Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road Drive
If you are planning a motorhome rental or campervan hire holiday in Australia you are going to be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing the ideal itinerary that incorporates some of the best scenic drives in the country. Australia just has so much to offer in the way of dramatic scenery, stunning coastline and wide open spaces that it is hard to know where to start, however there is one certainty – you should not miss driving the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.
If you are really short of time it is possible to drive part of this scenic route in a day, but that would be an absolute shame, as you will get just the tiniest of glimpses of the extraordinary array of attractions to be found along the way. If you have time try to fit in this 5 day itinerary, which will give you time to see all the main sights and do some walking and relaxing.
Highlights of the Great Ocean Road
Melbourne to Adelaide
Day one: Melbourne to Lorne
After picking up your Motorhome Rental in Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road drive begins in Torquay, gateway to Victoria’s Surf Coast and famous for its’ many Surf Shops. Stop in Bells Beach, Point Addis and Anglesea, to catch some great waves, and be sure to visit Anglesea golf course which hundreds of kangaroos call home. Lorne is a seaside town with great galleries, boutiques and restaurants – try coffee at The Arab – famous for great coffee and apple crumble.
Day two: Lorne to Port Fairy
This is a great section of the drive with rugged cliffs dropping to the sea on one side, and forested national park on the other. Here you can visit the ancient rainforests, glow worm caves and waterfalls of the Great Otway National Park, the Cape Otway Lighthouse and enjoy a picnic on one of the beaches. Around the corner are the famous Twelve Apostles, the Shipwreck Coast and Warrnambool, where you can do some prime whale watching from May to October. In Port Fairy you can see Australia’s largest fur seal colony and take a boat trip to see dolphins, whales and shark.
Day Three: Port Fairy to Robe or Coonawarra
This section of the drive will take you past the Cape Nelson State Park and the looming cliffs of Cape Bridgewater. In Coonawarra you can do some wine tasting or alternatively drive to pretty Robe for a lobster dinner and a walk along Long Beach.
Day Four: Coonawarra or Robe to Victor Harbor
See the fossilized skeletons of giant marsupials in the limestone caves of Naracoorte Caves National Park, then visit Kingston South East for lovely fresh seafood. You can do some kayaking through the wetlands and learn about Aboriginal culture, before moving on to Victor Harbor.
Day Five: Victor Harbor to Adelaide
On your last leg of the journey you can visit the lovely McLaren Vale wine region to taste and buy wines, olives, cheeses and berries or hike the Heysen coastline Trail before driving on to Adelaide.