It was our second day in Melbourne and we had booked the Great Ocean Road tour: an overwhelming sensory experience. It was evident when we met our guide, Ray, that we were in for a treat. He was fun, entertaining, and not only well-informed in Melbourne history and facts, but also Australia in general. The Great Ocean Road was simply spectacular —- hours of breathtaking vistas —- not only of the ocean around every bend, but also of the steep cliffs of the forest on the other side of the road. (Tip: If you have a tendency for motion sickness —- Gravol is highly recommended.) The stop at the Wildlife Park was uplifting and enlightening. We were fortunate enough to participate in the dingo experience where we learned about the Park’s valiant efforts to engage and educate the public in the crucial role these apex animals fulfil in Australia’s ecosystem. Truly majestic animals. The last part of the day were the mesmerizing 12 Apostles. Simply stunning. We highly recommend this tour; it is like getting the “gist” of Australia in a day. Thanks so much, Ray!
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Complimentary barista coffee pre-departure
- Professional tour guide with historical commentary
- Lunch at Apollo Bay
- Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park entry to view Kangaroo and Emus
- Glass of sparkling, wine, beer, or non-alcoholic option overlooking 12 Apostles
- Genuine small-group - maximum 15 with guaranteed window seat for every booking, wifi & charge port
- Convenient pickup and dropoff at Melbourne Arts Centre and return to city-center hotels upon request
- Exclusive educational dingo encounter at a wildlife sanctuary supporting conservation research
- Scenic stops in charming coastal towns Jan Juc and Apollo Bay with pristine beaches and surf culture
Excludes
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- - Meet outside Protagonist Café at Arts Centre Melbourne (100R St Kilda Rd) - look for the giant spire. - Easy access via trams in Free Tram Zone. - Just 5 mins from Flinders St Station or 5–10 mins walk from most city centre hotels. - Post-tour we can dropoff to city-center hotels upon request.
Return
- - Meet outside Protagonist Café at Arts Centre Melbourne (100R St Kilda Rd) - look for the giant spire. - Easy access via trams in Free Tram Zone. - Just 5 mins from Flinders St Station or 5–10 mins walk from most city centre hotels. - Post-tour we can dropoff to city-center hotels upon request.
Itinerary
Complimentary Barista Coffee & Departure. Begin your day by collecting your complimentary local barista coffee from the Melbourne Arts Centre. Your guide will pick you up in a comfortable, luxury midi-coach and you’ll join a small group of up to 15 travellers for a personalized experience. Take your guaranteed window seat on the bus and get ready to experience incredible coastal views.
Adventure awaits on a full-day coastal tour, where you'll see the iconic 12 Apostles, explore the stunning Loch Ard Gorge, and experience Australia's most exclusive dingo encounter.
Enjoy the perfect start to your coastal journey at an authentic surf town. Take in stunning beach views while watching surfers tackle the waves at Jan Juc, and grab a coffee at one of the local cafes that embody the true spirit of coastal Australia.
Take a moment to snap a photo of the official start point of the Great Ocean Road at the Memorial Arch, built by returned WWI soldiers.
Wind along dramatic clifftops and through charming seaside villages to Apollo Bay, where you'll have free time to relax on pristine beaches and dip your toes in the ocean.
Take in breathtaking views across gullies and the lush, green canopies of the Otway Ranges' rainforest.
Step inside the dingo enclosure for an educational encounter with Australia's apex predators. Learn about dingo conservation as these magnificent creatures assess you with ancient intelligence. Discover wildlife protection through hands-on experiences hand-feeding kangaroos and emus in natural settings. Enjoy an organic, light lunch at the onsite cafe.
Explore the historic gorge and hear the dramatic story of the Loch Ard, which was wrecked here in 1878 with the loss of 52 lives. Walk where legends were born.
The most famous location on the Great Ocean Road, you'll marvel at these 20-million-year-old limestone formations. Your guide will take you to Gibson Steps for a chance to view them with sand between your toes. Toast the view with a glass of sparkling or drink of your own choosing.
Enjoy sweeping views of the city lights as we return back to the city centre following an incredible day out.
