Great Ocean Road Small-Group Eco Tour from Melbourne
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Melbourne, Australia
- 14 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience the Great Ocean Road in a relaxed small group, with an expert local guide bringing the journey to life through stories, local knowledge and insights along the way. Travel from Melbourne in comfort and discover some of Victoria’s most spectacular coastal scenery, from the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge to the rainforest of Great Otway National Park, with opportunities to spot wild koalas along the route.
- Travel the Great Ocean Road in a small group of up to 24 guests
- Discover the region with an experienced, friendly local guide
- Keep watch for wild koalas and native wildlife along the way
- Walk through the rainforest of Great Otway National Park
- See iconic coastal landmarks including the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge
What's Included
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Friendly & Informative Guide
- Pickup from Selected Hotels
- National Park fees
- WiFi on board
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Book 2 Tours + City Tour option includes a Great Ocean Road, a Phillip Island and a FREE City tour
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
- Meals other than as stated
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Pickup is only available from the list of hotels provided upon checkout. Your pickup will be between 7am-8am depending on which hotel you selected. Your exact meeting time will be provided after a booking is placed. The full-day Great Ocean Road tour returns to Melbourne at approximately 8:30pm-9:30pm.
Start time.7:00 am
Itinerary
Spend a full day exploring the natural wonders of Australia's Great Ocean Road. Your guide will pick you up from centrally located Melbourne hotels in a comfortable, upgraded-seating minibus, where you'll join a small group of passengers for a personalized experience. Onboard narration is available in multiple languages through a handy app, which you can download before the tour.
The Great Ocean Road officially begins at Torquay, a renowned surf town with stunning sandy beaches. Stop at a picturesque beachside location before continuing through charming port towns to Kennett River for some koala spotting at one of the area's largest koala colonies.
Next, head to Apollo Bay, a charming coastal town, where you'll have time to grab lunch (own expense) or simply relax before continuing on your journey. Afterward, travel to Great Otway National Park for a peaceful rainforest walk among towering ash trees.
Your adventure then leads you to Port Campbell National Park, where the coastal landscape reaches its dramatic peak. Here, marvel at the Twelve Apostles, a group of limestone stacks rising out of the ocean, as well as Gibson Steps, which offer panoramic views of the rugged coastline.
Along the way, you'll learn about the treacherous history of the Great Ocean Road, once a perilous navigation route for vessels entering the port of Melbourne. Hear tragic tales of Australia's "Shipwreck Coast" as you visit Loch Ard Gorge, the site of an 1878 shipwreck.
On your return journey to Melbourne, stop for dinner (own expense) before enjoying a relaxing ride back to your hotel. Share snapshots of your day with family and friends using the free onboard Wi-Fi.
The Great Ocean Road officially begins at Torquay, a renowned surf town with stunning sandy beaches. Stop at a picturesque beachside location before continuing through charming port towns to Kennett River for some koala spotting at one of the area's largest koala colonies.
Next, head to Apollo Bay, a charming coastal town, where you'll have time to grab lunch (own expense) or simply relax before continuing on your journey. Afterward, travel to Great Otway National Park for a peaceful rainforest walk among towering ash trees.
Your adventure then leads you to Port Campbell National Park, where the coastal landscape reaches its dramatic peak. Here, marvel at the Twelve Apostles, a group of limestone stacks rising out of the ocean, as well as Gibson Steps, which offer panoramic views of the rugged coastline.
Along the way, you'll learn about the treacherous history of the Great Ocean Road, once a perilous navigation route for vessels entering the port of Melbourne. Hear tragic tales of Australia's "Shipwreck Coast" as you visit Loch Ard Gorge, the site of an 1878 shipwreck.
On your return journey to Melbourne, stop for dinner (own expense) before enjoying a relaxing ride back to your hotel. Share snapshots of your day with family and friends using the free onboard Wi-Fi.
