, the surf coast
Bells Beach at Torquay is one of the most famous surf breaks in the world and hosts the longest-running professional surfing competition. Even in flat conditions the amphitheatre of the bay is worth the stop.
The road then hugs the coastline properly – this is the stretch that looks like the photographs, cut into cliffs above the water.
Memorial Arch at Eastern View marks the road’s dedication, and is the standard photo stop.
Lorne is a pleasant seaside town and a common first-night stop.
Lorne to Apollo Bay, forest and waterfalls
Inland from Lorne, Erskine Falls sits in tall forest a short drive off the road.
Kennett River is the reliable place to see wild koalas in eucalyptus along Grey River Road – look up, they are usually asleep in the forks of trees. Wild king parrots will land on you here, which is charming and slightly startling.
Apollo Bay is the other main overnight option and a good base for the Otways.
The Great Otway National Park
The road turns inland through temperate rainforest – tree ferns, tall eucalypts and cool green light.
Maits Rest is a short accessible boardwalk loop through old-growth forest.
Cape Otway Lightstation is the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia, and the road in is another good koala stretch.
Triplet Falls and the Otway Fly treetop walk are both nearby.
Port Campbell, the limestone coast
The section everyone comes for.
The Twelve Apostles are limestone stacks standing offshore, left behind as the cliffs eroded. There were never twelve – there were nine when named, and several have since collapsed, most recently one in 2005. They continue to erode at roughly two centimetres a year, so the view genuinely changes over decades.
Loch Ard Gorge is, for many people, better than the Apostles – a narrow inlet with a beach you can walk down to, named after an 1878 shipwreck from which only two teenagers survived. This is the Shipwreck Coast, and more than 600 vessels went down along it.
The Grotto, London Bridge (which partially collapsed in 1990, stranding two people on the far side) and The Arch are all within a short drive and much quieter than the Apostles.
Find hotels along the Great Ocean Road
Timing the Twelve Apostles
Coaches from Melbourne arrive from late morning through mid-afternoon. The site is at its worst between roughly 11am and 3pm.
Sunrise and sunset are both better for light and far quieter. Staying in Port Campbell overnight is what makes either possible, and it is the strongest argument for not day-tripping.
The viewing platforms are free, and there is a helicopter operation for those who want the aerial view.
Driving practicalities
Australia drives on the left. The road is winding, single-lane in each direction, with frequent tight curves and blind corners.
Drive it west to east if you can – that puts you on the ocean side of the road, so the pull-offs and viewpoints are on your left and you are not turning across traffic. Most people drive east to west from Melbourne, which is why the return trip often feels better.
Wildlife is a real hazard at dawn and dusk – kangaroos and wallabies on the road. Avoid driving these stretches at night.
Fuel up in the larger towns. Stations thin out through the Otways.
Allow far more time than the distances suggest. 240km sounds like three hours; with stops it is comfortably two days.
Beyond the road
The Grampians are a couple of hours inland from the western end – sandstone ranges with walking, waterfalls and significant Aboriginal rock art sites.
Warrnambool, past the official end, has southern right whales calving offshore at Logans Beach between roughly June and September, visible from a viewing platform.
Phillip Island lies the other side of Melbourne, and its penguin parade at dusk is a separate trip rather than an extension of this one.
When to go
December to February is warmest and busiest, with long daylight.
March to May is the best balance – mild, stable and quieter.
June to August is cold, wet and dramatic, with big swells hitting the stacks, and whales off Warrnambool. Fewer people, and the coast arguably looks better under weather.
September to November brings wildflowers and lengthening days.
The coast is exposed and the weather changes fast in any season. Pack layers and a windproof.
See our month-by-month guide and the Australia travel guide.
Compare stays in Lorne and Port Campbell
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the Great Ocean Road in one day?
You can, but it is the worst way to do it. You arrive at the Twelve Apostles at the busiest hour and face a long drive back in the dark. Two days minimum, three is better, self-driving with an overnight along the route.
How long is the Great Ocean Road?
About 240km from Torquay to Allansford. It was built by returned First World War soldiers between 1919 and 1932 and is the largest war memorial in the world.
Are there really twelve Apostles?
No. There were nine when the name was applied, and several have since collapsed, one as recently as 2005. The remaining stacks erode at roughly two centimetres a year.
Where can you see koalas on the Great Ocean Road?
Kennett River, along Grey River Road, is the most reliable spot, with wild koalas in the eucalyptus. The road to Cape Otway Lightstation is another good stretch.
Which direction should you drive the Great Ocean Road?
West to east if possible, which puts you on the ocean side of the road so viewpoints are on your left and you avoid turning across traffic. Most people drive east to west from Melbourne.
When is the best time to visit the Twelve Apostles?
Sunrise or sunset, both for light and for crowds, coach tours dominate between about 11am and 3pm. Staying overnight in Port Campbell is what makes either practical.
