Driving the Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most iconic road trips. The 250-odd kilometre stretch of road hugs the rugged coastline, passing some of Australia’s best surf beaches, small coastal villages, and the Twelve Apostles, one of Victoria’s most recognisable landmarks.
But it’s more than just the coast. If you take your time on this road trip, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular rainforest drives, waterfalls and wildlife.
This 4 day Great Ocean Road Itinerary is written for road trippers who don’t want to simply rush from one photo stop to the next. Whether you’re travelling by car, campervan or towing a caravan, it’s designed to give you time to actually experience the Great Ocean Road, not just tick off the highlights.
I (Sue) grew up not far from this part of Victoria, and enjoyed several camping trips down here as a kid. It was great to re-visit and introduce Nigel to the area in our campervan. The Great Ocean Road was one of the highlights of our Big Lap of Australia.
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About the Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road was begun in 1918 as a project from returned soldiers from WW1. Camps were set up along the route and stories tell of the lifestyle and camaraderie being similar to that soldiers experienced while at war (minus the killing of course!). The road is now considered the world’s largest war memorial.
The project was funded mostly through local donations as there wasn’t sufficient state government funding. Initially a toll booth was placed along the road. In 1936 the road administration was handed over to the Victorian Government and the toll was abolished.
The 243km Great Ocean Road officially begins at the Memorial Arch, which is just west of Fairhaven Beach. However, most maps have the Great Ocean Road Trip beginning in the surf town of Torquay.
4 day Great Ocean Road Itinerary
We’ve written this 4-day itinerary assuming you’re on a longer Australia Road Trip, but if you’re starting a loop from Melbourne, it’s just over an hour from Melbourne to the start point in Torquay, and only three hours from Warrnambool back to Melbourne at the end.
Day 1 – Torquay to Apollo Bay
Torquay and Surf Coast
Once a small town inhabited by surfers and retirees, Torquay has grown over the last 50 years to be a bustling town, very popular with tourists and day trippers from Melbourne and Geelong. I remember visiting Torquay as a teenager in the early 1980s, and coming back here I almost didn’t recognise the place.
Families will enjoy the calmer “Front Beach” for a swim, while surfers head to “Back Beach” which faces the Southern Ocean and has bigger waves. Many local surfers head further afield to other popular nearby surf breaks.
Continuing west from Torquay you’ll pass Bell’s Beach – home to the world’s longest running surf competition, the Rip Curl Pro (held annually around Easter). This was also the setting for the final scene in the original Point Break movie (with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze – although the scene was filmed in Oregon in the USA. If you like watching the surfers, you could also duck into Jan Juc or Point Addis.
Anglesea is a very family-friendly town, where the Anglesea River flows into the sea. The beach here is relatively calm. The town is set in bushland and is probably most famous for the wild kangaroos that visit the golf course in the early morning and evening.
Airey’s Inlet
The Airey’s Inlet Coastline is dominated by the Split Point Lighthouse. Many Australians recognise this landmark from the TV show “Round the Twist”. I’d never even heard of this show, but maybe that’s because I spent almost the entire 1990s living overseas.
Airey’s has a great pub, which now has it’s own brewery. You’ll also find a well stocked General Store, Post Office, Pharmacy and a couple of restaurants here. The Surf Coast Walk is a fantastic walking path that follows the cliffs along from the Lighthouse back towards Anglesea.
Leaving town, look out to for the Mad Max House on the left side of the road (can’t miss it, there are only two and one is hidden from view). This large house was once a beach shack, used in the 1979 movie Mad Max. This is where Max lived with his family before he went “Mad”. The house was bought by Janine Allit, founder of Boost Juice in the late 1990s and sold around 2021 for $11 million!
Just further on you’ll see the famous “Pole House” which is actually just one part of the house that was built up on a pole, joined to the rest of the house by a walkway. You can stay in the “house” as it’s listed on AirBNB. Warning: it’s not cheap!
Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch
The original arch was constructed in 1939 to commemorate the returned soldiers who built the road. The current arch was rebuilt after the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983. There is a small pullover just before the bridge where you can stop for a photo.
Lorne is one of the trendiest tourist towns along the Great Ocean Road, and gateway to the Otway National Park.
Wye River is small coastal town is situated on the Wye River. There is a caravan park right on the beach here and the Wye Beach Hotel (formerly known as the Rookery Nook).
Apollo Bay is the perfect place to end your first day. You’ll find a proper town centre with cafés, bakeries, pubs, a supermarket and fuel, which makes it practical if you’re travelling by car or campervan.
One of Apollo Bay’s biggest advantages is location. To the north is the edge of the Great Otway National Park, with cool temperate rainforest, waterfalls and short walks. To the west, you’re perfectly placed for an early start to the main highlights of the Great Ocean Road, including the Twelve Apostles.
There are plenty of places to stay in Apollo Bay, whether you’re travelling by campervan or car and staying in hotels or B&Bs.