1
Great Ocean Road
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
The Great Ocean Road
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Kennett River
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Apollo Bay
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Mait's Rest
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
The Twelve Apostles
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
8
Loch Ard Gorge
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
9
Colac
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Large bags, strollers, prams, baby capsules, luggage & walkers cannot be brought on board
- 2 Tours + FREE City Tour option: This package includes 3 seperate tours, Great Ocean Road Day Tour, Philip Island Penguin Parade Tour & Melbourne City Discovery Half-day Tour
- 2 Tours + FREE City Tour option: Please note that you will be booked as follows: Great Ocean Road Day Tour, on the date selected. Phillip Island Day Tour, on the following date. You may choose any date for your Melbourne City Tour by contacting us directly
- 2 Tours + FREE City Tour option: Please note that the Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour on day 2 returns between 9pm-12am (dependant on the season)
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
The Great Ocean Road Tour was one of the absolute highlights of our trip to Australia. If you’re lucky enough to have Naomi as your guide, you’re in for something truly special.
She was warm, engaging, and full of fascinating stories about Australia’s history, nature, and geography. Even on the long drive, she kept us completely entertained and made the journey feel short. She went out of her way to help us spot koalas and kangaroos, and her enthusiasm was contagious.
I’ve joined quite a few tours over the years, but this one stood out thanks to the breathtaking scenery and, above all, Naomi’s wonderful personality. It was an unforgettable experience that I’d recommend to anyone visiting Australia.
Reviews
4.9
based on 7,013 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
We had a perfect, amazing day trip along Great Ocean Drive, stunning ocean views, a walk in a rainforest, opportunities to spot koala and kangaroos in the wild!! Plenty of stops for photos, eating, etc. Great recommendations by our tour guide Michael.
Michael, our tour guide, was full of enthusiasm and a wealth of knowledge throughout the trip. We were fortunate to have him as our guide.
It was a great day, but awfully long. 12 hours is about 2 hours too long. You will enjoy all the stops and the scenery. Hopefully, you will have a fun bunch of folks to enjoy the day with. I would give it 5 stars if the day were a bit shorter. Our host was informative and eager to take pictures.
This was such a wonderful experience. Seeing this beautiful coastal way with a fun guide is the best. Jaimes did a great job sharing fun facts and showing us all the great stops. The nice town for lunch was cute and the walking paths around the 12 Disciples were great (although the construction made finding the entrance to Gibson stairs a bit more difficult than it usually is, I eventually got there and made it down to the beach)! A really great day trip from Melbourne that I would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thanks so much for the wonderful review! 😊
We’re really happy to hear you had such a great day exploring the Great Ocean Road with Jaimes. He certainly knows how to keep things fun while sharing plenty of interesting bits along the way!
And well done for making it down to Gibson Steps despite the construction making things a little trickier! 😄 Getting down onto the beach and seeing the coastline from that angle is definitely worth the extra effort.
It sounds like you had a lovely mix of scenery, good food and plenty of time to explore along the way. We’re so glad the day made for such a memorable escape from Melbourne!
Thanks again for joining us, and we hope there’s another Go West adventure waiting for you next time. The Grampians or Puffing Billy & Redwoods could be great ones to try! 💛
What a fantastic tour! It was a great mix of oceans, mountains, rain forest, small town. Jon was a superb tour guide. He provided a lot of insight, history, tips, but also had a fantastic playlist based on where in the tour we were. We highly highly recommend this tour with Go West.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Now that sounds like a pretty great way to spend a day on the Great Ocean Road! 😊
We love that Jon R had a soundtrack to match the journey — there’s something about having the right song come on as the scenery changes that makes a long drive feel even more memorable. 🎶🌊
It’s also great to hear that his stories, local insights and little tips added to the experience without taking away from simply enjoying the day. And with ocean, mountains, rainforest and those little coastal towns all in the mix, you certainly got a bit of everything!
Thanks for coming along with us and for the very kind words about Jon R. We’re so happy the day was such a hit! 💛
The tour was outstanding, and our guide was absolute perfection in every single aspect—knowledgeable, attentive, and incredibly professional. Couldn't have asked for a better experience!
We had a wonderful day experiencing and enjoying the breathtaking Great Ocean Road! The scenery was absolutely stunning, and the whole trip was well organised and enjoyable from start to finish.
A special thank you to our tour guide, Kevin, who was fantastic throughout the day. He was friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining, and shared lots of interesting information along the way. He made sure everyone was comfortable and helped make the whole experience even more memorable.
