Great Ocean Road Group Tour from Melbourne: the Classic Day
Thirteen hours west from Melbourne in a small group, with morning tea at Torquay, koala spotting at Kennett River and the afternoon on the Shipwreck Coast.
In shortThis is the classic west-bound day along the coast: 13 hours from Melbourne in a small group, with pickup from selected hotels between 7am and 8am and a return around 8:30pm to 9:30pm. Stops include Torquay, the Memorial Arch, Kennett River, Apollo Bay, Mait's Rest, the Twelve Apostles, Gibson Steps and Loch Ard Gorge, with commentary in English from the driver-guide. It suits travellers who want the familiar order of the route without sitting in a full-size coach.
13 htour length
from $98per adult
★ 4.8354 reviews
What this Great Ocean Road group tour covers
The route runs west out of Melbourne and picks up the memorial road at Torquay, the start of the 242 kilometres that end at Allansford. Morning tea is handed out at the first stop, national park fees are in the price, and there is WiFi on board. The vehicle is air-conditioned and the group is kept small, which matters most at Kennett River, where large tour coaches are not permitted to enter or stop within the precinct.
Timing follows the classic west-bound order: the Otways around the middle of the day, the Shipwreck Coast in the afternoon. The Twelve Apostles precinct at the corner of the Great Ocean Road and Booringa Road, Princetown, has run on bookings since 16 October 2026, and tour operators can reserve arrival slots up to four months ahead, which is further out than most individual visitors manage. Coaches and coasters use their own boom gate on Booringa Road.
Two meals sit outside the price. Lunch is at Apollo Bay and dinner is at Colac on the way home, both at your own expense, and the guide's suggestion at Apollo Bay is take-away eaten down by the beach. Bring layers whatever the month: Apollo Bay averages 21.9 degrees C in January and 13.1 degrees C in July, and the wind off Cape Otway runs stronger in late winter.
Small-Group Great Ocean Road Classic Day Tour from Melbourne
Hotel pickup, WiFi on board, national park fees and morning tea at Torquay, then the coast in the usual west-bound order as far as Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles.
Great Ocean Road240 min Pickup from your selected hotel between 7am and 8am, then the coast road itself, which accounts for most of the driving time across the day.
Torquay45 min Forty-five minutes in Torquay, the surf town at the eastern end of the memorial road. Morning tea is provided here by the guide.
Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway10 min A ten-minute photo stop at the Memorial Arch, where the guide explains how more than 3,000 returned servicemen built the road between 1919 and 1932 and what it meant for the towns along the coast.
Kennett River20 min Twenty minutes looking up into the gums at Kennett River, halfway between Lorne and Apollo Bay, for koalas and the local birds. View from the trail or the designated area, and do not feed or touch anything.
Apollo Bay45 min Lunch break of 45 minutes at Apollo Bay, at your own expense. Take-away from the shops and a walk to the beach is the quickest way to use the time.
Mait's Rest30 min A gentle half-hour loop through temperate rainforest in the Great Otway National Park, under tree ferns and old myrtle beech.
The Twelve Apostles45 min Forty-five minutes at the Twelve Apostles, viewing the limestone stacks from the platforms. The precinct has accessible trails, restrooms, shelters and a cafe.
Gibsons Steps45 min Gibson Steps, where you can stay on the clifftop or take the stairs down to the sand. Beach access reopened in February 2026 after geotechnical inspections and can close again at short notice.
Loch Ard Gorge45 min Loch Ard Gorge, named after the clipper Loch Ard, wrecked on Mutton Bird Island in 1878. Beach access reopened in late October 2026 after safety repair works.
Colac30 min A 30-minute dinner stop at Colac on the inland run home, at your own expense. Dining options are limited, so bringing your own food is accepted.
Photos: ours and the tour operator's
What is included
Included
WiFi on board
Pickup from selected hotels
National park fees
Morning tea
Friendly and informative tour guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Not included
All meals and drinks apart from morning tea, which are at your own expense
Gratuities
Meeting point, pickup and cancellation
Pickup is available only from the list of hotels shown at checkout. Pickup falls between 7am and 8am depending on the hotel chosen, and the exact time is confirmed after booking.
Return to Melbourne is approximately 8:30pm to 9:30pm.
Cancellation: full refund if cancelled at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Ages: infant 0-3, child 4-15, adult 16+
How this group tour compares with the other small-group days
The classic west-bound order on this page reaches the Apostles in the afternoon and keeps the group small. The 11-hour minivan day is the shortest option on the site and suits anyone who wants fewer hours seated; the wildlife day with lunch removes the two own-expense meal stops; the Otways-focused day puts more walking into the schedule.
Tour
Length
From
Rating
Small-Group Great Ocean Road Classic Day Tour from Melbourne (this page)
Thirteen hours, from $98, small group, hotel pickup between 7am and 8am and national park fees included. Check the current departure dates on the operator's page.
