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Is the Great Ocean Road worth it?
Yes, and the direction you drive it matters more than people realise. The Twelve Apostles sit near the far end, 240km out, so the standard trip reaches them at midday with everyone else. The reverse-direction version gets there late afternoon in better light. From $139.
Checked on 6 October 2026.
The Great Ocean Road is 240km of coast road west of Melbourne, built by returned soldiers after the First World War as a war memorial. It is genuinely one of the great coastal drives, and it is also a long day — so the question is fair.
Why it is worth going
- The Twelve Apostles.Limestone stacks standing off the cliffs in the Southern Ocean. Fewer than twelve, and worth the drive anyway.
- Loch Ard Gorgea few minutes on, where the coastline does its most dramatic work and the shipwreck story is genuinely grim.
- Wild koalasin the trees at Kennett River — the sightings are reliable rather than hopeful.
- Rainforest at Maits Restwhich is not what you expect to find beside a surf coast.
- The road itselfcut into the cliff above the sea for most of its length, and the reason the drive is the point.
The honest version
- It is a long day.Melbourne to the Apostles and back is the better part of twelve hours, which is exactly why having someone else drive is worth the money.
- The Apostles are busy at middaywhen every coach from Melbourne converges. The reverse-direction trip exists because of this.
- Two days is a different trip.You watch the sun go down over the Apostles instead of driving away from them.
- Winter is dramatic rather than worsebig swells, and almost nobody in the car parks. It runs year round.
Which trip
| Trip | Length | What makes it different | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road + Rainforest Tour | 1 day | The classic run — coast road out, Apostles at midday | $139 |
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour (with lunch) | 1 day | **Driven in reverse**, Apostles in the afternoon, lunch included | $149 |
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Two days, with a night on the road | $369 |
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Two days, adding the Grampians | $475 |
| 3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians | 3 days, 2 nights | Three days — coast and mountains properly | $695 |
The trips
People also ask
- Can you do the Great Ocean Road in a day from Melbourne?
- Great Ocean Road itinerary — 1, 2 or 3 days
- What day trips can you do from Melbourne?
- When is the best time to visit Melbourne?
Not sure which one fits?
Tell us your dates and where you are starting from, and we will point you at the right trip.
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.