Great Ocean Road Tours & Day Trips

Great Ocean Road tours from Melbourne reach the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and the Otways in a single day, with options for small groups, hikers, sunset chasers and anyone who'd rather start at the far end of the route. The list also takes in wildlife tours, Aboriginal cultural tours at Budj Bim and a few day trips away from the coast. Surf lessons and skydives are on the Great Ocean Road activities page.

Which Great Ocean Road day tour from Melbourne?

The Great Ocean Road Day Tour with Melbourne Transfers is a popular choice. Go West Tours runs it as a small group trip with hotel pick-ups between 7.00am and 8.00am, morning tea in Torquay, koala spotting in the Great Otway National Park and lunch at Apollo Bay, plus the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. National park fees are included, and it returns to Melbourne at around 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

Start time changes what you see. The Reverse Great Ocean Road Tour leaves at 7.40am and begins at the far end of the route, so the 12 Apostles come early in the day. The Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour picks up between 9.00am and 11.00am (seasonal) and reaches the 12 Apostles at golden hour.

The Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles & Otways Day Tour from Hike and Seek suits walkers, with a 3km return hike to Beauchamp Falls, the Californian Redwoods and Gibson Steps. It picks up at Luna Park in St Kilda at 7.05am or the St Kilda Road taxi rank at 7.30am. The private version caps the group at 8 guests and collects you from the CBD.

For a meal-inclusive day, the Great Ocean Road and Wildlife Day Tour with Meals covers morning tea, lunch at Akuna Anglesea, a hands-on koala encounter and the Twelve Apostles.

Wildlife tours on and near the Great Ocean Road

At Wildlife Wonders in Apollo Bay, the Walk with Wildlife Guided Conservation Tour is a 75-minute walk along an all-abilities path, with sessions every hour from 10am to 3pm. The Otways Wildlife Sanctuary Dusk Discovery Tour is a 90-minute after-hours version, with a light meal before or after.

From Queenscliff Harbour, the Dolphin and Seal Swim Tour in Queenscliff is a 3.5-hour snorkel with wetsuit, mask and fins provided, and the Wildlife Sightseeing Tour is a 90-minute cruise for non-swimmers. Both run from October to May, and sightings can't be guaranteed.

Aboriginal cultural tours at Budj Bim

Gunditjmara guides lead the tours at Budj Bim, a World Heritage listed cultural landscape in south-west Victoria. The Tae Rak Cultural Tour is a 2-hour walk at Lake Condah, starting at 10.00am and 2.00pm. The Tungatt Mirring Stone Country Half Day Tour heads into Budj Bim National Park for the volcanic crater, lava tunnels and caves, and the Kooyang Yana Cultural Full Day Tour adds stone eel traps, morning tea and a light lunch.

Melbourne day trips beyond the coast

The Phillip Island Penguins Day Tour stops at Moonlit Sanctuary and The Nobbies before the Penguin Parade at sunset. In the Yarra Valley, the Yarra Valley Grazing Tour strings together tastings at Rochford Wines, Coldstream Dairy and Stag Lane Distillery.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do the Great Ocean Road in one day from Melbourne?

Yes. The Great Ocean Road Day Tour with Melbourne Transfers covers the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and the Great Otway National Park in one day, returning to Melbourne at around 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

How long is a Great Ocean Road day tour?

Plan on a 12 to 14-hour day from pick-up to drop-off. The Reverse Great Ocean Road Tour leaves at 7.40am and returns at around 8.30pm.

Which Great Ocean Road tour includes a hike?

The Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles & Otways Day Tour includes a 3km return hike to Beauchamp Falls, and no bushwalking experience is needed.

Are national park fees included in Great Ocean Road tours?

Yes, on the Great Ocean Road Day Tour with Melbourne Transfers, the Sunset Tour, the Reverse Great Ocean Road Tour and the Hike and Seek day tour.

Choose a Great Ocean Road tour by start time and pace, then book it online for the date you want.