Get ready—our adventure begins soon! The bus is on its way, so grab your gear, feel the excitement, and let's hit the road! We depart from Melbourne at 7:35am sharp, and head over the Westgate Bridge towards the surf coast capital. It's recommended guests eat breakfast before the tour as we don't stop until mid-morning.
Enjoy morning tea and wildlife sightings from Serendip Sanctuary located west of Melbourne on the road down to the Great Ocean Road.
As we leave Melbourne we bypass the second largest city in Victoria, known as Geelong.
Explore the Great Ocean Road
A monument to mark the original starting point of the Great Ocean Road. After some photos at the iconic Memorial Arch and a lesson on the history of the soldiers who built this road and dedicated it to their fallen comrades, we will wind through more stunning views (of course stopping for pictures!)
Once we have left Melbourne, we head down to the Surf Coast, passing through gorgeous seaside townships such as Anglesea, Lorne and Airey’s Inlet, we stop along the way for some morning tea and to breath in the fresh sea air whilst spotting surfers out on the water, with the proximity to Antarctica you will learn why this is great surf but also why wet suits are a necessity!
A welcome lunch break is taken in Apollo Bay at the end of the surf coast, you'll have plenty of time to explore this seaside community and eat from one of the many local cafe or pubs (at own expense). Once you have explored Apollo Bay, grabbed any souvenirs you wish to buy, or tasted some delicious ice cream then it is back on the bus to head inland to the Green Coast.
till on the Great ocean Road but now continuing up into the lush green Otway’s we drive through towering Eucalyptus trees until we arrive at a patch of Cool Temperate Rainforest. You will be amazed at the difference in scenery as we take a walk through the tree ferns and, marvel at the ‘ancient relics’ – the Myrtle Beach trees that provide perfect canopy shade and originate from when Australia was part of a super continent known as Gondwanaland. Breath in the fresh air before we take a relaxing drive out to the dramatic Shipwreck Coast!
Also in the National Park we head down to Loch Ard Gorge, site of one of Australia’s most well known shipwrecks, hear the dramatic tale of Tom and Eva and beach views. This is also where you will find rock formations such as Island Archway, Razorback and the ‘Salt and Pepper Shakers’ too.
Once out of the trees and back by the Southern Ocean we arrive in Port Campbell National Park, home to the iconic 12 Apostles. We will spend about 40mins at the Apostles where you will enjoy free time to take in the views from every angle, walk along the boardwalks, and get the perfect pictures of this wild and rugged coastline.
After a full day of exploring we say goodbye to the Great Ocean Road and turn back inland to drive back to Melbourne via country roads. We pass through farmlands en route to the country town of Colac, here you can grab a quick bite for dinner (at own expense)..
As we roll back to your pick-up point, sit back, relax, and relive the magic of the day—full of epic sights, laughs, and unforgettable moments. We return to Melbourne late in the evening, at approximately 8:00pm.
This was such a great day trip from Melbourne! Craig & Barry were amazing guides. The scenery was breathtaking and each stop was diverse. Craig went out of his way to help me when I wasn’t feeling well (unrelated to the tour), which I truly appreciated. We would recommend this tour to everyone!
The 12 Apostles was the highlight of the trip, although 30 minutes isn't really enough time to take in their beauty and surrounding areas. Bring enough snacks and water to sustain you through the long day. Lots of opportunities to stretch the legs throughout the day.
One of the most scenic and vibrant landscapes you can ever find will greet you and captivate your senses on this tour - which is a not to be missed for those planning a trip to Melbourne. Very professionally managed by Viator and very competent and knowledgeable guidance by Anthony. From Angelsea, Apollo Bay, right upto the 12 Apostles. In between the tour was mase more fascinating by walking through Rainforests and catching a glimpse of kangaroos/Koalas atop trees and rare bird sightings. It was thoroughly emjoyable along the entire scenic stretch.
I had an absolutely fantastic experience on this day tour! My cousin and I joined the tour not knowing exactly what to expect, but it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. A big part of that was thanks to Joe, who was both our host and driver for the day. Joe was incredibly friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. From the moment we started, he made everyone feel welcome and comfortable. He shared interesting stories and local insights throughout the journey, which made every stop even more meaningful. You could tell he genuinely cares about giving guests a great experience.