We had such a great time and would highly recommend Go West Tours to anyone wanting to explore the Great Ocean Road. A fantastic experience and definitely one of the highlights of our Melbourne trip!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks so much for the lovely review! We’re really glad you had such a great day exploring the Great Ocean Road with Kevin.
It sounds like you had the perfect mix of beautiful scenery, interesting stories and a well-paced day. We’re especially happy to hear that Kevin kept things friendly and entertaining while making sure everyone was comfortable along the way.
We’ll definitely pass your kind words on to Kevin — we’re sure he’ll be happy to know he helped make one of the highlights of your Melbourne trip even more memorable. 😊
Thanks again for spending the day with us, and we hope there’s another Go West adventure waiting for you somewhere down the road! 🌊🦘
We had an amazing day out with Jools and Gumnut!
Jools was super nice, knowledgeable about the area, the road and the best stopping places.
This experience boasts the most incredible ocean views, there was a lot of time on the bus but it was very enjoyable!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks so much for the lovely review! We’re really glad you had such a great day on the Great Ocean Road with Jools and Gumnut. 🐨
It sounds like Jools knew all the right places to stop and made the long stretches on the road enjoyable too. There’s certainly a fair bit of driving on this tour, so we’re especially happy to hear that you enjoyed the journey as much as the stops themselves!
And those ocean views certainly make the kilometres worthwhile. 🌊 We’ll pass your kind words on to Jools — and we’re sure Gumnut will be happy to know he made it into the review too! 😂🐨
Thanks again for joining us, and we hope to see you again on another Melbourne adventure! 😊
It was a long day but well worth it. Our guide Jess made sure we got everything possible out of the experience.
Excellent trip from start to our finish. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable of tour, a real gentleman with all passengers on board, nothing was too much trouble.
It was a great Day Trip to the great ocean road. The quide was very attentive and entertaining. Thank you!
A fulfilling trip. Tom our guide are very friendly. Only down side should be the bus is too cramped.
The trip with Go West was amazing. I commend the whole team behind and the tourist guide Sophia in-charge of the tour, she was so amazing, kind and very lovely person. I reckon they made our trip marvellous and very entertaining. Since from the beginning till the end of the trip, the experience was amazing. We had free coffee, chocolate drink or tea in the morning plus some very delicious muffins they prepared for us. The travel was very smooth and for every stops that we had, Sophia our tourist guide provided heaps of insight about what the best thing to do, and even recommended some best restaurants in the local places. She made sure that we are comfortable and everyone is enjoying the trip. For a solo travellers like me, this is definitely a best choice to do and you will never feel alone or left out during this trip.
Overall it was amazing experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We're so happy to hear you had such an amazing day exploring the Great Ocean Road with Sophia. It’s lovely to know she helped make the journey so enjoyable with her local knowledge, thoughtful recommendations and warm, friendly personality.
We're also glad you enjoyed the little touches along the way, from the morning tea and muffins to the insights shared at each stop. Hearing that you felt so welcomed as a solo traveller is especially meaningful to us—we want every guest to feel included and enjoy the day together.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us. We really appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another Go West adventure the next time you're in Melbourne!
It was an excellent experience. You should definitely do it, if you want to experience the Great Ocean Road in a day. Rhys our guide was really knowledgeable, but also extremely funny.
This experience is amazing. We saw so much of the coastline and learned so much about how it was created the innuendos of the different areas along the way. It was just incredible! Jools was a great guide! She Had little anecdotes about different parts of the construction of the road. She made sure we saw kangaroos. She even found a koala in a tree for us! She was fun. She was easy to get along with. It was amazing.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We're thrilled to hear you had such an amazing day exploring the Great Ocean Road with Jools. There's so much to discover along this spectacular coastline, and it's fantastic to know her stories, local knowledge and enthusiasm helped bring it all to life.
We're especially glad you were able to spot both kangaroos and a wild koala—those moments always make the day extra memorable! It's wonderful to hear Jools' friendly personality and passion for creating a fun experience made such a positive impression.
