Can you do the Great Ocean Road in a day from Melbourne?
Yes, and from $139. A day trip from Melbourne reaches the Twelve Apostles, the rainforest and the koalas, and comes back the same evening. There is a reverse-direction version worth knowing about: it does the road backwards, so you reach the Apostles when the coaches have gone.
Checked on 5 October 2026.
The Great Ocean Road is about 240km of coast road west of Melbourne, and the famous bit — the Twelve Apostles — sits near the far end. That geography is the whole planning problem, and it is why which direction you drive it matters more than most people realise.
The day trips
| Trip | What makes it different | Effort | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road + Rainforest Tour | The classic run — the coast road out, the Twelve Apostles, rainforest and koalas | 2 of 5 — gentle | $139 |
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour (with lunch) | **Driven in reverse**, so you arrive at the Apostles later in the day with fewer people, and lunch is included | 2 of 5 — gentle | $149 |
| 1 Day Phillip Island and Penguins | Not the coast road — Phillip Island and the penguin parade at dusk | 2 of 5 — gentle | $149 |
All leave from and return to Melbourne. Prices update on their own.
Which direction?
- The standard run follows the coast west, so you see the road unfold the way it was built, and reach the Apostles around the middle of the day.
- The reverse run drives inland first and comes back along the coast, which means the Twelve Apostles later in the afternoon — better light, and the tour coaches have moved on.
- Either way it is a full day. Melbourne to the Apostles and back is a long drive, which is exactly why having somebody else do it is worth the money.
What you see
- The Twelve Apostles — limestone stacks standing off the cliffs. Fewer than twelve, and worth the trip anyway.
- Loch Ard Gorge, where the coastline does its most dramatic work.
- Rainforest at Maits Rest or Kennett River, and wild koalas in the trees above the road — the sightings are genuinely reliable.
- Surf beaches at Torquay and Bells, where the road starts.
Two days is a different trip
With a night on the road you stop being a day tripper. The two and three day trips add the Grampians, which is mountain country and the opposite of the coast in every way.
| Trip | Length | Where you sleep | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Hostel and Cabin | $369 |
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Hostel and Cabin | $475 |
| 3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians | 3 days, 2 nights | Hostel and Cabin | $695 |
The trips
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Where this comes from. Each operator's own itinerary and pick-up sheet, as held on that trip's page here. Prices are the current from price and update on their own.