2pm Check into hotel.
The Grotto is one of the most impressive sections of the coastline, and essentially a sinkhole. The Arch is the first in a series of rock formations where you can stop for a quick look from viewing platforms. Expert travel tips from a digital nomad couple, This page contains affiliate links. Perfect write up, very helpful indeed, Appreciate your work guys, Cheers.
If it hadnt been raining so heavily, Im sure we would have stopped often for photos. 1 hour, 50 minutes/92 kilometres A touch over 100 kilometres from Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, Torquay marks the Great Ocean Road's official launch point. There are striking cliffs and rock formations, easy coastal walks, and interesting history. A round trip from Melbourne to the 12 Apostles travelling along the Great Ocean Road will take your travel . Let us help you get started with planning your Great Ocean Road itinerary. Join the adventures on our YouTube channel! 3rd Stop: Lorne. Plan your journey with our route planner. Split Point Lighthouse is still a functioning lighthouse, so you can only go inside on a tour. At night we loved snuggling on the comfy couch by the fireplace. You could also fit them in on the previous day. If you are wondering the best direction to drive the Great Ocean Road, I recommend driving it from east to west, starting in Torquay.
Lorne to Melbourne drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
Anyone remember the 90s TV show Round the Twist? . If youre looking to do a bit of waterfall chasing, this is a great place to find them!
You can tackle the Great Ocean Road in one long day, or break it up over a few days, which is what we suggest doing. They live in the eucalyptus trees behind the caravan park and are not hard to find. Picking up and dropping off the car was quick and easy, and they are near Queen Victoria Market where you can pick up supplies for the trip. Our road trip starts in Melbourne and our first destination is Lorne but since that's a little far, let's make a stopover in Geelong on the way. Make sure you visit first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon for the best koala viewing times. One day we had frost on the car in the morning but by the afternoon were eating ice cream in the sun with 20C temperatures.
We actually visited at sunset the previous day.
On this five-day self-drive trip, explore the coastal capital city of Melbourne and then hit the open road. Not even 15km from Apollo Bay is the incredibly lush and beautifulGreat Otway National Park. to each other and sharing tips and advice. This means youll be driving on the ocean side of the road and will have the best views and easy access to the many viewpoints. The Ultimate Melbourne to Sydney Road Trip Itinerary Our itinerary will take you through the most iconic towns and cities, the rugged Phillip Island, the small town of Walhalla, the beautiful Wilsons Promontory, and onto the vast Kosciuszko National Park. open-ended. Built in honour of the 3,000 soldiers who worked on this stretch of road after WWI, there is now also a sculpture there to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arch. Its known for the dramatic Twelve Apostles rock stacks that emerge from the ocean, and while they are definitely a highlight, there is so much more to enjoy along the way. Cant wait for the trip , Thanks Tracy. Thats how were going to structure this post for you. Deep lush valleys, sky-high rainforests, stunning waterfalls and tons of walking tracks make it a great spot to get off the beach and still be in nature. This lookout gives you the chance to see right out to sea and over the entire city. They are a beautiful sight amongst the dramatic cliffs and crashing waves as they change colour throughout the day.
I include suggestions for shorter trips below. Go on a culinary crusade via craft breweries and top regional restaurants on the short inland route back to Melbourne via Colac (below). There are toilets here but not at Hopetoun Falls. Stop 3 Otway Harvest Trail You could then drive the Great Ocean Road at a more leisurely pace and spend the night in the Apollo Bay area before continuing back to Melbourne the next day.
stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:22 pmdrive for about 15 minutes, 2:37 pm Great Ocean Road
Brekkie tacos, smoothie bowls and a full lunch menu to eat in or take away will please anyone visiting. While your stop here signals the end of your epic 3 day Great Ocean Road itinerary, youre now on to new and exciting things. David & Marg. Benefit.
We want to book accommodation as we go .
There are more motels than boutique hotels in the area.
The 20-metre falls crash over a ledge with a backdrop of lush ferns and the forest towering above. However, when the winds pick up it is best to stay above the Grotto. As the area is popular with day tour buses from Melbourne, the Twelve Apostles are busiest in the afternoon. Great post guys, you have inspired me to take a trip here when I finally get to Australia again!
Soaring high above the limestone stacks youll get the best views of Victorias Shipwreck Coast.
Griffiths Islandcan be accessed by a footbridge nearby to the wharf and is a great place to do a little bird watching. You have to walk down 400 steps to get to the beach where you can see the remains of shipwrecks.
Even better, its a non-profit enterprise that provides training and employment opportunities to people with mental and physical disabilities. This rock arch was once connected to the mainland until in collapsed in 1990 (leaving two tourists trapped but uninjured). Over time it has been improved to create a peaceful and beautiful space to be enjoyed. Top Road Trips Stops: Torquay, Lorne, Great Otway National Park, 12 Apostles, Logan's Beach, Mount Gambier. Learn how your comment data is processed. The total driving distance from Adelaide to Melbourne is almost 1,000km along the coastal route, so the Great Ocean Road is actually only a small part of the journey. The large corner window seat is the perfect place to enjoy the views in winter, and for warmer weather, theres a large balcony with a table, chairs, and BBQ. You can follow a very similar itinerary to ours, but youll need to pack more in every day. 11:00 am start in Melbournedrive for about 30 minutes, 11:30 am eat at Shadowfax Wines If wed had an extra night, wed have spent it at Points South by the Sea just so we could have a relaxation day in our cottage enjoying the view and local walks. Journey Time: 10 minutes from Bells BeachStop Time: 30 minutes.
