3 Days on the Great Ocean Road -

The Great Ocean Road is one of the most famous destinations on an Australian road trip. There are so many iconic landmarks and photographed locations here that it is a definite must-see. However what makes it so special? What actually is there to do? Well, we hope this itinerary gives you a guideline of some of the incredible places and activities this road trip staple has to offer.

For our trip, we started from the east and headed west. The closest major city is Melbourne. It is a 1 hour 40 minute drive from the city centre to our first location. If you’re flying in, this would be the best place to start your road trip.

This 243km stretch of road starts in Torquay and ends in Allansford, which is a short 15 minute drive from the city of Warrnambool which offers more things to end the journey with. From Warrnambool, you can carry on towards Adelaide and fly out from there. Although, this is a 600km, 7 hour drive to the Adelaide airport. Alternatively you can turn back around and drive the road again and stop at the multitude of beach towns. On the other hand, you ca drive inland back towards Melbourne which is quicker but less scenic, taking around 3 hours to complete.

The drive itself is approximately 4 hours in total, taking you along Australia’s south coast. With waterfalls, wildlife, beautiful beaches and historic buildings, there is something for everyone.

There are several national parks that we visited including the Great Otway National Park and Port Campbell National Park. Unlike other states in Australia there are no fees or parks passes required. However some of the locations have donation boxes that help keep the attractions funded. If you need to hire a car for your trip, take a look here to see what is available.

Disclosure : Some links provided on this blog are Affiliate links. They are recommended to be useful and assist your travel experience.

Day 1

Bells Beach

Our first stop was Bells Beach in Torquay for sunrise. Watching the day begin at the start of the line means you have all day to fit everything in. Plus, by the middle of the day everything gets extremely busy with tourists, so we recommend getting going early. Not to mention how stunning it is seeing the sun peer out above the water on the horizon.

To find accommodation in Torquay take a look at Booking.com or Trip Advisor for the best deals.

sunrise at bells beach along the great ocean road

Memorial Arch

Did you know the Great Ocean Road is actually the worlds largest war memorial? Officially opening in 1932, work on this road commenced in 1919 to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives in World War 1. There is a plaque and information here regarding this, as well as the famous arch sign with the “Great Ocean Road”. Here people stop to get photos as well as pay their respects to the fallen. There is a car park located here so you can safely access this iconic landmark. The arch is a 30 minute drive from the beginning of the B100 at Bells Beach.

Erskine Falls, Lorne

This waterfall is the first one on the trip and is a sight to behold. It is a roughly 30 minute drive from the Memorial Arch which passes through the beach town of Lorne. A great place to stop and get breakfast or even go for a swim. Upon arriving at the car park, the walk is considerably straight forward. It took us 2 minutes down a few stairs to get to the upper lookout. From here a further 2 more minutes to go down a steeper flight of 230 stairs to get to the lower lookout.

Erskine Falls is a 30m cascade that is definitely worth the steps. Once at the bottom you are able to see it crashing against the rocks in front of you. If you’re feeling adventurous and have spare time there is a 7.5km walk back to Lorne along the Erskine River. The walk back up is harder than the way down but still relatively easy. There are benches to stop and catch your breath if needs be. The ascent took us 5 minutes to return to the car park.

Kennett River Nature Walk

40 minutes of driving from Lorne, leads you to a truly jaw-dropping experience by Kennett River. The Kennett River Nature Walk gives the opportunity to see Koalas in the eucalyptus trees near by. Although, this is not the best opportunity to see them. To the left of the Kafe Koala is Grey River Road, next to the Kennett River Caravan Park. This road is a sought after tourist location to find Koalas going about their business. We walked a couple of kilometres to find 6 in the morning. Yet the closest we saw one was right behind the caravan park, in someone’s driveway around mid-morning. Another bonus is there are also king parrots here as well as kangaroos, so there is plenty of wildlife to be found.

