A week along the Great Ocean Road and into the Grampians. Surf coast classics, the Twelve Apostles, koalas in the wild at Kennett River, and sandstone wilderness inland.
DAYS
7
STOPS
28
DISTANCE
900000 km
OPEN ON DESKTOP TO CLONE THIS TRIP
THE ROUTE · 28 STOPS
DAY 01
DEPART
DEPART
Melbourne CBD
CBD, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Coffee at Patricia, then onto the M1.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Bells Beach
Bells Beach VIC 3228, Australia
Spiritual home of Australian surfing. Easter Rip Curl Pro is held here.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Torquay & Surf Coast Walk
1 The Esplanade, Torquay VIC 3228, Australia
Australian National Surfing Museum + a stretch of the Surf Coast Walk.
DAY 02
PHOTO
PHOTO
Erskine Falls
Erskine Falls Access Rd, Lorne VIC 3232, Australia
30-m fall in Otway Ranges rainforest. 250 steps down to the base.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Memorial Arch (Eastern View)
689/721 Great Ocean Rd, Eastern View VIC 3231, Australia
WWI memorial spanning the road. Compulsory photo stop.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Kennett River koalas
DAY 03
PHOTO
PHOTO
Cape Otway Lightstation
Otway, Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway VIC 3233, Australia
Mainland Australia's oldest working lighthouse, 1848.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Twelve Apostles
Great Ocean Rd & Booringa Rd, Princetown VIC 3269, Australia
The icon. Late afternoon light is best, but the parking lot empties at 4 pm.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Loch Ard Gorge
DAY 04
PHOTO
PHOTO
Bay of Islands
Bay Of Islands, Northland Region, New Zealand
Two viewing platforms. Quieter than the Apostles, often more dramatic.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
105 Lake View Rd, Tower Hill VIC 3283, Australia
Volcanic crater with kangaroos, emus, koalas. Free guided walks from the visitor centre.
SLEEP
SLEEPnext day
DAY 05
PHOTO
PHOTO
The Pinnacle
The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, 150 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201, USA
4.6 km return through the Wonderland slot canyons. Iconic clifftop finish.
PHOTO
PHOTO
MacKenzie Falls
57 Cranages Rd, Zumsteins VIC 3401, Australia
Year-round 35-m fall. Steep walk down — and back up.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Boroka Lookout
DAY 06
PHOTO
PHOTO
Sovereign Hill, Ballarat
Bradshaw St, Golden Point VIC 3350, Australia
Recreated 1850s gold-rush town. Pan for actual gold flecks in the creek.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Werribee Open Range Zoo
K Rd, Werribee South VIC 3030, Australia
Safari-bus through African plains animals. Last bus 15:40 — check times.
SLEEP
SLEEPnext day
DAY 07
FOOD
FOOD
Queen Victoria Market
Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Borek, fresh oysters, the world's most photographed bratwurst stand.
PHOTO
PHOTO
Hosier Lane
Hosier Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Peak Melbourne street art. Re-painted weekly.
STOP
STOP
Melbourne Airport
PHOTO
PHOTO
Anglesea Golf Club kangaroos
45 Golf Links Rd, Anglesea VIC 3230, Australia
Hundreds of eastern grey kangaroos lounging on the fairways. Tour buggy available.
SLEEP
SLEEPnext day
Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park
2 Great Ocean Rd, Lorne VIC 3232, Australia
Great Ocean Rd, Kennett River VIC 3234, Australia
Walk Grey River Road and look up. Reliable wild koala sightings.
FOOD
FOOD
Apollo Bay Pier
6MVG+6P, Apollo Bay VIC 3233, Australia
Fish & chips at Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-op. Sit on the grass.
SLEEP
SLEEPnext day
Bimbi Park, Cape Otway
90 Manna Gum Dr, Cape Otway VIC 3233, Australia
'Camping under koalas'. They live in the eucalypts overhead — literally.
Great Ocean Road Port Campbell, Port Campbell VIC 3269, Australia
Walk down to the beach inside the gorge. Story of the Loch Ard wreck on the signage.
PHOTO
PHOTO
London Arch
Great Ocean Rd, Peterborough VIC 3270, Australia
Was 'London Bridge' until 1990 when the inner span collapsed with two tourists on top.
SLEEP
SLEEPnext day
Port Campbell YHA
Great Ocean Rd, Port Campbell VIC 3269, Australia
Halls Gap (Grampians)
Dunkeld Highway, Halls Gap VIC 3381, Australia
Pub dinner at Halls Gap Hotel. Wallabies on the lawn at dawn.