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
Russell, our guide, arrived on time; was extremely knowledgeable about Melbourne, the Ocean Rd and the Twelve Apostles; was very flexible to ensure we saw what we wanted within our mobility limitations and provided follow up information that allowed us to better enjoy the rest of our stay in Melbourne. He described several other tours that sounded very interesting and fun. We wish we’d have booked the city tour with Local Way instead of another provider. Strongly recommend putting your sightseeing needs in the hands of Local Way.
We had a wonderful experience on the Great Ocean Road tour with Shelton as our driver and tour guide. Our family had a great time, and Shelton was very friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable throughout the trip. He made us feel comfortable and helped make the experience memorable and enjoyable. Local Way Tours is a great company — this was actually my second time booking with them, and I would definitely book again in the future. Highly recommended!
We had three couples and had a spectacular experience on this excursion. Our driver was the absolute highlight of the day; she was incredibly fun and knowledgeable. With its small group size this is great way to see Australia’s beautiful coastline
What a great tour. You will get to experience the inner beauty of what Australia has to offer. Got to see 5 Koalas in the wild as we rode down Great Ocean Road. The visit to see the "12 Apostles" was stunning. I had so much fun at the Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park. I was able to feed kangaroos, Emus, and pet 2 dingos. If you love nature, this is your tour. Bring a jacket because it can get a little cold in the morning and at the Twelve Apostles stop. This was my second tour with Local Way Tours while in Melbourne... I can highly recommend them.
It was a fantastic tour to Great Ocean Road with Lokal Way Tours. Our fabulous guide Russell made the day very special. Russell was humorous, helpful and very knowledgeable about Australias history. The places we visited were very beautiful and unforgettable. Petting Dingos was amusing. The small group format was great as well.
It was an amazing experience, Rusell was our guide, super kind and carismatic, he made our experience very enjoyable and super funny. We also learnt a lot about Australian culture and history. The places we visted were beautiful, and amusing. Probably petting dingos was our favourite activity. The price is fair specially if you don't have a car, and they include a coffee and lunch.
Russell was our tour guide and he really made the day special. He is very knowledgeable but presents the information in a very entertaining way. He’s accommodating wherever possible. The van is comfortable and the itinerary was spectacular! Really enjoyed the dingo encounter! The scenery along great ocean road is just spectacular!!
A fantastic day with our fabulous tour guide Russell. He was courteous, friendly, humorous and extremely knowledgeable. He went above and beyond to make the day special. So many tours to choose from, but the Dingo experience gave this one the edge. I've wanted to see the Great Ocean Road for 23 years and I'm so pleased we chose this one with Local Way Tours
We booked a "Great Ocean Road, Dingos, Sparkling & Lunch" with Local Way Tours and it was incredible. Russell, our guide, was so nice, easy to talk to, and just a fascinating person. The small group format was great as well. The tour was well paced and allowed us to see so many beautiful places! The wildlife sanctuary was wonderful. The animals seemed well cared for and content, and it wasn't crowded at all so I was able to spend as much time as I wanted to with each critter. I smooched a dingo! The food at the sanctuary was delicious as well. Overall I'd really recommend this tour and I'd definitely try another one with this company in the future!
Excellent trip with Russell - so knowledgeable and easy to talk to for the duration, despite our group trip ending up being just the two of us. We had a brilliant time and really enjoyed seeing the sights and hearing all of the information Russell had to share. He was a true gentleman and we don’t know how he kept his energy levels and humour up for the whole day! A truly fabulous experience that we will never forget! Thank you Russell!
I had an amazing time with Local Way. Our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. The visit to the wildlife park was great. Highly recommend.
We went on this tour on June 19th with Russell McGilton as our guide. Russell was a great guide, knowledgeable and friendly. Our group was small (3 from Krakow, Poland and one from Malaysia) but the experience was great. Beautiful views and some physical activity. Dingoes singing in the Dingo Awareness Centre. I highly recommend this tour and this guide. This review is late as I have only just returned home to Krakow.
Russell our guide was great and provided lots of great photo ops along with commentary of area and history. Highlight of trip was visiting the Dingos and learning about these fascinating and beautiful animals. Lovely day for getting some great pictures.
Great day out, some amazing sights and views. Fair to say, a very long day but extremely worth it. Our guide/driver Perry was well-informed and couldn’t do enough for us, always ensuring we were happy and comfortable. I did the Dingo Encounter at the Wildlife Park which was wonderful. Take a jumper or jacket even if the weather is hot when you leave Melbourne. Would thoroughly recommend
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