| Drive the Great Ocean Road skirting the rugged western coastline of Victoria. Experience the Grampians and South Australia's Coonawarra wine-growing region and Naracoorte Caves, before winding into charming Adelaide. |
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DAY 01 Melbourne for Apollo Bay
DISTANCE: 200KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 3HR
Depart Melbourne via the West Gate Bridge and follow the Princess Highway towards Weribee. The Mansion at Werribee Park was built in the 1870s and is surrounded by extensive manicured grounds and the Victorian State Rose Gardens. Also part of the Werribee Park precinct is the Open Range Zoo where animals from Africa, Asia, North America and Australia roam in open grasslands. Continue to Geelong, Victoria's second-largest city, and explore its historic waterfront; a lively area filled with restaurants and cafés. The Geelong waterfront with its colourful bollards and yachts is a sight to behold.
Breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay can be seen from the "Rip" Lookout at Point Lonsdale and from here, a short drive to Torquay - the official start of the spectacular coastal drive along the Great Ocean Road. The Surfworld Museum at Torquay documents surfing history in the region and provides interpretative displays. Along with Bells Beach, Torquay is recognised among the world's premier surf locations. Time permitting, you can learn to surf with the experts. Continue on through the townships of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet to Lorne, a resort-style town combining restaurants and shops with historic properties and natural attractions such as the Angahook-Lorne State Park. The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved into sheer cliffs that drop away into the ocean, offering commanding views of the waves swelling and crashing onto the rocks and beaches below. This small fishing and farming village is also an excellent base for exploring the waterfalls and rainforests in the Otway National Park whilst enjoying the fresh seafood and local produce. Not to be missed is dinner at award-wining Chris Beaconpoint Restaurant which overlooks Apollo Bay.
Overnight: Apollo Bay
DAY 02 Apollo Bay to Warrnambool
DISTANCE: 169KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2.5HR
Continue your journey west from Apollo Bay and walk through breathtaking wilderness, explore secluded beaches or the forest canopy via the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in the Otway National Park.
Thereafter, drive to Port Campbell National Park to witness nature's marvellous rock formations. This is the most famous section of the Great Ocean Road featuring an amazing collection of rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles - carved out of the headland by the fierce waves of the southern ocean. Spectacular shapes in the nearby cliffs, including Loch Ard Gorge, the Arch, the Blowhole and London Bridge as well as Wreck Beach are also not to be missed.
Adventurous sightseers can take the boardwalks that lead to lookouts and great views of the coastline, which is dotted with plaques and signs that mark the places where more than 160 ships floundered along the aptly named Shipwreck Coast.
This leg of the journey ends at Warrnambool, the only city on the Shipwreck Coast. Set on the edge of Lady Bay, Warrnambool boasts a colourful history, which can be explored at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Whales migrate along the part of the coastline and can be spotted from lookouts and on boat trips between May and October.
Overnight: Warrnambool
 Day 03
Warrnambool to Port Fairy (Distance: 29km, Approx. Time Travel: 30MIN)
Port Fairy to Port MacDonnell (Distance: 212km, Approx. Time Travel: 2.5HR )
Port MacDonnell to Mount Gambier (Distance: 28km, Approx. Time Travel: 30MIN)
Travel to the Limestone Coast of South Australia today, stopping in Port Macdonnell - the southernmost town in South Australia and known as the 'Southern Rock Lobster Capital of Australia'. Stop in at one of the many cafes to sample the southern rock lobster. Then travel on to Mount Gambier, South Australia's second largest city and see the mysterious Blue Lake that changes colour from gunmetal grey to cobalt blue between November to March each year. Join a 45minute guided tour with Aquifer Tour and travelled in a glass panelled lift down the orginial dolomite well shaft from which water was originally extracted, and understand more about this fascinating Blue Lake.
Take a walk in time through The Lady Nelson Discovery Centre, and spend the rest of the day exploring Umpherston Sinkhole and Englebrecht Cave beneath the city's streets. For a mouth-watering experience of the world's best and most expensive Wagyu Beef, dine at The Lakes Resort Restaurant or other restaurants.
 Day 04
Mount Gambier to Penola (Distance: 50km, Approx. Time Travel: 30MIN)
Penola to Coonawarra (Distance: 10km, Approx. Time Travel: 10MIN)
Coonawarra to Naracoorte (Distance: 40km, Approx. Time Travel: 20MIN)
Head to Penola to explore this charming historic town before travelling to the famous Coonawarra wine region. It's a tightly defined wine region, and its rich, terrarosa soil is responsible for great red wines. Sample some of Australia's best cabernets in the dozen or so cellar doors here. Afterwards, continue to Naracoorte to do an overnight stay in one of the cottages or choose to stay in Chardonnay Lodge in Coonawarra.
 Day 05
Naracoorte to Padthaway (Distance: 46km, Approx. Travel Time: 30MIN)
Padthaway to Keith (Distance: 63km, Approx. Travel Time: 45MIN)
Keith to Adelaide (Distance: 229km, Approx. Travel Time: 2.5HR)
Join a guided tour to explore one of the many caves at the impressive World-Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves comprising caves full of delicate calcite formations and a 350,000-year-old fossil bed. You can even go adventure caving here. Head to Padthaway, known as a classic Chardonnay region and visit some of the cellar doors such as Henry's Drive and Stonehaven Vineyards. Continue on to Adelaide through Keith and Dukes Highway.
