We have been asked by a number of travellers how best to plan their trip along the Great Ocean Road. So we have put together some tips to make your trip easier.
TIP#1 – Distances
The Great Ocean Road fringes the coast of Victoria, which is the most southern mainland state of Australia. To give you an idea of size and distance, Australia could fit over the entire USA, and the State of Victoria is the same size as Great Britain.
When you are looking for accommodation, food or petrol, it is also important to keep in mind that there is a relatively sparse population outside of Melbourne and large towns such as Geelong.
The Great Ocean Road itself is 263 km long with steep inclines, blind hairpin bends and a quite narrow single lane each way. The views are spectacular and distracting if you are the driver. So you will be travelling slower than on a main road or freeway and you need to make allowances for the extra time.
TIP#2 – Choosing when to Travel
Any time is the best time to travel the road, especially before and after the long summer school holiday break (late December till end January). Our summers are long with daylight saving until the end of March, making travel into April extremely pleasant. Our winters are extremely mild by Northern Hemisphere standards and driving is easier because there is less traffic.
The famous Bells Beach professional surfing competition is always held at Easter for those keen on seeing the best surfers at work.
April the 25th is ANZAC day, the day Australia stops to remember those killed in war. Point Danger at Torquay is the biggest rally outside of the capital cities providing a moving and memorable tribute as the lone bugle plays at sunrise. Everyone is welcome to join with the locals at a traditional sausage sizzle for breakfast.
TIP#3 – Safety on the Road
Driving the road is an exciting and spectacular experience. You will be able to stop frequently at designated spots to take photos while soaking up the views.
If you find yourself so besotted by the views that you want to drive slowly there are pull-out points to allow other drivers to pass. This is a great convenience on this narrow road for all travellers.
You will notice signs reminding drivers to keep to the left, and the speed limit is 80 kph (50 mph) along many stretches and during the summer additional speed restrictions apply.
TIP#4 – The Sun
The Australian sun can seem intense to visitors from the Northern Hemisphere, so remember your hat and sunscreen whenever you are outside.
When in England, we walked for a whole sunny day without sunscreen without getting sunburnt – here, an hour without sunscreen will be enough to leave your skin reddened and more could lead to a painful burn.
The late afternoon Western sun can also be a hazard if you are driving into it. Best to plan to be on a beach or in a café at this time of day.
TIP#5 – Book Ahead
Our peak summer period between Christmas and the end of January needs to be booked well ahead. And very few places have single nights available because holidaymakers book for longer periods at this time.
Being desperate for accommodation late on a hot day with the possibility of the nearest room being 200 km away is not pleasant when you have come all this way to see the Apostles.
We hope these tips will help you with your next trip to the Great Ocean Road.
A little aside in the Q & A Below:-
Hi Stewart,
Is there a best direction for this drive i.e Allansford to Torquay or
Torquay to Allansford
Tags: accommodation, Bells Beach, drive holiday, Great Ocean Road, Surfing
Posted in Great Ocean Road, Itineraries, Surfing, Travel tips. Permalink for this post: permalink.
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Hi, excellent article, I have been planning to drive the ‘Great Ocean Road’ as it has been recommended to me several times as one of the best drives. Your information is very helpful. Thanks
Great tips but I have a question left:
We would drive to Port Fairy, but do not want to drive the whole ride back.
Can we fly from there to another place?
Hi Chris,
Portland is larger than Port Fairy and has air connections to Melbourne and Adelaide.
Cheers
Tim
Hi Chris,
Portland is larger than Port Fairy and has air connections to Melbourne and Adelaide.
Cheers
Tim
Hi,
Im planning on doing this drive in November this year with some friends. We’re trying to think of how much time to take off work… Would a week be sufficient or would you recommend longer? We will be driving the whole way but want to make sure we have enough time.
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
A week is fine look at you will find Mark’s view interesting. Three days wasn’t enough for him and his family.
planning to drive Great Ocean Rd with 2 Swiss friends leaving Melb 24 Jan2011 and flying to Perth out of Adelaide 29 Jan 2011. Looking for ideas of side trips/short walks/explorations en route to get us out of the car all the time.
Port Fairy sounds a great place to stay but what should we prioritise before that? Any accomodation recomendations?
Hi Helen,
Let’s say four nights on the road and the last in Adelaide as there is a bit to do there or to deal with an early flight out.
At that time of year single nights are heard to get so book now. Work on
two nights in Apollo Bay giving you a chance to explore the hinterland. One in Port Fairy and then one closer to Adelaide say Mt Gambier. Try to book using this link then chnage it for the other places.
Tree Top walk, or if possible a platypus trip. Lots of places to stop
Cheers
Tim
My intention is to drive from Adelaide CBD to Melbourne CBD over four days and three nights. I would like to stop over the last night at Lorne (memories) but would like some input as to the best two other stop-overs between Adelaide and Lorne. For my first stop (Adelaide to) Port Fairy appears to be a very long drive.
Agreed Adelaide to Port fairy is a long drive, consider Adelaide to Mt Gambier, then to Apollo bay, finally memories of Lorne
Cheers
Tim
Hi,
I’m living in sydney and currently planning to gift this surprise drive to my GF on valentine’s day but we can only afford just one day for this drive. Could you please advise what would be total distance from the Melb airport? And also would it be ok if we plan this drive like 9 AM – 8 PM.