We'll be sure to pass your lovely comments on to Jools. We know she'll be delighted to hear she helped make your day so special.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us. We hope to welcome you back for another Go West adventure in the future!
So far no bus and it's after the pickup time... and no contact from Go West.
This is incredibly aggravating.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hmm.... it looks like someone's day got off to a bad start. We understand that our touring vehicle arrived 2-3 minutes after it scheduled arrival time for the reviewer's group and that they travelled to the Great Ocean Road without any further issues. As out driver-guide hadn't notified our office of any significant delays in the pickup process, we didn't commence contacting guests to advise of any anticipated lateness. It's pretty disappointing that the reviewer hasn't made any adjustment to their review having successfully boarded the touring vehicle and completed the day's touring without further incident.
My teen son and I took this tour and couldn't have been more pleased. It was well paced, a comfortable ride, and we got to experience so many wonderful sites. Note that my son is 6'3" and he was comfortable. Only thing missing was lack of chargers at each seat (fortunately our guide generously allowed my son to charge his phone). The stops for meals and restroom were well timed, always in safe and enjoyable places. We got to see wild kangaroos and koalas. Rainbows at every turn. What a special day. The cherry on top to the day was that our guide, Ben, was AMAZING!! He was incredibly friendly and is THE best representative for Melbourne. By the end, I was convinced I should consider moving to the land down under. :)
What an awesome person! He found ways to engage with us as a group as well as individually. If you are looking for an amazing capstone to your Australian vacation, do this - you won't be disappointed.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your fantastic review!
It was such a pleasure to read, and we have to admit we had a smile on our faces when we got to the part about considering a move to the Land Down Under! We'd like to think Ben had something to do with that. 😊
We're so pleased you and your son had such a wonderful day exploring the Great Ocean Road. From the wildlife sightings and spectacular scenery to the well-paced itinerary, it's great to hear everything came together for a memorable experience. We're especially glad Ben helped make the day so enjoyable with his friendly personality, local knowledge and genuine enthusiasm.
We'll be sure to share your lovely comments with Ben, including your kind words about him being "the best representative for Melbourne." We know he'll really appreciate them.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience with us. We hope to welcome you both back for another Go West adventure whenever you're next in Australia!
We had a lovely tour with Alisha! She went out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable. Enjoyed the conversation. The tour started with a tea stop that she organized with great muffins. The tour of the great ocean road was fantastic. It was well-timed with a great mix of walks, breaks, and sights along the way. We were lucky to see a koala and a few kangaroos on the way. A long day, but it was a lot of fun. Highly recommend Go West!!
This was an awesome tour with so many great sights. Tim, our guide, was very informative, friendly and made sure we got everywhere on time. We had good amounts of time in each location, plus there was a bonus option to do a Twelve Apostles helicopter trip. Prepare for a long day - I was picked up at 7.10am and got back to my hotel at 8.45pm - but absolutely worth it.
Really enjoyed our tour led by Chris H. There were plenty of stops, so it didn't feel like we were on the coach too long, and the sites we saw were beautiful. We even saw some koalas!
Chris was a great guide who brought what was quite a shy group out of their shells.
Chris H if Go West tours was an amazing guide. The coastline and 12 apostles lived up to the hype ! The rainforest walk was also a highlight.
Lisa was absolutely amazing! Was a shame it’d be her last tour with this company. But 100% would recommend!
One of the most beautiful routes I have ever seen! We had a perfect guide - Bluey. He has a great sense of humour and tells the stories about the route and history in a very lively way. It was also very cute that he gave us delicious muffins and coffee on the Great Ocean Road. Everything he recommended for food or stops was really good quality. I had a wonderful day and definitely recommend both the route and the guide!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thanks so much for your review!
We're delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful time exploring the Great Ocean Road with Bluey. It's fantastic to know that his storytelling, sense of humour and local knowledge helped bring the journey to life and made the day even more enjoyable.
The Great Ocean Road is certainly one of Australia's most spectacular coastal drives, and we're pleased that it left such a lasting impression. We're also glad you enjoyed the morning tea and that Bluey's recommendations throughout the day helped you make the most of every stop along the way.
We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Bluey, who will be thrilled to hear that he helped create such a memorable experience.
