Mark’s Melbourne private tours was a fantastic choice. The full day ocean road 12 Apostles was an experience. Mark is an excellent guide and made me feel at home from the moment we met. The sights were outstanding and this is a must see trip when visiting Melbourne. Not only was the ocean road full of breathtaking sites but as a bonus we experienced Kangaroos and Koalas along the route. Mark also recommended a great place in Apollo Bay to stop for lunch and had a perfect meal at the fisherman’s co-op. Memories of this trip will last a lifetime. Cheers Mark!
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Bottled water
- Local guide and 7 maximum guests. Please email if more than 7 for quotation
- Transport by private vehicle
Excludes
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Traveler pick up offered
Itinerary
Bells Beach, Australia's famous surf beach,home of the Easter Classic World Surf Championship Round.
Visit The 12 Apostles Visitor Centre & Loch Ard Gorge
Enjoy the stunning views over Gibson Steps or walk down onto the beach if tides & conditions allow.
Visit Apollo Bay, once a sleep fishing town, today gateway to the Limestone Coast.
Spot the local wildlife high up in the trees, native birds & koalas are usually sighted here.
Upmarket seaside town
View the coastal town of Anglesea and lookout for Kangaroos who roam the area.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
An absolutely unforgettable day on the Great Ocean Road! We had such an amazing experience from start to finish. The scenery along the Great Ocean Road was breathtaking, and we were incredibly lucky to see so much Australian wildlife, including lots of kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat — definitely one of the highlights of our trip! A very special thank you to our guide, Mark, who was absolutely wonderful. He was friendly, knowledgeable, passionate, and made the whole day so enjoyable. He shared so many interesting stories and facts along the way, always making sure everyone was comfortable and having a great time. Everything was perfectly organized, and the combination of spectacular landscapes, wildlife, and Mark’s fantastic guidance made this tour truly special. One of the best experiences we’ve had in Australia and a day we will remember for a long time. Highly recommended! 🇦🇺🐨🦘🌊
Fun sightseeing tour on the Great Ocean Road! We had Clare give us a wonderful tour of the gorge, 12 apostles, we stopped to see some koalas in the trees and kangaroos. We had a lovely lunch in a local town and learned about Melbourne and the small towns along the drive. The drive along the coast is beautiful. We recommend this company and avoiding the large tour buses. We were able to get out early and avoid the crowds. Thanks to Mark and Clare for making our visit very special!
A great tour to take to experience the history, beauty and wildlife up close with a friendly guide cum driver. Enjoyed!! Highly recommended!
Mark was punctual, great communicator, friendly, educated, everything you could hope for in a tour guide. He is a self professed Professional Koala Spotter and he is really good at it. We had a wonderful day thanks to Mark.
The trip one of highlights of our month-long trip to Australia. Marc was highly informative and knew exactly when and where to go to make the extra special. Seeing koalas and kangaroos in the wild made the day. Driving along the coast was breathtaking and our walk into the rain forest was truly amazing. To top it off our lunch at the seafood restaurant on the water was just perfect
We had the pleasure of doing a Great Ocean Road tour with Mark today, and it was fantastic from start to finish. My parents had done the same tour with Mark a few years ago and spoke so highly of it that we knew we had to try it too—and we’re so glad we did! Mark was incredibly kind, welcoming, and full of knowledge about every place we visited. His enthusiasm was contagious, making the tour both informative and enjoyable. He was always happy to answer questions or share fascinating stories about the landmarks, wildlife, and history of the area. The itinerary was perfectly paced, allowing us to take in breathtaking views—from the stunning coastal scenery to the iconic Twelve Apostles. We even had the chance to spot wild koalas and kangaroos, which made the day even more special. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide or a better day. If you’re considering a Great Ocean Road tour, I highly recommend going with Mark—you won’t be disappointed! Thank you, Mark, for an unforgettable day!
Mark was an amazing tour guide. He arrived early, took great care of my group and was very knowledgeable and accommodating. When initially planning for my group, Mark was the only tour company that offered services for a group larger than 12-15 people. He was very responsive and answered all of my initial questions. He made suggestions to enhance our tour experience which included going to see kangaroos. It was an amazing day and I’d highly recommend Mark and his Tour Company if you’re planning a trip to Melbourne.
My traveling group came booked a private tour from Melbourne and it did not disappoint. Mark was PHENOMENAL!!! Extremely knowledgeable about the Australian wildlife and geology. Took us to places to see kangaroos and kolas in the wild. He customized the trip based on our group and us plenty opportunities for photos, bathroom/food breaks, and small places for souvenir shopping. Highly recommend the tour as the outback landscape is breathtaking.
Mark is great and the tour was fun. We were a big group with differing abilities, Mark made the tour accessible to all. I was apprehensive of a 12 hour tour but the time flew by and we saw everything on my Australia bucket list.
The tour was amazing and our guide Mark was wonderful!!! We embarked on an adventure filled day, complete with kangaroo and koala sightings, finishing up with the 12 apostles. SPECTACULAR!
