If you are driving from Melbourne and want time for the Great Ocean Road, coastal towns and the Twelve Apostles, allow three days. Visit Melbourne’s three-day touring route follows the coast from Torquay to Port Fairy and includes the Twelve Apostles.
Allow four days for longer walks and more time in the Otways and Port Campbell, while keeping driving days shorter. Five days lets you add Warrnambool or spend longer in smaller coastal towns.
A one-day return trip from Melbourne is possible but demanding. Driving estimates exclude time for meals and breaks. They also leave out time at lookouts, on walks and at other stops, leaving little time outside the car.
Three-day itinerary
The Great Ocean Road is commonly described as running from Torquay to Allansford, while Visit Melbourne’s three-day route continues to Port Fairy. The driving times below exclude sightseeing and time for meals and rest breaks. Allow extra time for lookouts and walking tracks, as well as the winding coastal sections.
Day one: Melbourne to Apollo Bay
Drive about 187 km in roughly three hours via Torquay, Anglesea and Lorne. Join the coastal route at Torquay, stop in Lorne for a meal or nearby lookout, then continue to Apollo Bay for the night.
Day two: Apollo Bay to Port Fairy
Allow about 189 km and three hours of driving, plus time in the Otways and along the Shipwreck Coast. Visit Cape Otway Lightstation if it fits your schedule, then continue through the Otways towards Port Campbell.
Stop at the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge before driving to Port Fairy for the night. This is the busiest sightseeing day. Stay in Port Campbell instead if you want more time at the Apostles and nearby walking tracks.
Day three: Return to Melbourne
The inland route via Colac covers about 288 km and takes roughly three and a half hours without stops. It is the most direct return to Melbourne after two days on the coast.
A coastal return takes longer. Plan another overnight stop rather than treating it as a quick drive.
When to allow four days
Four days gives you time to spread out the drive, spend longer in the Otways and explore the coast around Port Campbell. A practical overnight plan is Melbourne to Lorne, Lorne to Apollo Bay, Apollo Bay to Port Campbell, then Port Campbell to Melbourne via the inland route. The shorter driving days leave more time for walks, lookouts and coastal stops.
Add a fifth day if you want to continue west to Warrnambool. Visit the Grotto, London Bridge and the Bay of Islands between Port Campbell and Warrnambool, then allow time for walks or wildlife viewing at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve. The Visit Great Ocean Road five-day itinerary includes this western extension.
Logan’s Beach in Warrnambool is a seasonal whale-watching site. Whale sightings cannot be scheduled, so treat a sighting as a possible stop and do not base your stay booking on it.
Road conditions and bookings
Summer school holidays and long weekends are the busiest periods at popular stops. In winter, shorter daylight hours and wet or foggy Otways roads favour shorter driving days. Avoid winding coastal and forest roads after dark where possible.
Before leaving, use VicTraffic for road incidents and closures, and Parks Victoria temporary closures for parks, tracks and coastal sites. Recheck after heavy rain or strong winds.
From 16 October 2026, visitors to the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre will need to reserve an arrival time in advance, according to Visit Great Ocean Road. Allow for this reservation when planning a 2026 or later itinerary.
Book accommodation well ahead for school holidays and long weekends, especially if you need to stay in a particular town.