King parrot at kennett rive on the great ocean road

Triplet Falls

For this part of the trip we stayed inland to see more waterfalls along the Great Ocean Road. A 1 hour 15 minute drive to Triplet Falls from Kennett River was next on our agenda. This 2km loop trail through the luscious forest took us 30 minutes to complete. Although the sign does says to allow for an hour. It is graded as a moderate trail but other than some stairs the walk is easy enough.

The path starts with a well maintained dirt trail before parts of the track become a metal boardwalk. After 1km you arrive at the lower lookout along the creek. From here we couldn’t see much as it was over grown. Other hikers decided to use the small man made path to the left of the lookout and head down to the creek for a better view. It looked a bit too sketchy to us and we decided to stay on the path. From here you follow a few stairs to reach the upper lookout.

Allow time to take it in as the three cascades make for a sensational backdrop. There’s even a bench here for you to sit back and soak it all in. Even with little rainfall these falls are impressive to behold. On the 1km back to the car park you pass the remnants of an original Otway timber mill with information about its history.

Hopetoun Falls

The 3rd of 4 waterfalls in this section, Hopetoun Falls is 25 minutes from the previous stop. You drive through the town of Beech Forest where there are public toilets and phone service. After parking your car the walk is a short 1km out and back track, but is basically all stairs. It took us around 20 minutes to complete the walk. This included some time to absorb the 30m waterfall that powers into the Aire River. There is a viewing platform at the top, despite the fact it is overgrown with trees and restricts visibility. We highly recommend making the descent down the 200 stairs to the lower viewing deck.

The Redwoods Otways

Just a little bit further down the road only taking 3 minutes in the car hides the Redwood trees of the Great Otway National Park. As one of the stand-outs of the day, this is definitely worth the less than 5 minute detour. There is no specified walk time as it takes less than a minute to go from the car park into the dense Redwood forest. Just make sure to allow time to witness the wonders here. Feeling like you’ve been transported to California, it is easy to lose track of time staring at these wooden giants. An absolute must!

Beauchamp Falls campground

To finish the first day, we drove to Beauchamp Falls which takes just under 15 minutes from the Redwoods. Here there is a 3km out and back walk to the waterfall which is steep at points. Although a little strenuous, you are rewarded with an amazing 20m shower that pours into a swimming hole. After working up a sweat, cool down in this breathtaking fresh water. Basically the walk alone took us 40 minutes but the recommended time to allow is an hour. This didn’t include the 30 minutes we spent swimming in the chilly waters of the falls in the heart of the rainforest.

Also found here is a free campsite that offers toilets and a picnic area, as well as phone reception. There are spaces for mobile homes and caravans as well as car parks for people camping in tents. We suggest getting here early as it can fill up quite quickly. Especially on busy days like school holidays and public holidays. We spent the night here looking out over the mountain valleys.

If camping is not for you, there are plenty of other options for accommodation which you can look for here and here.

Day 2

Marriner’s Lookout

Day 2 of our Great Ocean Road road trip began with another early start to the day. Meaning we set off for the 1 hour drive from Beauchamp Falls campsite to Marriner’s lookout in Apollo Bay. We decided to leave early to watch the sunrise. A short 10 minute uphill walk from the carpark leads you out to a picturesque view of the town. This spectacular headland shows off the surrounding ocean and rolling hills.

Apollo Bay

10 minutes from the lookout is Apollo Bay Beach with perfect sand and clear blue water, enclosed by mountains. This beach is perfect for a swim to cool down – weather depending of course. Secondly there is also an op shop and a lovely beer garden in Apollo Bay. So if the weather doesn’t make for good swimming conditions nevertheless there’s something for you to indulge in!