One of the best things to do on the Great Ocean Road is going out for a paddle at some of the most famous surf beaches in Australia. Even if youve never seen the show, its worth a stop as its a quintessential lighthouse and there are beautiful coastal views. The most scenic leg of the drive is further along between Lorne and Apollo Bay. We spent the full day we had in the Apollo Bay area detouring off the Great Ocean Road to explore the inland forest section of the Great Otway National Park. The iconic rock stacks were created by erosion of the limestone cliffs from the stormy Southern Ocean. The cottages are quite close together, so if you take a bath with the blinds up, you do have to trust your neighbours wont walk in front of your cottage (we had no issues). One of the best things to do here is take a walk out on thePort Fairy Wharves. They are impossibly cute and fluffy and we couldnt quite believe they were real. The road starts in Torquay, and finishes in Allansford. It would also be tempting to continue down past the end of the road to Warrnambool or Port Fairy for a night and visit the nearby Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve for a chance to see koalas, kangaroos, and emu in the wild. Lorneis the closest town from the arch and a great spot to grab some lunch atBottle of Milk, use the facilities and continue on towardsKennett River. Simon loved the cheese and vegetable pasty. Get detailed, easy-to-follow driving or walking directions. This connects to the more distant, and much quieter, Living on the Edge walk (to the right of the car park) where you can see Muttonbird Island and enjoy more gorgeous coastal views. Reserve your spot here. From the car park, there is a short trail that will lead you right to the viewpoint where youll be gifted with the most incredible sweeping views of Apollo Bay and the coastline. There is no direct connection from Melbourne to Lorne. Take in the beauty of the 12 Apostles. After the last couple of years, it seems everyone wants to be out and about and go travelling. We arrived in Port Campbell at 2.45pm and had a few hours rest before heading out to see the sunset at London Bridge, which is a quieter alternative to the Twelve Apostles. Journey Time: 5 minutes from Bay of Martyrs (20 minutes back to Port Campbell)Stop Time: 20 minutes.
For the best panoramic views in Apollo Bay head straight forMarriners Lookout. If you cant drive or only have a day available, this Great Ocean Road Day Tour is popular. It starts in Torquay, which is 105km (65 miles) from Melbourne, and continues westward along the coast to finish at Allansford near Warrnambool.
We visited in mid-September (early spring) and there was frost on our car one morning, so tent camping is probably best in the summer.
The Great Ocean Road is in the state of Victoria in south-eastern Australia. The Botanic Cafe on the Lake within the Botanical Gardens is a pretty spot for lunch with outdoor seating and views of the lake. But it has a strange beak and is one of the few mammals that lay eggs. You can drive the entire length of the Great Ocean Road in one long day (about 8 hours return), but we recommend splitting the journey up into a few days. Gradually caves were formed, then arches, and when they collapsed the rock stacks stood alone, isolated from the shore. And if you know Melbourne well, please help your fellow There are plenty more accommodation optionsin Apollo Baysearch on Vrbo for holiday rentals or Booking for hotels, motels and B&Bs. Jan Juc Journey Time: 25 minutes from Aireys InletStop Time: 50 minutes. The ocean views from almost everywhere in the cottage (including the bed) were just amazing. There were a few people around then (and some photographers just leaving) but it was still quiet. TheKennett River Koala Walkis the perfect place to get your fix. Another good stop in Aireys Inlet is Fairhaven Beach. The drive from Lorne to Apollo Bay is the most scenic section of the Great Ocean Road. Port Campbell is a tiny town, but its a great base for the Twelve Apostles. The sun doesnt set behind the arch but the cliffs look beautiful in the glowing light. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And your Great Ocean Road route should not miss out on two other attractions nearby either. These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy: Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions Do you think that will be possible that time of year or do we have to book in advance ? We stayed in one of the modern, luxury cottages at Anchors at Port Campbellon a farm a few kilometres inland from Port Campbell. Having your own vehicle is highly recommended so you can really explore all the things to see on the Great Ocean Road, as it really is one of the Australias top destinations. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Melbourne to Lorne via Geelong and Geelong in around 3h 53m. However, you can take the train to Geelong, take the walk to Geelong, then take the bus to Lorne Visitor Centre/Great Ocean Rd. We loved the quiet location.
There's a couple of fun things to see in the area including Battery Hill, an old fort, and a beautiful port . Next we stocked up on supplies at the Foodworks supermarket (theres no big supermarket in Port Campbell) and bought a snack from the Apollo Bay Bakery.
If you have one night/ two days to spend on the Great Ocean Road, I would follow the strategy above and drive directly to Port Campbell to get there before the tour buses. On a clear sunny day and depending on the tide you can get pretty close. So you may get lucky to lay your eyes on some of these cute local beach dwellers. Its not the best quality chocolate, but we still enjoyed it. Its most popular in summer (December to February) when you can enjoy the beaches. But all the views are spectacular on this stretch of the Great Ocean Road Trip. Get the reverse directions for a Theres no real need to stop in Colac, but as the inland route back to Melbourne along the A1 passes through, we stopped for lunch. Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation Kennett River is known as one of the best spots on the Great Ocean Road to see koalas, and it didnt disappoint. If you have a full day in the area, a fun detour off the Great Ocean Road is to follow some of the 12 Apostles Gourmet Food Trail.
Least Humid States On The East Coast,
Pottery Barn Distribution Center Locations,
What Are The Chances Of Getting Drafted To War,
Solitary As An Oyster Pee Paragraph,
Articles M