Departed at 7.30am and returned at 8pm. Of the 12.5 hours, over 9 hours were spent on the coach. We had 30 minutes here, 15 minutes there, 20 mins for lunch (a sandwich and piece of fruit, but nothing to drink). The number of places crammed in was too much. It would be better to reduce the number so we could have spent a couple of hours at Apollo Bay and an hour or so at other places. Instead it was a long tedius coach ride, feeling like cattle being rushed from place to place and no time to enjoy anything. One little girl on our trip slept most of the day out of pure boredom. I felt very sorry for her. Never take a child on this trip, it was bad enough for us adults
A really enjoyable trip with an enthusiastic and helpful guide. The tour took us to a lot of places it would have been difficult to get to myself and, being in the tour bus, meant I could focus on enjoying the view rather than worrying about driving. Would recommend this tour. The sights we stopped off at were great.
I really enjoyed this trip. It’s a long day but our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to tell us lots about the different sites we saw along the coast. It was great to be able to see a bit more of the area.
Fantastic tour hosted by Anthony. He was very knowledgeable and caring. Thanks for a great day especially seeing a live koala. C & A
The natural beauty of the Southern Victorian coastline mixed in with a great tour guide. Sean was full of knowledge and had an authentic Aussie sense of humour... A great full day of touring
As an American, we refer to LeBron James as the greatest athlete of all time (GOAT) in his respective field. Little did I know there was another goat James serving as a tour guide in Melbourne Australia! James was an amazing guide, very quippy, provided lots of relevant historical information in such a fun, easily understandable way and also seemed quite sensible and caring over the 30+ guests that he oversaw. The sightseeing was also spectacular, we spotted koalas, ate great food recommended by James (who is an ex-chef with great taste) and the other sights were stunningly beautiful. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Australia!
Yesterday I did the Great Ocean Road tour with tour guide James. The views we re excellent and my friends and I got a lot of good shots throughout the trip. The tour itself was very nice but James made it that much more enjoyable. The stories he told were relevant and interesting, and added good context for someone who has never been to Australia. I am glad we had James as our tour guide and hope that I can get a tour guide as entertaining and informative as him the next time I do a tour!
It was absolutely great experience! The tour guide, Peter was so knowledgeable, friendly, helpful! We truly appreciate him.
It was a great trip and the tour guide was very friendly and kept all on board entertaining throughout the journey. I recommend this tour.
If you are tall (178 cm/5’10” or more), the seats are too small. Knees in back of seat in front of you! We sat in back & had 2 seats each so we could sit sideways which was the best we could do. Luckily bus wasn’t completely full. 12 hrs is a long trip to not be comfortable. Unfortunately, we have found this often with our travels. I did contact tour company ahead of booking it but hard to get answers as to seating etc. Tour guide was great. Did not talk too much. Gave good commentary when he did. Lunch was delicious. Chicken sandwich was cold and lettuce/veg’s were crispy & fresh. Sandwich was not soggy, very good. Views were wonderful as expected.
It was a great opportunity to see several sites along the Great Ocean Road without the hassle of renting a car. Plus we had a great guide/driver, Joe, who went out of his way to give us an opportunity to see koalas and kangaroos in addition to some history and interesting folklore. It was a small, comfortable motorcoach with wifi and plenty of quick stops to use the loo. Although a long day it went by very quickly.
Our driver/guide was Joel. He was very professional. Friendly and knowledgeable. He was a safe driver too which was really important for such a long day trip. The view was stunning and we saw Australian wild animals along the way. Thank you Joel. We had a great day. The trip is definitely bang for your buck!
We really enjoyed the Great Ocean Road trip. It was a long day, but our bus driver, Lauren, kept us entertained. We learned a lot about Australia. We stopped at different places which made the trip interesting. Highlights were seeing the 12 Apostles, koalas in the wild and a really beautiful rainforest walk. Great would recommend this trip to anyone looking for an adventure outside of the city.
The scenery is beautiful. The bus ride is VERY long. There are multiple stops along the route; koala spotting, small town lunch stop, ANZAC memorial and breathtaking ocean views (only on the right hand side of the bus). Be prepared to have a long drive to arrive at the first destination and the ride back. Have a USB wire with you for your IPhone.