With the beach so close to your door step, it is easy to see the temptation of wanting to spend a lot of time here. Some people may even use Apollo Bay as a base for their first few days on the Great Ocean Road. If you’re wanting to stay in Apollo Bay check out Booking.com or Trip Advisor to get some awesome deals on accommodation. If you’re looking for cheap accommodation it can be found here.

apollo bay beach on the great ocean road

Maits Rest Rainforest Walk

Around 15 minutes of driving lands you at this next pitstop. This easy 800m walk takes you through the rainforest of the Great Otway National Park. It took us approximately 15 minutes to complete and was very easy. The trail is all boardwalk that runs between gorgeous trees and wildlife. Therefore, this a great place to break up the drive and stretch your legs. If you’re lucky you may even see a koala! But we weren’t that fortunate.

Cape Otway Lightstation

20 minutes further up the road leads to the Cape Otway Lightstation, which is Australia’s oldest functional lighthouse. It’s considered “the most significant” lighthouse in the country. It was built in 1948 and sits 90m above the ocean of the Bass Strait. Opening times are from 9:30am – 5pm every day with last entry at 4:30pm. Entry is $20 for an adult but due to there being no access to the lantern room because of an earthquake last year, current ticket prices are $10. If arriving after hours like we did, you can still view the lighthouse from a distance along the out of hours walk. Otherwise try walking to the Cape Otway Lightstation Lookout, which is what we did. This took us around 15 minutes each way and starts from the far end of the car park.

Melba Gully for glow worms

A further 45-minute drive from the lightstation you arrive at Melba Gully, known as the Jewel of the Otways. If you get here after the sun has set, you are in for a real treat. The path starts to glisten with glow worms and you will be completely blown away. Be sure to take torches to help you along the way to the glow worms. You will know when you are close because the path will start to have hand rails. Please never shine your torch directly at the little creatures as it stops them from producing their ‘glow’. The 1.5km track takes about 35 minutes to complete but allow extra time to observe the almost extra-terrestrial surroundings.

* If you want to take photos, we took our pictures on a here, its cheap, easy to use, suitable for all phones and GoPro plus has a bluetooth remote to take photos with!

Wreck Track Gravel Pit free camp near Wattle Hill

This free campsite can be found on WikiCamps as it doesn’t appear on google maps. The coordinates are -38.747229° / 143.282941. It is roughly a 10 minute drive from the Melba Gully car park and is a great location to continue onwards along the Great Ocean Road. However, this campsite does not have facilities.

Alternatively search for accommodation along the great ocean road here or here.

Day 3

The 12 Apostles

The final day on the Great Ocean Road calls for the main event. Of course we went for sunrise at the 12 apostles. It is a 20 minute drive from the gravel pit campsite we stayed at the night before to the car park. One of Australia’s most famous sight seeing destinations, the 12 apostles have to make any Great Ocean Road list. If you’re up for it, the sunrise is worth the early wake up.

As you can see from our image, we were incredibly lucky for a rainbow to arch over the rocky sculptures. We knew right away that we were experiencing a truly once in a lifetime opportunity. Although this is rare, watching the sky transform over this wonder on the South Coast is definitely worth doing. The viewing platform for Castle Rock can be found by the 12 apostles. Although, it is currently closed whilst a new lookout is being built so ensure you check prior to visiting.

rainbow at the 12 apostles on the great ocean road

Gibson Steps

If you drive 2 minutes from the 12 apostles back to Gibsons steps, you can see 2 more natural sculptures. These beauties are called Gog & Magog, which are commonly mislabelled as part of the apostles. Leaving the car park you descend 86 steps to place yourself onto the beach. From here you can walk alongside the cliff face and get a closer look at these 2 giants in the sea. It is undeniably breathtaking to be up close and personal to these wonderful formations.

Loch Ard Gorge, Tom and Eva Lookout, The Razorback & Mutton Bird Island

Drive 7 minutes west to the Loch And Gorge car park where there are multiple lookouts. Here you can see many different rock formations among the Port Campbell National Park. The Loch Ard Gorge, Tom and Eva lookout, The Razorback and Mutton Bird Island are all within walking distance of each other. There are plaques with history about the formation of each landmark at their entrance. You can also access Thunder Cave, The Blowhole and Sherbrooke River from this area. Unfortunately, these were closed when we visited as the viewing platforms are being renovated.