Regards,
Sunny
Hi Tim,
Thanks for your reply, really appreciate your advise. Could you please advise what would be the total distance of Great Ocean drive from airport?
thanks,
sunny
We are planning a trip late September early October.Melbourne to Adelaide, one stop overnight.Where would be the best place to stay as a half way stop and will we see enough. thankyou Laurel
Much as I like the Great Ocean Road I’d go the Western Highway and Stop at the Grampians overnight – you won’t have time to appreciate the GOR
hi was wondering if someone could tell me how long it would take to drive great ocean road in one day as that’s all we may have to do it
Hi,
Your best bet is Google Maps as you can plan your trip in detail to get what to see what you want. Thery have a great time estimator built in
Cheers
Tim
Hi
My 2 friends and I will be flying into Mel airport on 4 July (noon) time. We would like to seek your advice which of the following shd we consider if we would like to spend time in Mel city, great ocean rd and Philip Island.
1) Upon arrival (4 july), hire a car, drive straight toward great ocean road, spend a night, continue to explore GOR. and travel up to Philip Island on 6th and spend a nite there before heading back to Mel city for the next 2 nites?
2) spend a nite in mel city before embarking on GOR on the 5 and den head to philip island for a nite on the 6h. and spend the next 2 nites back in mel city.
Hope to hear from you!
Look at this
Hi
My 2 friends and I will be flying into Mel airport on 4 July (noon) time. We would like to seek your advice which of the following shd we consider if we would like to spend time in Mel city, great ocean rd and Philip Island.
1) Upon arrival (4 july), hire a car, drive straight toward great ocean road, spend a night, continue to explore GOR. (Should we spend 2 nites on GOR then and where can we stay?) and travel up to Philip Island on 6th and spend a nite there before heading back to Mel city for the next 2 nites?
2) spend a nite in mel city before embarking on GOR on the 5 and den head to philip island for a nite on the 6h. and spend the next 2 nites back in mel city.
Hope to hear from you!
Look at http://greatoceanroad-torquay.com.au/five-days-around-melbourne/
Hi,
We’re planning on driving the Great Ocean Road in November in a camper van. We’ve hired it for a month but I would love some tips of places you can stop over whilst on the road? I’ve never done anything like this before so I don’t know where you are allowed to stop over etc.
Thanks for any help
As you have a month consider a figure of eight centred on melbourne doing Great Ocean Road, Grampians Goldfields, and on the other side Phillip Island, Wilson’s promontory, coming back along Princes Highway or even crossing through the ski fields from Gippsland
Cheers
Tim
PS Google earth gives you great driving directions, and times – have a play
Fantastic article.
[...] home there is a plethora of wonderful and diverse properties available. Portland truly has it all !The fascinating town of Portland in the southern Australian State of Victoria, is allegedly the firs…s. This town has a lengthy history also in terms of seafaring, beginning with the whaling and [...]
Hi,
Depends on what time you leave Melbourne, if you make it to Torquay or Lorne for the first night you can leave in the early afternoon then drive on day two to Port Campbell. If you leave early in the day make it to Apollo Bay for the first night and Port Campbell for the second getting the Apostles at Sunset and Sunrise after a day in the Apollo Bay hinterland
Cheers
Tim
tim@experiencetorquay.com.au
0425 777 230
thanks Tim. u rock mate!
Hello we are planning on doing the GOR at Easter. Where would be the best place to stop for the first and second night traveling from Melb CBD? Thanks
Hi,
Your challenge will be to find single nights over easter. Try for Torquay or Lorne for night one, then Apollo bay
Cheers
Tim
Marengo Beachbreak in Apollo Bay does single nights all year, though it is dog friendly, it is as clean as a whistle with comfortable rooms.
hi,
Just wanted to find out if its doable to do the GOR trip without bookings in advance. Was afraid of booking because that would have limited my adventure. Would not want to rush to get to the hotel. I intend to leave melbourne this afternoon.
Thanks
Good luck at this time of year. There is a place in Apollo bay that takes one nighters
Cheers
Tim
thanks mate
Hi, my wife and I are planning a trip along the GOR during November 2012. We will be travelling in a mobile home are there plenty of camp sites with power and will we need to pre-book?
Thanks
Hi
I’d acquire the and contact the parks you want direct
Hi,
we are thinking of going on the GOR.We do have time to have one night stay somewhere along and then comeback on saturday… do suggest a good way of doing that….
Thanks
Hi,
Easter weekend if that’s what you are thinking – look at Apollo Bay & prebook your one night stay if you can get one
Good luck and enjoy
I’d like to know if it is possible to do Melbourne – Port Fairy or Portland in one day and back to Melbourne in day 2. Or you suggest to do a shorter trip up to Apollo Bay for example?
I have only two days and would love to get the best of it. I saw someone suggesting to spend a night in Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant & Villas and I really found the place very nice, but it is located in Otway, so it would only be an option in a short circuit plan. is there a place with similar characteristics in Port Fairy or Portland?
Thank you very much.
Fernando from Argentina
Good Day Fernando,
If scenery is your main interest then a leisurely day one scenically very attractive and the night at Chris’s or Apollo Bay is good advice. Day two I think you are happy to return late – up early be blessed by the apostles on the way to lunch (perhaps late) at Port Fairy and back to Melbourne. I think Portland would be a pointless stretch
Cheers
Tim
Hey Guys. Coming over from Tassie to see what the fuss is about. We hear sooo much down here about GOR. I will either bring my campervan over on Spirit of Tas or will rent one in Melbourne.(Depending on costs) I would like to spend about 8 or 10 days doing Melbourne to Adelaide then back again. Return trip via a partly different route if possible. Open to suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Brian
Sounds like a nice trip. Consider a round Trip Melbourne – GOR, Mt Gambier, Hahndorf, Adelaide, Barossa valley, Renmark, Midura back to Melbourne
Enjoy
Thanks Tim. Will check it out. 8 or 10 days enough do you think??