Tom was an excellent guide. He provided interesting commentary and pointed out and stopped for wild kangaroos and koalas during the drive. The bus was comfortable and the scenery was beautiful. If you request a gluten free meal- bring your own utensils as none were provided.
This is the best tour from Melbourne. The view is amazing. Love it. Will recommend it to friends and families. Perhaps I will even go back there.
Excellent trip arrangement. Joel is an excellent tour guide with in-depth explanation of each place we visited.
Despite the rain, the whole trip was amazing. Made possible by two Amazing tour guides Mark and Anthony
One of the best great ocean road tour ever. Thanks marlin. Never thought of seeing a koala walking on the ground. Had the freshest fish and chips at Apollo seafood at coolac.
Joel was my tour guide for the great ocean road tour. We got to see koalas, Emu and even a porcupine during the tour. Aside from the highlights, we also drove past the infamous church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster on the way back. During the long drive back and fro, Joel managed to keep us entertained with his commentary.
A stunning view of the scenery along the coast We did the reverse tour and it was awesome. The rainforest lunch stop was also a highlight
The whole day was a very good experience. Our driver was very caring and knowledgeable. We even saw koalas and kangaroos along the way. Worth the long trip.
We had a delightful day with 26 other travellers from around the world. A joyful experience travelling via Colac and stop through Simpson onto the Great Ocean Road. A fabulous time at the 12 Apostles on a truly magical day. On to the rainforest Melba Gully delightful, stopped and spotted some koalas, very special even as a local person. Fun in Apollo Bay and a Vegemite ice cream, new for me. Beautiful drive along the Great Ocean road, stopping at eastern look out . A long but very enjoyable day.
Joel is a great guide and I loved the small group experience instead of a big bus. I highly recommend this one :)
Great Guide can’t remember his name, starts with “I”. Awesome itinerary. A great experience along with the information from the guide.
The 12 apostles' view is a great view. But when I was going in windy weather. I don't have a good picture of my self. It was a 6-hour drive from Melbourne. We have fun and a fresh view from the car window.
We were moved from regular tour to reverse tour few days before the trip, though the spots covered were adequate but the host/guide was continuously speaking without taking a break which led to huge headache while travelling. We with kids were there to travel and enjoy and not get history lessons on timber farming and local population. After few hours it turned extremely irritating and super annoying. We appreciate the guide has immense knowledge but with family it becomes a nuisance. By the end of the trip We had headache and completely ruined our great ocean road experience. We honestly felt to jump in sea as that would have been a better option than to listen to him. Further no place was stopped to grab lunch, all We had was 1 small sandwich full day especially when you are with a todler, extremely disappointing. Further We had mentioned no eggs as we are vegetarians, yet the cake had eggs. Avoid avoid avoid avoid...
What can I say? A full day out seeing kangaroos, emus and koalas in their natural environment. In addition some stunning views especially of the 12 Apostles. Included a lunch stop at Apollo Bay. Lauren, our guide and driver, was the best. Full of information and kept it lighthearted and was very flexible if people needed a comfort break. She played music that was apt for where we were at the time including the Dunnings advert when we had to do a pick up there. I would highly recommend booking with Wildlife Tours they look after you so well.
The chocolatary was a treat to visit, the landscape along one side of the Great Ocean Road was naturally stunning and the crashing waves complete with surfers on the other side was mesmerising. Cory, our driver, encouraged us to keep a lookout for kangaroos and koalas as we drove through the mountains and let me tell you, he knows all the good places to stop to achieve this. Cory kept us entertained with is infectious enthusiasm for all things Australian and a superb gift for story telling. The Memorial Arch was special and the beaches where we stopped for photo opportunities were spectacular. Lunch at Apollo Bay then off to admire the breathtaking Twelve Apostles. I was touched by the shipwreck story about Tom and Eva which added to the dramatic scenery. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants a relaxing, informative day out to Melbourne.
Our tour guide was super insightful and made sure our tour was comfortable! Sights and stops on the tour were amazing! Since we were strapped for time, wished our tour guide was more enforceable about the meeting time. There were too many instances where we had to wait for others because they missed our departure time. We understand it’s the holiday season, but when the rest of the tour is already at the bus, it’s rude and you’re wasting the time of others and the bus driver. We know that none of it was our tour guide fault but the company should consider enforcing a rule. Overall we would recommend the tour and our guide, Ilkay!