Bakers Oven

Everything in the Port Campbell National Park is a close drive to each other. Only 5 minutes further up the road is another equally spectacular sight to see. A naturally formed shelf in an enormous rock makes this a popular attraction. If you go at the right tide you will be able to see the waves crash up into the rock. The water will spill out of the front of “the oven” creating a small waterfall effect.

Sparks Gully

This part of the national park is not signed on the road so it’s easy to miss. Another 5 minutes and you’ll find this hidden gem. A giant canyon which is just a short walk from the car park. However, this area does have no guard rails and is all along a cliff face so please tread carefully. This was the least busy attraction we saw. Besides a few other couples coming and going, we basically had this jagged coastline all to ourselves.

Port Campbell

This beach town is 5 minutes from Sparks Gully and is a perfect place to rest up or cool down for a swim. A blissful place in the sand with some quaint bars and restaurants, this is a brilliant rest spot to break up all the sightseeing or have a bite for lunch.

Port Campbell is another great town suitable for spending the night if you want those costal vibes. You can find cheap accommodation here or alternatively use Booking.com or Trip Advisor to find your beachside oasis.

port campbell beach on the great ocean road

London Bridge

Continuing along the Great Ocean Road for 10 minutes gets you to London Bridge. Like its namesake in England, this landmark used to actually be a bridge that connected to the mainland until 1990. Due to sea erosion it has formed a unique formation out at sea.

The Grotto

This is another sought after location to photograph and like the previous destinations, is unique in its own special way. A 5-minute drive from the London Bridge will get you to the car park. From here it is a simple 5 minute walk to reach the attraction. There are viewing platforms from the top, but heading down the stairs leads you to the cave which is quite the spectacle.

Childers Cove

The perfect way to finish your time in Port Campbell National Park is for sunset at Childers Cove. 25 minutes of driving gets you to the car park where there are several lookouts with spots to watch the sky transform as dusk hits. But if you don’t enjoy driving after the sun goes down this is still a great spot to visit. There are stairs that lead all the way down to the beach. If conditions are good you might be lucky enough to take a quick dip! Be careful though as the swell can get quite big. If you’re not a confident swimmer, stay out of the water as this cove is un-patrolled.

Panmure Campground & Hopkins Falls

If you drive 25 minutes inland from Childers Cove, you reach the end of the Great Ocean Road in Allansford. Not far from here is a free camp we highly recommend in the town of Panmure. Here there are toilets, a picnic area with a barbecue and a swimming hole. It is located along the river in the town of Panmure in a residential street. Please be respectful and leave the site as you found it by cleaning up after yourself and not being loud late at night.

Finally, our last recommended stop is only 10 minutes away from the campsite and is an unbelievable waterfall called Hopkins Falls. We woke up early the next day to watch the sun rise above the waterfall. We then spent time exploring the close city of Warrnambool, where there are plentiful shops and activities. The headland at Thunder Point was a great spot for us to unwind and take a minute before continuing onto the rest our journey beyond the Great Ocean Road.

End Of The Road

Overall, the Great Ocean Road exceeded our expectations. Since there is so much to experience and discover here you will never want this road trip be over. It is steeped in history and natural beauty. In our opinion, it is an absolute fundamental for any Australian road trip, creating moments we will cherish forever.

We have created this itinerary as a 3 day experience but you can definitely stretch this out over as many days as you like. If you want to have a few lazy beach days and soak up the sun, adding 2 or more days would be ideal. The little coastal towns are great places to chill out and slow down. However, we wanted to show you that even if you just had a weekend or a few days, you can still see so much!

If you are wanting to explore the Great Ocean Road from the sky or add an incredible bucket-list experience you will never forget, be sure to check out the top Great Ocean Road tours and experiences here or here.

3 Days on the Great Ocean Road