The Great Ocean Road Splendour

Melbourne

Your Australian adventure begins in Victoria’s state capital with a private transfer to your hotel. QT Melbourne’s urban chic design sets the stage perfectly for your time in this cosmopolitan city.  
Enjoy free time before collecting your hire car ready to set off the next day. 

Melbourne - Mornington Peninsula

Drive from Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula, famed for its natural beauty and gourmet delights. Choose how to spend the new few days, perhaps visiting local wineries, browsing boutique shops, unwinding at a geothermal spa or simply relaxing on one of the area’s stunning beaches.  

Flinders - Apollo Bay

It’s a 50 minute drive to Sorrento followed by a 40 minute car ferry journey across the water to Queenscliff. The ferry runs hourly from 7 am and it is advisable to pre-book your preferred time. From here head west and join the Great Ocean Road. Enjoy spectacular scenery as you drive coupled with the added splendour of the lush Otway Ranges. En route, stop off in Torquay, often referred to as the surfing capital of Australia and home to Bells Beach, where world-famous surfing competitions attract top talent.  
Arrive in Apollo Bay, with its beautiful beach and easy access to Otway National Park, where the verdant rainforest is a haven for wildlife. 

Apollo Bay – Port Fairy 

Depart Apollo Bay and drive towards Port Fairy, pausing to stretch your legs and take in the views at Port Campbell, a small crayfishing village. Marvel at the impressive rock formations of the Blow Hole and Elephant Rock and pass by Mutton Bird Island, a breeding ground for the short-tailed shearwater, on the way. Day six’s undisputed highlight has to be the Twelve Apostles. Take in the panoramic views of the limestone stacks rising dramatically from the sea, one of the country’s most photographed, and most iconic, natural landmarks.
Later, arrive at the charming coastal town of Port Fairy and settle into your hotel.    
 

Port Fairy

Set alongside the Moyne River, Drift House is just a short walk from the picturesque East Beach. Enjoy a lazy day unwinding on the sand before a refreshing swim and a seafood meal at one of the waterfront restaurants. If you’re visiting between June and September, a whale-watching tour offers the chance to spot Southern Right and Humpback Whales.

Port Fairy – Robe

Continue along the coast towards the seaside town of Robe, where colonial-era architecture reflects its maritime past as an important port for the export of wool, as well as a gateway for immigrants arriving from Europe.  

Robe - Adelaide

Travel to Kingston and join the Princes Highway to Murray Bridge. Kingston is the beginning of ‘Lobster Country’ and a photo stop at ‘Larry the Lobster’, a large sculpture on display at a local restaurant, is a must. Drive onward to Victor Harbour, a popular seaside town. Here you can take a horse-drawn tram out to Granite Island, home to wallabies and penguins.  

As you get nearer to Adelaide, there’s time to explore the wineries of McLaren Vale and Hahndorf, a historic German village in the Adelaide Hills. Browse the quaint shops and grab a traditional snack before continuing your drive into South Australia’s capital city.