Small-group Great Ocean Road Day Trip From Melbourne

Rained all day, but Gary made it a fantastic experience. Kept things moving and enjoyable even when most of us were cold and wet

James was wonderful. He was very conscious of needs and helpful for every one on the trip. We had a great time with all that were on the excursion. Such a great leader with knowledge of Australia with many great stories including the bridal train. I learned so much which is why I enjoyed this trip. We saw koalas and kangaroos as well and wonderful scenery.

My name is Marco from Mexico city. My partner and I did the Great Ocean Road Tour today and our guide James was outstanding. He was on time, super knowledgeable and explained everything we did. He went above and beyond and took us to see kangaroos and koalas in the wild. James is a fantastic guide - we hope our paths cross again!

James was very well informed and talked to us appropriately. The views were spectacular. He was a great driver but he kept driving on the wrong side of the road. I really enjoyed the day.

Outstanding small group tour ( 2 of us and 6 others) with our excellent driver/guide Adam. So much to see - all the sea and landscapes. A walk through a rainforest. And we spotted 4 Koalas in the wild (and wallabies). The great ocean road views are breathtaking the entire way.

Super timely on the pickup and communication. Fred was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable of the area and very entertaining on this “Long” day trip. A great day where I learned alot and was exposed to some beautiful vistas. I’d wanted to see the 12 Apostles for years. Very happy I made the effort and glad I used Oceana’s tour operator. Thanks for a great experience.

Had a brilliant day with Adam from Oceania - he was incredibly knowledgeable & friendly, told us some great funny / horrifying stories from Australia’s history, and could answer every esoteric question we threw at him. We felt really safe with him driving, plenty of comfort breaks and nice places to stop / eat. We had a genuinely lovely time. Saw some amazing and beautiful places and enjoyed finding koalas, kangaroos and cockatoos. Highly recommended 😊

Adam was a truly great guide. He was super knowledgeable, willing and able to answer all our stupid questions with charm and humour. The trip itself is quite long, but is a great way to see some of the country around Victoria state. We particularly loved the ancient forest walk which was like something from Jurassic park. The drives between each of the stops was enlivened by Adam’s stories and anecdotes about Australian history. We stopped to look at wild kangaroos and koalas (if you steal my idea about renaming the latter as “gummy bears” then I want royalties Adam!)

We had an incredible Great Ocean Road tour thanks to Adam who guided us and made the experience an unforgettable one. From the moment we set off, he was very friendly and courteous. The day was well-organized, with plenty of time to enjoy iconic sights such as the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, the stunning coastline, and the very informative rainforest walk all sprinkled with fascinating stories and information. But Adam went above and beyond to ensure the we got a view of the koalas and kangaroos in the wild and that was the biggest highlight of the tour. We cannot say that the weather was on our side but Adam’s patience and enthusiasm to find the right look out plus his deft driving skill in such a bad weather, made a world of difference. We couldn't have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend this tour with Oceania and Adam to anyone visiting Melbourne.

We were so lucky to get to see the unsurpassed beauty of the Great Ocean Road with Sarah, our fun and lively guide. Stops included Apollo Bay for lunch, a rainforest for a short hike, the Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge, the site of a tragic shipwreck with only two survivors, young Tom and Eva. This area may be even more magnificent than the Twelve Apostles. Sarah made the tour enjoyable and entertaining by providing GOR’s history and a nice coastal music playlist while keeping us one step ahead of the big bus tour crowds.

Excellent day! Gary is a very good tour guide: Well informed & helpful with valuable information.

We had an amazing day trip along the Great Ocean Road with Burt, our driver and guide. He led a small group of us and drove over 500km in one day but his enthusiasm and knowledge of the area never waned. We saw koalas and kangaroos in the wild and had spectacular views of the coast and the Twelve Apostles. Burt also made sure we had lots of photo opportunities and breaks to stretch our legs and time for lunch. Highly recommended!

Amazing day with our guide Josh. He was a lovely guy. Very helpful & informative. The views were stunning & we highly recommend this day trip from Melbourne Jenny & Richard.