Day 2 – Day trip from Apollo Bay to Otway Ranges National Park
The main Great Ocean Road heads inland after Apollo Bay and rejoins the coast near just before the Twelve Apostles. We chose to take an alternate route, leading us into the hinterland. We drove through the Otway Ranges National Park and visited a couple of beautiful waterfalls.
If you’re towing a caravan, leave it in the caravan park in Apollo Bay, as this route isn’t suitable for vans.
Turton Track
Head north from Skenes Creek along the C119 towards Colac. You will be driving up hill, through beautiful farmland and bush. After 15km turn left down the Turton Track (C159). There is signage warning this road is not suitable for coaches or caravans. We drove down here in our 7.3m campervanvan with no problems.
The road is narrow and winding but is sealed all the way to Beech Forest. Turn off here towards Beauchamp Falls. There is a lovely free camp/picnic spot here with toilets and fire places (fires not permitted during total fire ban days).
Beauchamp Falls
The walk to Beauchamp Falls is a 2.7km out and back hike and is absolutely beautiful. You’ll walk down through the rainforest, along a small creek with large ferns and moss-covered trees. We took so long to get down to the falls as we kept stopping for photos! The track is well formed although there are a few steps.
You’ll hear the waterfall before you see it if there has been recent rain. We had a big storm the night before so the falls were gushing. There is a viewing platform where you can look out over the falls.
If you’re sure footed you can walk down to the river at the bottom of the falls where the best photo opportunities are. Take your time and rest here, the walk back up is a bit of a slog.
Hopetoun Falls
The walk to Hopetoun Falls goes down many steps. It’s only a short walk but there’s a lot of steps there quite an even better is a handrail all the way down.
At the bottom of the steps, your walk along the boardwalk until you get to the viewing platform where there is a seat it’s only a fairly small platform, so if there are a lot of people it could get a bit crowded there.
The waterfall itself is not as high as Beauchamp falls, but not really any less spectacular. It is a single drop waterfall. I’m guessing it’s around 15 m and when we visited there was a fallen tree log halfway across it.
California Redwood Forest
One of the most Instagrammable spots on the entire Great Ocean Road drive isn’t actually on the ocean. This small grove of Californian Redwoods was planted in 1939, so the trees are relatively young, as redwoods go.
The grove is small, we were quite surprised by how small it is, but it’s a lovely spot to get some different photos from the rest of the drive.
Day 3 – Apollo Bay to Port Campbell
Leaving Apollo Bay, take the main highway inland towards Port Campbell. There is so much to see around this area, you will want to spend a full day exploring and checking out the different lookouts.
The Twelve Apostles
For most visitors the highlight of the Great Ocean Road is the Twelve Apostles. Although there are now only 7 remaining, these rocky outcrops jutting out of the ocean are spectacular and attract tourists from around the world. Lots of tourists!
As you drive west from Apollo Bay, the first view of the twelve apostles is from the “Secret” lookout. I mean, it’s not very secret if it’s on Google Maps, right? You’ll find the entry to this carpark right after the Twelve Apostle picture sign. The carpark is only small but there is a toilet here.
You’ll need to walk up the hill to actually see anything here, but its just a short walk and well worth the views at the top. The Twelve Apostles are quite far away, but we found this a great introduction.
Official Twelve Apostles lookout
From the (very large) carpark you walk through a tunnel under the road to the lookout. This path is accessible to all, including wheelchairs and prams. There is a visitor centre in the carpark, and also a kiosk.
In mid 2024 a new walkway and lookout was completed which gives visitors even better views over the Apostles and Gog and Magog, the two outcrops that can be seen from the Gibson Steps. We visited in late 2023, so our photos are from just before the lookout opened.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a helicopter flight from here.
Gibson Steps
From a lookout at the top of the steps you can see one of the two rocky outcrops. The smaller outcrop is hiding behind. These two are called “Gog” and “Magog” (I’m not sure which is which!).
The best views are from the beach, so head down the 86 steps and walk along, until the smaller outcrop comes into view. The best time to visit this area is at low tide, as during high tides and when the sea is rough, access down the steps may be closed.
We visited Gog and Magog at sunset for some stunning photos too.
Loch Ard Gorge
The Loch Ard Gorge is named after the ship which wrecked here in 1878. There were only two survivors of the Loch Ard Shipwreck, 18yo passenger Eva Carmichael and ships apprentice, Thomas Pearce, also aged 18.
Their story of survival is quite amazing, with Eva clinging to a spar for 5 hours in rough sea and Thomas spending an hour going back into the water to rescue her (and then reviving her with some Brandy he found washed up from the wreck’s cargo).
What I found more amazing was Thomas’s story after the wreck of the Loch Ard. He survived not one but FOUR shipwrecks! (This according to the museum in the Port Campbell visitor centre – Wikipedia states it was only three). Two of his sons later lost their lives in shipwrecks. I think I would give up sailing.
Looking out onto Loch Ard Gorge you can just imagine what it would be like to be floating in that sea. It’s rough and the waves pound against the hundred-foot cliffs.