My wife and I started our tour after a long flight from New Jersey with Mark picking us up at airport and off to a city tour on the first day followed by a great tour of Yarra valley and along the great ocean road to adelaide. Mark is personable, knowledgeable and professional. We had great tours over the three days and could not have asked for anything more.
Grateful to Mark for leading us on an all day tour for one of our three days in Melbourne. We really enjoyed the Great Ocean Road tour including all the stops including the Twelve Apostles, Gibsons Steps (a good exercise), Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, Maits Rest rainforest, Bells Beach, and many other stops along the way. Having private guide is key since we could tailor trip and length of stops, and throw in a few unscheduled Koala and Kangaroo sightings along the way. Very comfortable and informative tour. The day was fantastic. Thank you Mark!
I was going to the Australian Open in Jan 2024 and wanted to take advantage of being in Melbourne and see some of the south coast scenery. I called a few tour companies, but I was late in planning the trip and all of them were booked for my available dates. I called Mark and he was booked as well, but he set me up with Peter who was a former tour guide that was now working part time. Mark handled all the details and everything went as planned. We did the trip in the reverse order of all the tour busses so we avoided all the crowds and had great day. Peter was great and we got to see the 12 (7 actually) apostles and all the beautiful cliffs and beaches along the south coast as well as some close encounters with koalas and kangaroos in the "wild". It was a great day and a highlight of the trip. Thanks to Mark for setting it all up and Peter for all his local knowledge on the tour and his recommendations for Melbourne places to see.
Fabulous tour of the Great Ocean Road! Mark picked us up promptly from our house in his spacious vehicle that fit all seven of us comfortably, and we chose to take the reverse route which allowed us to skip all the traffic of other tourists. The twelve apostles, rain forests, and long stretches of gorgeous coastline are a must see! Mark went above and beyond to make our experience memorable, even adjusting our itinerary once he realized that spotting koalas and kangaroos was also a priority of our group. I will say that because this tour covers so much ground, you are in the car for lengthy periods of time, but the sights are well worth it, and Mark kept us entertained with Australia facts and trivia during the ride. Awesome trip!
We did a two-day tour along the great ocean road with a night at Port Campbell. The third day we had a day tour to Philip Island and on day four Mark guided us through Melbourne city. Mark drives safely, is very friendly and shares lots of information, facts and stories along the way. He made sure the children (11 and 13) got involved as well. Mark proposed to do the great ocean road in reverse to make the best of the weather, which turned out to be an excellent choice. We spent the sunniest day in Port Campbell National Park which gave brilliant views of the 12 apostles and other rock formations. On the more cloudy second day we saw big groups of wild kangaroos and wild koalas!
Our family of 5 had a great day on the Great Ocean Road tour with Simon from Mark's Tours. The itinerary was all that is promised on the TripAdvisor site and more! Simon, our very professional and friendly driver/guide customized the day to suit our preferences, going out of the way to spot wildlife for us. The van was clean and comfy (a must for a 12-hour tour). In addition to all the coastal formations, we saw Koalas, Kangaroos (on a golf course), and sadly, (with Simon's sharp eye) even an echidna that lie dead on the side of the road.
Mark and his driver, Gary were both wonderful to spend the day with. Mark was very informative along the way accommodating by allowing for extra stops we requested. He made sure we didn’t spend too long at any one spot so we could do everything we had planned. He went out of his way to help us locate a koala in the wild! Water bottles and snacks were provided as well as a charging cable. Our van was very clean and comfortable. Highly recommended!
Mark and Gary did a great job for our family of 9. Mark communicated well ahead of the trip and was accommodating for the needs of our group. During the day Mark provided history of the area along with answering the barage of questions about all things Australia. Being a native of Melbourne gives him a good perspective of how things have changed over time and an intimate knowledge of all the areas we visited. We saw Koalas, Roos, and Wallabies as well a a number of different birds. Lunch in Apollo Beach was great as it had many choices for everyone and all were convenient to walk to. All in all it was a pleasant day with local mate.
Our family of 8 loved this private relaxing personalized tour of the scenic coastline, including the 12 apostles, the Razorback, beaches, and much wildlife! The Mercedes van was comfortable and roomy, and Mark could share his comments and love of this country side with us while Gary drove the winding roads. Everything was customized to our preferences and timeframe. A Delightful Day had by all! Highly recommend this dynamic duo- so kind and respectful of each person’s needs.
Mark was very friendly and engaging Made everyone of us on the trip comfortable and was flexible for some of our needs. He gave a great learning experience with information and pearls. His vehicle was clean and spacious (for the 4 of us) Highly recommend his services
We just had a fantastic day tour with Mark today. Since we only have one day in Melbourne (a stop of a cruise ship, we contacted Mark a few month ago to explore the possibility of touring the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles and the city, Mark was very responsive and arranged an itinerary that provided us a wonderful memorable experience. Riding in the comfortable car, we learned some history, culture, government and environment of Australia. Along the way, we saw cockatoos, parakeets, wild wallaby and Koala on the tree. The view of the twelve apostles and the great ocean road were breath taking. We even had time to walk down the Gibson’s steps, the gorge, and had a quick city tour at the end despite a little traffic jam on the way back. Thank you, Mark, for a perfect trip and you have shown us the friendly Aussie hospitality!