Thanks again for travelling with us, and we hope to welcome you back on another adventure from Melbourne in the future — perhaps to Phillip Island, the Grampians, the Yarra Valley or aboard the iconic Puffing Billy!
Jon was informative and knowledgeable. He made sure that we were able to see koalas. The bus was comfortable, and the experience was very positive. The views were amazing.
Great Experience with David. Enjoyed the time with him and the rest of the passengers onboard. Must Visit.
The tour was not bad though there was heavy raining in the afternoon. Our guide Tom is a good driver, you can give him that but he is not knowledgeable about the area, the history, the trees and plants in the rainforest. Silent most
of the trip except updating us on the real estate prices. His biggest mistake was to force everybody out of the bus under the pouring rain and force us to go to the stone formation. And lock the bus. We were all totally wet. It had to be optional not compulsory activity. If anybody gets sick, it would be on him.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that inclement weather impacted your tour experience.
We do appreciate your comments regarding Tom’s driving, and we’re pleased to hear you felt safe on the roads in difficult conditions. We are, however, disappointed to hear that the commentary and overall experience did not meet your expectations. This feedback is not in line with what we usually hear about Tom, and we will review this feedback with him.
Regarding being requested to depart the touring vehicle during the stop at the 12 Apostles, this is an important fatigue management stop for our guides and they cannot be required to monitor a vehicle at this time. There is adequate undercover space to shelter from the rain at the 12 Apostles, so we're surprised to hear you were "totally wet". If you were unprepared to venture across to the viewing areas during your visit here, this will be the only reason the 12 Apostles might not have e been seen.
We do hope that your health since the tour has been OK and wish you well with your onward travels.
We had an amazing experience on the Great Ocean Drive, and a big part of that was thanks to Jools, our tour guide for the day. Jools genuinely took great care of the group, making sure everyone was comfortable, engaged, and enjoying the journey.
What really stood out was the effort to take a few thoughtful detours along the way, giving us the chance to spot wildlife we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Those moments made the trip feel much more special and memorable.
Jools was also incredibly patient throughout the day, never rushing us and always allowing plenty of time at each stop—whether it was for meals or simply soaking in the stunning lookout points. It made the whole experience feel relaxed and well-paced.
Overall, a fantastic guide who clearly cares about delivering a great experience. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you had such an amazing time on our Great Ocean Road tour.
It’s fantastic to know that Jools made the day so enjoyable. Her care for the group and thoughtful approach really help create a relaxed and memorable experience.
We’re so pleased you enjoyed those extra wildlife moments along the way. They really do make the journey feel even more special.
It’s also great to hear the pacing of the day worked well for you, allowing plenty of time to take in each stop and enjoy the scenery.
Thanks again for your kind recommendation. We’d love to have you join us again on another Melbourne adventure.
This was a long day but well-planned. There were several stops to break up the trip. Out guide Robbo (who was also the driver) was great. He gave us good, interesting info. He kept all 22 of us on time. I liked that we had lunch and dinner options and were on our own for that. The sites especially the 12 Apostles is well worth the long day. We also saw wild koalas and kangaroos.
Absolutely wonderful day. Bluey the driver guide was simply the best. The sights were out of this world.
Unlike other Viator trip providers, Go West does not contact traveller about pickup the day before the trip. This increase the anxiety during our early morning pickup at a location we are not too familiar with and waited for 10 minutes post the pickup time identified on the instruction.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks so much for your review! We’re delighted to hear you joined our Great Ocean Road tour and really appreciate your recommendation.
We’re sorry to hear that the pickup experience caused some concern — we understand how important clear communication is, especially for early morning departures. For all of our tours, we do send a reminder email the day prior with full pickup details, and we always recommend guests reconfirm their information at least 24 hours before travel to ensure everything runs smoothly.
That said, we appreciate you sharing this feedback and will continue working to make the experience as seamless as possible.
Having experienced the Great Ocean Road with us, we hope you might join us again one day to explore more of what Victoria has to offer.
Thanks again for your kind words & very best wishes for your onward adventures.
Scenic drive to some amazing and beautiful sites! Worth the trip. Tim was a fantastic tour guide - kept us entertained and informed.
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