There are several lookouts here at Loch Ard Gorge, but when we visited the steps down to the beach were closed. The cliffs in this area are very unstable, and this wasn’t the only section that was closed.
Bakers Oven
Baker’s Oven is a bit of a Great Ocean Road hidden gem, in that the turn off is not signposted. You’ll find the landmark on Google Maps though. Simply turn down the gravel road and drive 200m down to the coast.
We believe this landmark isn’t signposted as there is no fencing keeping you away from the cliff edge. There is also no “No Drones” sign here, so despite the wind, we couldn’t resist taking this shot!
Port Campbell
Port Campbell is a small coastal town that is ideally located for exploring the best of the area around the Twelve Apostles. There is a grocery store here and plenty of cafes and art galleries. There’s two pubs and a brewery – the Sow and Piglets. The Pale Ale here was very good!
There’s lots of accommodation options for backpackers, motels, a caravan park and recreation reserve.
The staff in the visitor centre are very friendly and gave us great suggestions, however, couldn’t help us with filling our water tank in the van. If you need water you’ll need to pay for a night in the Caravan Park or Recreation Reserve.
Day 4 – Port Campbell to Warrnambool
The great ocean road continues west from Port Campbell. Follow the signs, or you can continue North and do the great Ocean Road Gourmet Trail. We chose not to do that but continued along the coast. The first highlight is The Arch which was closed when we visited, and still is, according to Google Maps.
London Bridge
London Bridge is probably most famous because part of it collapsed in 1990, leaving two tourists stranded out on the remaining part. They had to be rescued by helicopter.
What a great way to get a free helicopter flight over the 12 apostles, but I bet they were panicked for a while. Very lucky they weren’t walking across the bit that collapsed at the time.
The Grotto
The Grotto is such a beautiful contrast to the rest of the coastline, with its calm still water visible through the hole in the cliff. You can see the grotto from above, but it’s best to go down the stairs to look through the hole from the bottom.
We recommend you visit the grotto as early in the morning as possible to avoid the crowds. The steps down to the actual grotto are very narrow and there isn’t much room at the bottom.
We first visited in the afternoon and there was a line of people snaking halfway up the stairs, and not moving, as people were taking their photos at the grotto. We returned the next day early in the morning and it was much more pleasant!
Bay of Martyrs
Heading further west you’ll come to the Bay of Martyrs with several lower lying rocky outcrops and islands. Some of these have plant life on top.
Bay of Islands
Honestly, the Bay of Islands is just like the Twelve Apostles, without the crowds. You can walk out to a lookout where you’ll see some of the outcrops up close, and you can also see where some of them have toppled over. It’s pretty obvious that some of them don’t have long before they topple over.
Warrnambool
Warrnambool marks the end of the Great Ocean Road. From here you can take the main highway back to Geelong or Melbourne. If you’re continuing west check out our posts on Mt Gambier or the Limestone Coast.
Great Ocean Road Travel Guide – Essential Information
Where to stay on the Great Ocean Road
Whether you’re travelling by campervan, towing a caravan or driving a hire car, you’ll find plenty of overnight accommodation along the Great Ocean Road. There are caravan parks in the main towns, and several towns have budget friendly recreation reserve campsites for van-lifers.
We really liked the Recreation Reserve near Princetown (just before the start of the 12 Apostles). You can find campsites on the Wiki Camps app.
As this is a very popular area, there aren’t any official free camps (other than Beauchamp Falls in the Otway Ranges National Park). Be aware if you stay overnight in one of the beach carparks, you are likely to get “the knock” from the ranger. Most carparks have “No Camping” signs in them.
You’ll find plenty of options for resorts, smaller hotels, guesthouses and backpacker hostels if you’re doing your Great Ocean Road trip with a hire car. Check out booking.com for availability and to book. Remember the more you book, the greater your discount level.
When is the best time for a Great Ocean Road trip?
Summer is peak season on the Great Ocean Road, and there will be a lot of traffic, especially during the school holidays and at weekends. Expect slow driving through towns.
Mid-week and outside the school holidays in summer can be the best time to visit the Great Ocean Road. We visited in October, and it was quite cold and rainy. I have so many memories of driving along the Great Ocean Road with my parents as a child, and it being warm and sunny.
Which direction is best to drive along the Great Ocean Road?
While you can certainly drive the Great Ocean Road in either direction, driving from East to West (Torquay to Warrnambool) as described in this post, is better, as all the pullovers are on the left side (sea-side) of the road.
Watch our Great Ocean Road travel film
Get some visual inspiration for your Great Ocean Road trip by watching our YouTube video. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel and check out all our Victoria episodes.
Final Thoughts
The Great Ocean Road is one of those road trips that rewards taking your time. Slow down, stay a night or two in the small towns, and step away from the car whenever you can. Then this iconic drive becomes far more than a checklist of sights, it becomes a genuinely memorable adventure.
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