Loved our trip today. Josh kept us entertained with interesting stories and tales. Plenty of stops on route and the finale was spectacular with the 12 (???) Apostles! What an amazing coastline ! Thank you Josh and Oceania Tours !

The tour was very good. Our guide Adam was very personable and shared interesting stories and history of the sights. The twelve apostles was well worth it.

Just back home in the UK after our Australia and New Zealand holiday and one of the highlights was our Great Ocean Road trip with Herb last Thursday - 26th February. Herb was extremely knowledgable, interesting and entertaining about 'his' patch, not to mention the small matter of driving us safely and securely 550 kilometres in almost twelve hours. This is a long day out, but we were with only two other couples so it felt almost like a private tour. Thoroughly recommended, and thanks again Herb for great day out! Jonathan and Janet.

This was an excellent experience. Travis was an excellent guide and would highly recommend

This tour was great. Herb, our tour guide was knowledgeable about the history of one of the most scenic and wonderful parts of the world. The scenic Great Ocean Road. Not only was Herb a great guide, he was great driver, with the patience of Jobe he navigated this road trip from Melbourne and back with humor, elegance and knowledge. I highly recommend this tour. I also have to commend my fellow tourists on this trip. They were wonderful and drawn to it the same reason I was. I think you should check this out. Leave the safe and efficient driving and narrative to Herb. 5 stars.

Our guide Rick is a fun and energetic person. It was truly a wonderful experience of a lifetime.

This incredible journey captured the magic of Loch Ard Gorge, Twelve Apostles, Otway National Park, and the breathtaking views of the Great Ocean Road.

WOW! With our guide Travis at the helm, this was an unforgettable day out. I loved seeing all the different animals and birds up close at the sanctuary. Also, the beach, coastline and sunset were beautiful. But really, there is nothing that tops seeing the Fairy Penguins of Australia coming back in from the ocean heading to their burrows. Thank you Travis and Oceania.

This was a great experience. Adam was our guide and was fabulous. His history, science, jokes, and background made the day so much better than a typical guide. It is a long day, so know you may be gone 11+ hours. We saw, in the wild, kangaroos, wallabies, seals, koalas, cockatoo, kookaburra, eagles. We stopped at 12 apostles, multiple look-outs, took a walk in the rainforrest, and had lunch in a seaside cafe. Understand that the first half the trip could be an issue for motion sickness due to the windy road, but Adam did great driving it. Absolutely loved the trip and would highly recommend.

This Day Trip was genuinely one of our favorite experiences from our entire time in Australia ! My wife and I visited Australia for the first time, and while in Melbourne, we decided to do the Great Ocean Road Tour. Our guide, HERB was amazing - - knowledgeable, pleasant, and he kept the mood “light” and the schedule a little “flexible” for our small group of 13. Of course the inspiring story behind the Ocean Road and the breathtaking VIEWS of the rock formations and cliff faces off the Southern Coast of Australia were the ultimate reward for the time spent on the road. ** We highly recommend this tour !**

This was a great way to experience the Great Ocean Road. Our guide, Herb, was outstanding - one of the best tour guides I have had. The sound system in the van was tinny. The biggest disappointment, however, was the food on the way. DO NOT select the option of a prepaid meal. The restaurant was awful and there were plenty of other options available in town.

Very nice trip to discover the Great Ocean Road. The van was comfortable and Gary, our driver and guide was very nice.

Went on the ocean road trip, Richard was our guide, had a wonderful day despite diversions because of the bush fires.. Richard still made sure we got to the 12 apostles and got us back safe to Melbourne..very informative and great sense of humor.. great guy..Maria and Frank, Cork, Ireland

Worst tour guide ever. Sarah is rude, arrogant, sleeps in the car, and worse - did not complete the tour to the designated location and headed back to Melbourne. Unbelievably bad tour. I wish someone had told me this before booking,

Excellent tour. Our guide and driver Burt was fantastic, very informative and a great sense of humour. Saw koalas & kangaroos on our trip. The coastal scenery was stunning with a fabulous seafood lunch at Fisherman’s Coop in Apollo Bay. Thanks Burt!

