Australia is home to many unique sights and attractions, from the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, to Rottnest Island and its mischievous colony of quokkas off the coast of Perth in Western Australia. Whilst we’ve explored a good deal of Australia’s most iconic destinations, one state that often gets overlooked by international travellers is Victoria, a small state on Australia’s southern coast and southeastern coast.
Renowned for the city of Melbourne, the state’s capital, most international tourists don’t realise that Victoria as a state has so much more to offer than just coffee, art, and the Australian Open tennis tournament. Victoria is also home to some of Australia’s best road trips, from the Great Alpine Highway connecting all of Victoria’s alpine country to the world famous Great Ocean Road that hugs the state’s beautiful southern coastline.
If you’re looking to tick a Great Ocean Road road trip off your Australian travel bucket list, today’s itinerary is just for you.
You may also be interested in reading this 5-day Gold Coast Travel Itinerary that I wrote a few years ago, during a blog-trip with Queensland Tourism.
5 Day Great Ocean Road Travel Itinerary
Here’s my recommended travel guide for getting the most out of your time along the Great Ocean Road.
Day 1: Melbourne to Torquay
The Great Ocean Road stretches for 243 kilometres (or 151 miles), running from Torquay in the east to Warrnambool in the west. If you’re hiring a car and travelling from Melbourne, however, you’ll need to get to the highway’s official starting point in Torquay.
It’s a 105 km drive between Melbourne to Torquay so we definitely recommend at least having a pit stop in Torquay before hitting the highway. But rest assured, once you walk around this little town, you won’t want to set off again for a while.
Torquay is a beautiful surf town, located along the southeast Victorian coastline. If your idea of a perfect holiday, relaxation and peace is getting to be one with the sand and waves, you’ll absolutely love this beach town. There’s also plenty of accommodation in Torquay that boast beach views, so we definitely recommend taking a beat here and enjoying some Torquay surf and sand before you hit the open road.
Torquay is also home to one of Australia’s most iconic surf spots: Bells Beach. A little less flashy than Bondi Beach in Sydney, Bells Beach is renowned for its totally tubular waves year-round, as well as its annual surf contest. Fun fact: the Bells Beach Classic (now known as the Rip Curl Pro) is actually the longest continuously running professional surfing competition in the world, with the first ever surf tournament taking place in 1962.
Apart from beautiful Bells, there are a number of coastline hideaways here, as well as Torquay’s namesake beach, perfect for anyone who wants a quiet morning walk along the sand. Feel free to explore the town as well, with attractions such as the Australian National Surfing Museum.
Day 2: From Torquay to Anglesea
From salty surf to salted caramel, there are some sweet treats awaiting you in Anglesea. So if you’re feeling a bit peckish after plenty of surfing in Torquay, the second day of your 5 day Great Ocean Road trip is going to deliver more fun.
Between Torquay and Anglesea and in the small town of Bellbrae, you’ll find the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. Here, you can indulge all your chocolate desires, while also having some great ice cream along the way. The venue also offers high tea for those wanting to be truly decadent.
Fuelling up at the chocolaterie is also highly recommended before you arrive in Anglesea, another coastal town that’s a fan favourite amongst Victorians who love to hike. Yes, Anglesea’s main attraction is its abundance of coastal walking trails and lookout points. With plenty of signage sharing ecological and conservation insights, there’s plenty to learn about Victoria’s southeastern coastline right here in Anglesea.
After a bite in town for lunch or dinner, you’ll also love walking along Anglesea’s white sand beaches or looking out over the towering cliffs before heading in for the evening at some of the locale’s many cosy accommodation options.
Day 3: Anglesea, Lorne and the Otways
Day 2 didn’t have much driving, but Day 3 of your Great Ocean Road trip will see you spanning at least 86 km and a few different destinations that include plenty of walking and hiking trails, so feel free to get an early start.
Your first stop is the quiet town of Lorne. Here, you can explore an eclectic array of local art galleries, as well as beautiful lookouts, such as Teddy’s Lookout for the perfect panoramic snapshot of Victoria’s coastline. And for those of you who want to escape into the trees, we highly recommend taking the Erskine Falls walking trail to the 30 metre high waterfall itself.
After a little exploration in Lorne, it’s finally time to set off to the Otways, one of the Great Ocean Road’s most beloved attractions. This rich rainforest canopy has a number of unique tours to explore, with trails and treetop walks that allow you to really lose yourself amongst the California Redwood trees that call this region home.
From looking across at luscious waterfalls to walking amongst the towering Redwoods that wind through the dense hinterland, and the abundance of Australian native wildlife, the Otways are a patch of untamed wilderness that capture all the wild glory of regional Victoria.
Day 4: Port Campbell
While leaving the Otways may trigger a little heartache, rest assured that there are great things waiting for you at your next destination: Port Campbell. After the 72 km drive, you will be greeted by one of Victoria’s most iconic natural attractions. We are of course, speaking about the stretch of limestone monoliths that are famously referred to as the Twelve Apostles.
Known for their unique stacked appearance and the fact that they stand stalwartly out at sea, the Twelve Apostles tell a fascinating geological story about the history of Victoria’s coastline. Formed over millions of years by the waves and winds carving away at the coastline’s cliff faces, the Twelve Apostles are a testament in themselves to the forces of nature.
There are plenty of other natural attractions and lookout points to explore around the Twelve Apostles, however, so we strongly recommend carving out some time in your itinerary to visit the Loch Ard Gorge, The Baker’s Oven, and Sparks Gully just to name a few of the attractions that also lie along the roadway to Port Campbell, your last stop of the day.
Port Campbell also gives you the opportunity to explore wildlife parks and a flourishing art scene, as well as boutique shops and bakeries. If you want to sample some of this town’s culinary delights, we recommend arriving no later than 4pm, as most of the country cafes do close up before dark.
Day 5: Warrnambool
At last, on your day of your 5-day Great Ocean Road trip, you pull into Warrnambool and the finish line of this magnificent road trip. Warrnambool offers a perfect place to relax from a gruelling drive. Here, you can relax in local hot springs, and ease those stuff, aching muscles, to whale watching from the beaches, depending on the time of year.
Warrnambool is also home to some beautiful botanic gardens, museums, and cafes and restaurants, so you can feel free to indulge in some of the local cultural offerings to finish off your Great Ocean Road adventures.
Conclusion: Great Ocean Road In Victoria, Australia
Travelling across the Great Ocean Road will see you experience many of Victoria’s most picturesque attractions, making this quick trip a must-do for those who are anticipating a visit to Australia’s garden state.
And if you do try following this itinerary, let us know if you followed it to a tee or added your own attractions here and there along the way. The towns along the Great Ocean Road are vibrant and active, so there are new local attractions to take in every year and every season. For this reason, we also highly recommend looking at some of the local calendars to see what’s happening from town to town during your stay!