This was an excellent tour. The tour guide, Ethan, was knowledgeable and personable giving us a great insight into the places we stopped at as well as providing us with photo opportunities galore. His observational skills were also very good, sighting emus, kangaroos and koalas for us and we even saw a whale. There were plenty of humorous additions to the repertoire as well.
The tour is very smart and helpful. I'm really glad he was able to explain the history of the area. I loved it.
I had a great time travelling to the south west area of Victoria. The weather was a mixed of cloudy with a bit of rain then partially sunny and bit of wind for the rest of the day so I was able to see the apostles and limestone rock formations of razorback and the wreck in all their glory . Wished I was able to walk down the track to see the beach , it would have been spectacular. Morning tea was nice , included with Tim tams and coffee/tea. Not too fancy. For lunch had to go for the Aussie classic, the fish and chips at the local shop in Apollo bay was great. Freshly battered fish cocktails were worth a try. They have other options too and great coffee. 3/4 of the road trip is on the bus but that was to be expected travelling from Melbourne city. We had Ben as our host and he was very helpful with infos about the local areas we drove past. I had the best view during this time sitted at the very front. I recommend sitting on the left hand side of the bus if you would like to see the ocean view.
The trip was nice and fun we stopped at a lot of places and we could experience many kinds of atmosphere and views but each places we only took 30-45 mins which we thought it would be enough but actually no. Maybe next time a fewer places to stop and longer time in each place would be very nice. But still, overall was fantastic
The tour guide (Joe) is very nice and humorous. He have a lot of stories about the places during the trip. It was a wonderful trip, helps me to understand more about the history of Australia.
Excellent tour experience. Our tour guide was engaging and knowledgeable. He provided us with such marvelous experience. The Great Ocean Road, particularly the Twelve Apostles, is a must see. Highly recommend it.
Excellent trip. The chauffeur made the trip amazing and excellent. Bus was very comfortable. Enough time to visit the places. Comfortable stops.
从早上7:30am在Immigration museum 接到我们后， 开车踏上旅途， 一小时后来到小型National Park， 司机兼导游带来热水和当地饼干， 附加茶和咖啡， 见到鴯， 进入Great Ocean Road后， 司机一边介绍风景， 一边讲一点大洋路历史， 司机找到二个在睡觉考拉🐨， 见到著名的12个Alpotles， 和look out岩石演变地方，回程路上特地带我们去看澳洲🦘袋鼠， 还把我们送到chinatown附近drop off。 非常优质服务司机， 给个赞
My guide was great, overall a great company to book from. He is old but the best I would say. Would love to go with again
The views were amazing and we took lots of photos. James was fantastic -telling us the history & geography of Melbourne. We were well entertained throughout the trip. Thanks for a memorable day!
My wife and I had a very enjoyable trip on 2nd June under the care of James. Even though there were traffic delays initially but James managed the whole situation really well, keeping us up to date on what we need to do together to make sure we don't lose anymore time and to cover the places we were going to cover. Top marks to James.
Anthony has provided excellent service in both as a guide as well as a driver. Enjoy the entire length of the trip.
Our driver/guide was incredibly knowledgeable and personable, and the trip is well laid-out. It is a long day, as expected! But if you only have one day to see the Great Ocean Road, this is the best way to do it. I considered doing their reverse Great Ocean Road tour, which claims you'll encounter fewer crowds, but I chose this one because of the lunch stop in Apollo Bay, which seemed like it would be more fun than eating a packed lunch along the way. Crowds weren't a huge issue in late March, but it could be an issue in summer. Speaking of lunch, though (if the trip provider is reading this!): It would have been nice to have more time in Apollo Bay. The stop at Lorne was pretty boring and uneventful - I would much rather have skipped that and had more time to enjoy Apollo Bay, even if we only gained 15 mins (for a total of 1 hr instead of 45 mins). Something to consider!
Our guide, Ilkay, was fun amd he told us a lot of interesting facts. We were able to do a couple other stops which was nice. Got luck and saw kangaroos and koalas. It's a long day, but worth it! Highly recommend!
It was an awesome tour, and I enjoyed it fully. Thanks to Peter for the live commentary that kept the day full of fun.
The trip with Budgie was amazing! Very informative on history also balanced time on being able to walk, take in the fabulous sights and photo opportunities, from the forest to the sea was fantastic overall
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email