17th December 2025 - We knew we were in for an eight-hour drive, which covered most of the 243 kilometres along the southwest coast of Victoria. We passed by coastal towns, golden beaches and saw koalas during the stunning coastal drive along Victoria’s southwest coast.  The winding roads, dramatic limestone cliffs (Twelve Apostles), surf beaches (Bells Beach), lush Otway rainforests, charming towns (Lorne, Apollo Bay), historic lighthouses, and plenty of lookouts for breathtaking ocean views. We saw it all - including koalas! And we even walked through Maites Rest, one of the Great Otway National Park temperate rainforests. It was all a sensory overload, and my elderly iPhone camera failed to capture the true beauty of it all. This guided tour was made extra  special for us because of our guide, Sarah. Not only did she have a great sense of fun - and played all my favourite music on our road trip, as well as introducing us to some of the new Australian artists, she was also incredibly knowledgeable. There was nothing she didn’t know about the flora and fauna, and she went that extra kilometre to try to find roos for one of the English tour members who hadn’t seen them yet. I highly recommend Oceania Tours and Safaris, and I would like to extend a huge thank you to Sarah, who made our Great Ocean Road experience extra special for my family and me.

Had a wonderful trip with Richard on the Great Ocean Road. He was knowledgeable, informative and very helpful and friendly. The trip was very long and unfortunately the bus was uncomfortable and very loud with a rattle constantly throughout the trip.

Chloe let us enjoy a great tour, well trained as a guide, very good driver, sharp, we went to the right places and could see many Kangaroos and a lot of koalas in their wild, great experience!

As many have stated this is a long day especially the return to Melbourne which is over 2 hours. That said we had Gary who was very knowledgeable and made tge long day very enjoyable. We even worked in some extra stops that provided additional scenery and chocolate. Got to see koalas and kangaroos in the wild. Also on the way out Gary was able to point out some of Melbourne and the surrounding areas history.

Our trip was very organised and exceeded our expectations. Our guide, Alex, was very knowledgeable and friendly, providing commentary and funny stories throughout the trip, involving all attendees. He offered assistance and advice, to ensure we got the most from our experience. Alex answered all questions and even took photos of us too. A small group tour I would strongly recommend to everyone.

The driver was oblivious of the people on the bus. Over 9 hours without food! He missed the road being closed which forced an hour detour over a MTN.

We did this tour our first morning in Australia and what a great starter! We had a very small group that day and Sarah our guide was excellent. The scenery on this tour is breathtaking and unforgettable. Sarah knew her stuff so well about the wildlife we were seeing and the area we were touring. We enjoyed stops at the famous Memorial Arch beside the spectacular beach at Lorne- Queensville reserve and then the laid back vibe of Apollo Bay for food. The Highlight had to be the “showstopping” Twelve Apostles but also very special for us was Sarah’s ‘surprise stop’ to see an incredible mob of wild Kangaroos at the small town of Simpson. An amazing day! Thanks Sarah!

A superb day. Herb, our driver and guide, was fabulous, and very knowledgeable. We didn’t feel rushed and were able to see everything we wanted - and more. Seeing koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat was just amazing. A very long day, but definitely worth it.

We had a great day exploring the Great Ocean Road with multiple stops, great photo oppslortunities and good commentary throughout

I’ve been wanting to see the Great Ocean Road for so long and this tour did not disappoint. The views were beautiful and the weather kind. Our tour guide/driver was very professional and knowledgeable. I enjoyed the trip in the minibus with a small group - this was the best way to see what is a very special and beautiful part of Australia. Highly recommended!

