The inclusion of The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge are three of Australia’s most well-known attractions and should feature in any Great Ocean Road itinerary. There presence makes the Great Ocean Road an essential stop on any Victorian road trip. But there is so much more to this iconic Australian road trip. It is simply a must see for all travellers exploring Australia.
We’ve mapped out an epic Great Ocean Road itinerary that can be done in a day, coming from Melbourne or Geelong by car.
EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM
Set out to reach the Otway Redwood Forest by 10:30am by taking the Great Ocean Road from Torquay. Torquay is the official start of the 240km stretch of road which is one of the most breathtaking drives in the world, winding past pristine beaches, rich rainforests, and breathtaking vistas.
No matter how many times I travel the Great Ocean Road I am always taken with the beauty. Even on overcast days the views are still amazing for majority of the trip. Depending on your schedule be sure to stop at a few of the view points along the way. My favourite stretch happens to be along the section of the road about 20-30 minutes either side of Lorne.
OTWAY REDWOOD FOREST
Once you find yourself driving through Wye River keep an eye out for Skenes Creek Road. The California Redwoods are not highlighted by road signs so you have to be careful not to get lost. This is one of the reasons why the forest is referred to as Victoria’s best kept secret.
Shortly after you turn onto Skenes Creek Road you will forget how close you are to the ocean as you will quickly become immersed in rain forest like surrounds. As you make your way to the car park you will drive along a stunning, winding road; up hill, down hill, passing giant trees as the sun filters through to light up the road in front of you.
Step through the entrance to the California Redwoods Forest and you will feel like you are in a different world. The gigantic trees reaching in excess of 80m tall were imported from California and planted way back in the 30’s. For that, you will instantly be awe struck!
What also makes this spot special is the lack of low-lying shrubs and bushes. You can wander through these massive trees with ease and marvel at their height. It is also the perfect setting for an impromptu game of hide and seek.
Unless you are planning a picnic or some other activity, you only really need an hour to enjoy the site. Leave the site at around 11:30am and head for lunch in Apollo Bay.
THE BEST FISH N’ CHIPS IN VICTORIA
(MAYBE EVEN THE WORLD)
Looking at this itinerary from a map you might wonder why we went to Apollo Bay at all. After all, this adds about an hour to the total drive time. It is simply because Apollo Bay’s Fisherman Co-Op is the best fish n’ chips in Victoria! According to me. Make this part of your itinerary and you won’t be disappointed.
Order your fish n’ chips and eat them with great views over the harbour, or take them with you in the car to eat on the road.
Make a point of stopping at a few cafes, eateries and shops along the way. There are plenty of quirky small business’ along the way. Spice up this Great Ocean Road day trip by discovering a few shops to tell your friends about.
THE TWELVE APOSTLES
After your stop in Apollo Bay jump back on the Great Ocean Road and head towards the Twelve Apostles. This will be the most iconic stop on our Great Ocean Road itinerary. Following the Great Ocean Road the whole way should see you reach the Twelve Apostles in just over an hour; aiming for a 2:30pm arrival.
You will enjoy a change of scenery on this leg as the Great Ocean Road goes inland for majority of this part of the drive. You will have beautiful views of large fields and valleys filled with sheep, cows and alpacas!
There are a couple of viewing points for the Twelve Apostles. Firstly, keep an eye out for the Gibsons Steps turn out and view point. This turn out will be on the ocean side of the road. This stop is often the place where Melbournians and tourists get their first glimpse of the colossal limestone structures. And take it from a Melbournian who has left it 27 years to visit for the first time, the Twelve Apostles are breathtaking.
We couldn’t help but rush back to the car and head further along the Great Ocean Road to the next viewing area at the Twelve Apostles Lookout. The carpark is on the land side of the road, situated next to 12 Apostles Helicopters. Hop out of the car, take a short walk under an overpass, then be left in awe as you marvel at (and try to count) the remaining Twelve Apostles.
LOCH ARD GORGE
The final stop is definitely worth the wait! About five minutes further along the Great Ocean Road you will find the incredible Loch Ard Gorge. This site is really cool because of the gap between two limestone pillars allowing the ocean to break through and create a small secluded beach at the base of limestone walls.
There are a couple of quick walks along the top of both pillars, but after the massive effort put in so far we couldn’t wait to get down to the beach, dip our feet in the water and relax on the sand. It really is one of the must see spots in Victoria.
Loch Ard Gorge has some other points of interest including limestone caves and the history of the site itself, being involved in shipwrecks and various movies.
If you are not done exploring, you can extend this Great Ocean Road itinerary to include the London Bridge. If you were deciding between Loch Ard Gorge and the London Bridge, we’d recommend Loch Ard Gorge.
HOME TIME
That concludes our Great Ocean Road itinerary. Leaving Loch Ard Gorge around 4:30pm should see you home around about dinner time. Opt for the inland route. Turning left at Princetown and heading towards Colac, before joining the Princes Hwy for the remainder of the journey. This was a welcome change up from navigating the narrow, winding, up-downs of the Great Ocean Road. This concludes one hell of a Great Ocean Road day trip!
