Guide · Victoria road trips ·
Great Ocean Road drive: stops and how long to allow
Great Ocean Road drive plans work best with one rule: allow a full day. The road runs along Victoria's south-west coast from Torquay to the edge of Warrnambool, close to Allansford. You can drive it in a few hours without stopping. With stops at the beaches, the lighthouse and the Twelve Apostles, a day is the least you will want.
This guide gives a simple plan from Torquay to Allansford, rough driving times and tips for a winding coast road.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road (version of 2 May 2008); The Official Great Ocean Road website (May 2008).
The road in brief
The Great Ocean Road was built by about 3,000 returned servicemen as a war memorial for those killed in the First World War. Surveying began in 1918, and building ran from 1919 to 1932. The section from Eastern View to Lorne was finished in 1922. The last stretch, from Lorne to Apollo Bay, was done in 1932, which completed the road.
The road starts at Torquay and heads west. It passes Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Lavers Hill and Port Campbell. It ends where it meets the Princes Highway at Allansford, near Warrnambool. Published lengths for the whole route differ, so do not plan by one figure. Plan by time instead.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road (version of 2 May 2008).
How long to allow
Plan on slow driving. The road bends all the way, and the coast is hard to ignore. Out of towns the speed limit is 80 to 100 km/h, but the sharp curves make those speeds hard to reach. Speed cameras are set at intervals along the road. Here is a sensible split of a long day, with our own rough estimates of drive times between the main towns.
| Leg | Rough drive | What to see |
|---|---|---|
| Torquay to Lorne | About 1 hour | Surf beaches, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet |
| Lorne to Apollo Bay | About 1 hour | Cliff road, rainforest, ocean views |
| Apollo Bay to Cape Otway and back | About 1.5 hours | Cape Otway lighthouse |
| Apollo Bay to Port Campbell | About 2 hours | Forest, then farmland and cliffs |
| Port Campbell to Allansford | About 1 hour | Coast, then the Warrnambool area |
That adds up to about six hours at the wheel, plus time at each stop. Most visitors start from Melbourne, so add the trip to Torquay too. If you have two days, sleep at Apollo Bay or Port Campbell and see the best stretch in daylight.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road (version of 2 May 2008). Drive times are our own estimates.
The main stops
Torquay and Anglesea. The road starts at the surf town of Torquay, near Bells Beach. Beaches along this stretch are good for a short walk before the road starts to climb.
Lorne. The main beach looks over Louttit Bay, with hills curving around it like an amphitheatre. Teddy's Lookout is not far from the main street. Erskine Falls is a 15 minute drive inland, and there are forest walks around town.
Kennett River and Apollo Bay. Kennett River is a popular spot to look for koalas. Apollo Bay is a good place for lunch and fuel. Past it, the road runs through the Great Otway National Park, which has some of the last temperate rainforest in southern Australia.
Cape Otway. A short side trip leads to the lightstation. Its light has burned without a break since 1848, and it is the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Australian mainland. For many migrants it was the first sight of land after months at sea.
Twelve Apostles. The most famous stop is the group of limestone rock stacks off the coast near Port Campbell. Waves and rain have carved the cliffs here. Nearby sights include the Grotto and London Arch, which was known as London Bridge until part of it fell.
Loch Ard Gorge. It lies a few kilometres past the Apostles, about 10 minutes by car. The clipper Loch Ard ran aground nearby on 1 June 1878. Of the 54 people aboard, only two survived. Plaques at the site tell the story, and stairs lead down to the beach.
Sources for this section: Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road (version of 2 May 2008); Cape Otway Lightstation website (9 May 2008); Wikipedia, Loch Ard Gorge (version of 14 March 2008).
Driving safely
- Keep left and stay alert. Many visitors are used to driving on the right, and the bends and cliffs leave little room for mistakes.
- Do not rush. The road has one lane each way, and slow vehicles are common. Pull into a lookout or a pull-off and let traffic pass.
- Share the road. Cyclists and caravans use it too, especially on weekends.
- Stay behind the fences at the cliffs. The limestone is soft and edges can give way. The sea is cold, and large waves can reach low rock shelves.
- Fill up in towns. Fuel stops are far apart between Apollo Bay and Port Campbell.
- Rest when tired. Tiredness is a real risk after a long day of bends.
Check for road closures before you leave. The official Great Ocean Road website listed night closures between Lorne and Skenes Creek in April 2008, so works can change your plans.
Sources for this section: The Official Great Ocean Road website (May 2008); Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road (version of 2 May 2008).
When to go
Book ahead through summer, and especially around Christmas and New Year, because rooms fill fast. The official site gives this advice too. Autumn and spring are usually quieter. Winter brings big seas and fewer cars, but the weather can turn fast, so pack a jacket. Whatever the season, leave early so you reach the Twelve Apostles with daylight to spare.
A good plan has a few fixed stops and plenty of slack. Pick the lighthouse and the Apostles first, then fit in beaches, waterfalls and cafes as time allows.
Sources for this section: The Official Great Ocean Road website (May 2008).
Sources
- Wikipedia, Great Ocean Road, version of 2 May 2008: web.archive.org
- Wikipedia, Loch Ard Gorge, version of 14 March 2008: web.archive.org
- Cape Otway Lightstation, home page, 9 May 2008: web.archive.org
- The Official Great Ocean Road website, home page, May 2008: web.archive.org