My Husband, Myself and Our son were picked up at our hotel at 7.30am. We were lucky enough to have an amazing guide called Sarah. This was a small group tour so there were 9 passengers and Sarah. Within an hour we did a bathroom and coffee stop. This was much appreciated because of the early start. Sarah kept us informed as to our plans as we travelled along and shared her immense knowledge of the area with us. We travelled with a pretty good group of people who followed Sarahs directive on timing etc and so we were able to remain in front of the large bus tours all day ,avoiding the crowds and giving us prime viewing and photo opportunity . Lunch was not included in the tour but Sarah stopped at Apollo Bay at a Bakery that was famous for its Scallop pies. I must confess I did not have the scallop pie but we did try some if the other pies and sausage rolls on offer and they were delicious. At different stops we were able to get out and walk around. It was a very busy but enjoyable day with stunning scenery and an amazing guide who had to drive a very long distance and kept us entertained throughout the day.. I think the highlight of the day for me was The 12 Apostles (7.5). To actually see them in person was incredible. Thank you Oceania and Thank you Sarah.

A great day out with Adam on the Great Ocean Road. A fantastic guide and driver. Very accommodating and knowledgeable and found us koalas, kangaroos and kookaburras.

The tour guide was friendly and helpful. Plenty of stops to take in views. Helicopter ride was perfect to see 12 Apostles. Nice relaxed pace, the driver was an excellent driver thank you!

We were collected from our hotel 10 minutes early which was a good omen and the tour just got better. The Guide was Sarah who mentioned to me that she was interested in bird watching and am I. It was a small group and Sarah kept the trip very interesting and stopped regularly to point out interesting views etc as well as leading us on short walks. A thoroughly enjoyable experience lead by a wonderful guide who had to undertake a lot of driving

Highly recommend this tour organizer. We had Kevin as our driver along the Great Ocean Road and he was fantastic. Lots of great information and funny dude. Made a lot of great stops along the way, including getting to see wildlife like kangaroos and koalas. Definitely worth it and much thanks for a wonderful day.

We had a great experience with Sarah, our tour guide, on The Great Ocean Road tour. She managed the group and timing with great care and skill and was extremely knowledgeable. She kept us informed throughout the day on timing, stops, sights, etc so that we could plan accordingly - essential and most appreciated on such a long days’ journey. She also set the tone for a very pleasant day with 9 strangers! The Ocean Road is breathtaking. California meets Hawaii meets Ireland! I recommend this tour with Oceania. The bus was comfortable and clean. Stops were well timed. And the smaller bus/group made it much easier to navigate and enjoy the busy route! Twelve hours of traveling makes for a long day and all of these factors contributed to a great experience. Many thanks to Sarah for making it a day well spent!!

We had a wonderful tour today - March 11 with Sarah! She was amazing! Her knowledge of the flora and fauna and the Great Ocean Road is fabulous! She took us to a small street where we saw Koalas and on the way home she found us a place to view some kangaroos!! The Ocean Road stops were exciting and beautiful! I would highly recommend this tour! Everything and more than we expected!

A full day out, well organised with plenty of variety including kangaroo and koala spotting, a walk at Maits Rainforest and culminating at The Twelve Apostles. If you haven’t got a car, this is a great way to see the beautiful coastline which is a little reminiscent of the Big Sur in California. A special mention to our excellent guide Adam for making the tour so enjoyable.

What a fantastic trip, So many amazing memories made with the awesome guidance of Kevin the tour guide who goes above and beyond to make your trip the best Don’t miss doing the Great Ocean Road Trip it’s a wow

Our guide Adam was amazing!!!! Every stop was meaningful and memorable , he was knowledgeable and accommodating it was a great experience.

We had an amazing tour the Great Ocean Road was breathtaking. Our guide was on time and extremely polite and helpful. We were fully informed as to what to expect throughout the day. We made lots of stops that weren’t part of the itinerary. We really enjoyed the secret place that Ron took us to look for koalas. Lunch was at Apollo bay and we had some great recommendations from Ron for lunch. The 12 apostles and loch ard gorge were amazing sights. Our stop at gorge chocolates on the way back to Melbourne was another stop that wasn’t part of the itinerary, we got to feed the alpacas and the aroma inside the shop was .. I was in chocolate heaven. We thoroughly enjoyed the day even though it was a long day and over 500kms return.