Our Great Ocean Road adventure with Mark was FABULOUS!!!! Mark went above and beyond on our all day journey. He ended our tour with a surprise treat bag that we are still enjoying. In additional to a fabulous day he also loaned us blankets to take with us to Phillips Island for the following day. Many thanks Mark!!!
Mark is simply one of the best guides we have ever had. Totally well cared for, figured out what schedule and sights would be best, and made for a truly memorable day. The sights themselves are some of the the best cliffs and I have ever seen. The koalas in nature, the Roos, and numerous birds were also great. I wholeheartedly suggest this tour if you have a day to do it.
Fantastic trip!! Thanks for Mark’s excellent itinerary arrangements and hospitality!! Managed to beat the traffic and see all what I want to :-)
The Twelve Apostles is an absolutely must, some stay longer but I did a day trip with Mark the tour guide and it was phenomenal. The weather was perfect, the sun was nice and warm and the views breathtaking. We stopped to see some birds, cockatoos, parakeets and other 10 different species I have no clue what they were. All I know is that they were gorgeous and if you wanted you could interact with them. I had a blast! We were driving down the Great Ocean Road and I spotted a Koala, we stopped and there were many!! Including a mommy with its Koala baby, what a precious moment! That couldn’t have happened if we were in a tour bus. We saw Kangaroos in the wild, maybe 10 of them, one was about 6 feet tall and stared us down. I had my Kangaroo hat on and felt fearless, what an adventure! Bottom line: this is one of the most beautiful places in the world and you have to see it. You do not want to rush your way in a packed bus with school kids, you want to take your time, take your selfies and appreciate life at its best. I’ve hired guides many times before, Mark is by far the best of them all.
We passed the most beautiful day in recent memory in Melbourne yesterday (February 13, 2019) with your tour guide, Simon. He is extremely knowledgeable. We not only learned about the Great Ocean Road construction but also the stories of the Apostles, how to best maneuver the helicopter line, the lineage of the kangaroos, the snakes, the history of Australia in bits and bites. (including some information on current events in your country). We came away feeling like our day trek gave us a completely new marvelous perspective on Australia. Simon was as hospitable a guide as we have ever met from any of our world travels. He was always at the ready, helping us to navigate the various terrain, was very helpful with my husband in a wheel chair. He even gave us postcards to remind us as to what we had seen. The three of us were laughing and learning the entire twelve hours. We had a simply wonderful day. Many many thanks for your guidance.
Mark was waiting for us at the designated time and following his advice, we beat the bus tours to the 12 Apostles. While there are no longer 12 Apostles, it is absolutely beautiful and Mark knew the places to take us to get a full perspective of this area. Mark's knowledge about the area, and his soft spoken enthusiasm, made us more aware of how precious this iconic landmark really is. Following Mark's advice, we had a wonderful lunch at Apollo Bay, and he took us to a number of beaches that were absolutely beautiful. It is a shame not to stick your feet in the water. Mark took us to a golf course, where we saw over 300 kangaroos, us close and personal. His knowledge of nature, was well appreciated while visiting the sites. Mark was cognizant of our time restraints, as we were on a cruise, and got us back to the ship in plenty of time.
Only being in Melbourne a couple of days we wanted to do as much as we could. Marked worked very hard to assure us of a great experience. Not only were the sights he chose outstanding but he made sure we got to see Kolas and Kangaroos. Mark was knowledgeable, personable and made sure we were completely satisfied. I have already recommended him to my partner and our travel agent. We will use him again. Carl Canton Ohio
My husband & I traveled to Australia for the first time on vacation in Oct. 2018. We had limited time in Melbourne & wanted to visit the Great Ocean Road. I searched online & found Mark's Melbourne Private Tours. So glad I found Mark! He was an absolute delight to work with. He was early for our pick up time at our hotel. And he has very extensive knowledge of the Great Ocean Road & Australia in general. We learned so much from him. We traveled with Mark all day & saw the following things during our travels with him in his very comfortable Mercedes Benz people mover! During our adventures with Mark we visited, Bells Beach, Lorne, Kennett River, GOR, Apollo Bay, 12 Apostles, Port Campbell, Loch Ard Gorge, Geelong, & Cape Otway Lighthouse. The highlight of our trip with Mark was seeing the Great Ocean Road & the Koala's in the wild at Kennett River. Mark even brought bird seed so we could also hand feed the birds where we saw the Koala's in the wild. We also loved seeing the Kangaroos as well! That was a lot of fun. We also enjoyed a lunch of fish & chips at Apollo Bay. I would highly recommend going on a Tour with Mark! When I come back to Melbourne I would definitely look Mark up again for another tour! Next time I would like to go see the Penguins!
We spent 2 days with Mark doing the Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley Winery tours and I must say we had an excellent time. We could tell that Mark genuinely loved showing us around and knew the area well. He customised the tour to do exactly what we wanted and was very patient with our group when we would all want different things. We felt that we ended the tours with a new friend. I highly recommend having you’ll use him for your entire visit because he’ll have some fun surprises for you everyday :)
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