Great Ocean Road trip

The Great Ocean Road curving past Cumberland River near Lorne, seen from Castle Rock

Photo: Faj2323, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Distance
243 km (151 miles)
Country
Australia
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Type of trip
Road trip

The Great Ocean Road runs 243 km along the coast of Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford near Warrnambool. Returned soldiers built it between 1919 and 1932 as a memorial to those killed in the First World War. It goes through Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, and between Apollo Bay and Princetown it leaves the sea for about 60 km of rainforest and hills in the Otways. People drive it by car, campervan or motorbike, and cyclists ride it too. Visit Great Ocean Road, the regional tourism site, advises against doing it as a day trip from Melbourne. The independent Great Ocean Road Guide says most people take 2 to 3 days and sleep in the towns on the way.

Australia drives on the left. The road is two-lane and sealed, winding in places, with few chances to overtake on the inland stretch; caravans and big motorhomes should use the slow-vehicle pull-offs. Most lookouts are on the ocean side, so heading west from Torquay you can pull in without crossing traffic. Kangaroos move about at dawn and dusk and koalas sometimes cross in the Otways, so watch the verges in low light. Tourism Australia says it's best not to drive at night, when kangaroos are hard to see. Victoria's advice is to take a break every two hours; drowsy driving is behind close to one in five fatal crashes in the state.

Highlights along the way

  1. Memorial Arch, Eastern View: The arch over the road here first went up in 1939. It's been rebuilt more than once since, including after the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983.
  2. Kennett River: Wild koalas live in the gums here. Turn inland up Grey River Road and drive slowly; the last 90 minutes before sunset is the best time and midday the worst. Pull right off the road to stop, and don't feed them.
  3. Cape Otway: Lighthouse Road runs 12 km south from the Great Ocean Road to the lightstation, and most koala sightings here are on the drive in.
  4. The Twelve Apostles: Limestone stacks up to 50 m tall off Port Campbell National Park. There were only ever nine, and seven still stand. Since 16 October 2026 you have to book before you arrive, which also gets you a car park. Check twelveapostles.org.au to see whether there’s a fee.
  5. Loch Ard Gorge: About 3.5 km north-west of the Apostles, named after the clipper Loch Ard, wrecked nearby in 1878. Only two of the 54 on board survived. When the nearby Island Archway fell in 2009, the two pillars left standing were named Tom and Eva after them.

Distance

243 km (151 miles) from Torquay to Allansford, or about 240 km by Wikipedia's count. Without stops that's about 4.5 hours of driving; with photo stops allow 6 to 8. On the inland stretch Lavers Hill is the only place to fill up.

Best time to go

Peak season is the summer holidays, from late December into January, and the Easter long weekend. Visit Great Ocean Road suggests autumn or winter for fewer people, and whale watching is best from May to October. Landslides, storms and bushfires have closed the road before, so check VicTraffic for the road and VicEmergency for fires and other warnings before you set off.

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