Day 06 Adelaide
Take the morning to explore Adelaide city on foot. If it's a market day, visit Adelaide Central Market (open Tue, Thu, Fri and Sat) which is the largest food and produce market in Southern Hemisphere, or take a behind-the-scenes tour at Haigh's Chocolates Visitors Centre (11am, 1pm and 2pm). And if time permits, discover the Aboriginal culture by joining a Bush Food Trail tour and enjoy Bush Tucker in the city.
Stroll through the Rundle Mall shopping precinct for both department store and boutique shopping. This evening, dine along any number of Adelaide's 'eat streets', such as Gouger Street, Rundle Street and Hutt Street in the city, and O'Connell Street and Melbourne Street in nearby North Adelaide.
For more information:
http://www.southaustralia.com/sg/MelbournetoAdelaideTouringRoute.aspx
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Day 01 Melbourne for Apollo Bay
DISTANCE: 200KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 3HR
Depart Melbourne via the West Gate Bridge and follow the Princess Highway towards Weribee. The Mansion at Werribee Park was built in the 1870s and is surrounded by extensive manicured grounds and the Victorian State Rose Gardens. Also part of the Werribee Park precinct is the Open Range Zoo where animals from Africa, Asia, North America and Australia roam in open grasslands. Continue to Geelong, Victoria's second-largest city, and explore its historic waterfront; a lively area filled with restaurants and cafés. The Geelong waterfront with its colourful bollards and yachts is a sight to behold.
Breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay can be seen from the "Rip" Lookout at Point Lonsdale and from here, a short drive to Torquay - the official start of the spectacular coastal drive along the Great Ocean Road. The Surfworld Museum at Torquay documents surfing history in the region and provides interpretative displays. Along with Bells Beach, Torquay is recognised among the world's premier surf locations. Time permitting, you can learn to surf with the experts. Continue on through the townships of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet to Lorne, a resort-style town combining restaurants and shops with historic properties and natural attractions such as the Angahook-Lorne State Park. The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved into sheer cliffs that drop away into the ocean, offering commanding views of the waves swelling and crashing onto the rocks and beaches below. This small fishing and farming village is also an excellent base for exploring the waterfalls and rainforests in the Otway National Park whilst enjoying the fresh seafood and local produce. Not to be missed is dinner at award-wining Chris Beaconpoint Restaurant which overlooks Apollo Bay.
Overnight: Apollo Bay
Day 02 Apollo Bay to Warrnambool
DISTANCE: 169KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2.5HR
Continue your journey west from Apollo Bay and walk through breathtaking wilderness, explore secluded beaches or the forest canopy via the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in the Otway National Park.
Thereafter, drive to Port Campbell National Park to witness nature's marvellous rock formations. This is the most famous section of the Great Ocean Road featuring an amazing collection of rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles - carved out of the headland by the fierce waves of the southern ocean. Spectacular shapes in the nearby cliffs, including Loch Ard Gorge, the Arch, the Blowhole and London Bridge as well as Wreck Beach are also not to be missed.
Adventurous sightseers can take the boardwalks that lead to lookouts and great views of the coastline, which is dotted with plaques and signs that mark the places where more than 160 ships floundered along the aptly named Shipwreck Coast.
This leg of the journey ends at Warrnambool, the only city on the Shipwreck Coast. Set on the edge of Lady Bay, Warrnambool boasts a colourful history, which can be explored at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Whales migrate along the part of the coastline and can be spotted from lookouts and on boat trips between May and October.
Overnight: Warrnambool
Day 03 Warrnambool to Halls Gap
DISTANCE: 158KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2HR 50MIN
Head from Warrnambool to the quaint fishing township of Port Fairy for morning tea.
Discover more about maritime history at Port Fairy, a busy fishing port and one of the state's earliest settled coastal villages. Take the time to explore the town's streets and over 50 nineteenth-century buildings classified by the National Trust. From Port Fairy, the Great Southern Touring Route turns north, away from the coast and towards the natural beauty of the Grampians mountain range.
Dunkeld is a beautiful village on the edge of the Grampians. To survey the beauty of the region follow the trail joining Mount Sturgeon and Mount Abrupt, the highest peak in the southern Grampians. The Grampians National Park is famous for some of the most spectacular scenery in Australia and is the perfect place for both relaxation and adventure.
Walk to cascading waterfalls or lookouts overlooking rugged mountain ranges and impressive rock formations, explore bushland and discover the diverse wildlife of the region and a wide variety of birds. For the more adventurous, try rock climbing or abseiling on the cliffs, pinnacles and bluffs of the Grampians. Guides and equipment are available, so even a novice can give it a go. Along with its natural beauty, the Grampians are home to the largest collection of Aboriginal rock paintings in Victoria.
The town of Halls Gap is the tourist hub of the region. Surrounded by the Wonderland and Mount William ranges, it is a great place to base yourself as you explore the Grampians. It offers accommodation ranging from 5-star villas to basic camping grounds and is close to many of the Grampians' major attractions, including Boroka and Reed's lookouts, McKenzie Falls, Lake Bellfield and Zumsteins.
Overnight: Halls Gap
 Day 04 Halls Gap
From the local village stores, the taste tempting wineries and the colourful galleries to the majesty of the Grampians National Park with its wildflowers and waterfalls, Halls Gap is the heart of this region.
Explore the scenic drives, lookouts, and waterfalls in the beautiful Grampians National Park. Brambuk - The National Park & Cultural Centre located 2.5 kilometres South of Halls Gap shops is a good starting point for anyone intending to explore the park.
Learn about the diverse culture of the local indigenous people at Brambuk - The National Park & Cultural Centre and join a tour of the many ancient aboriginal rock art sites in the area.
Explore the park on foot by choosing from an extensive network of trails criss-crossing the area. Walks such as Venus Baths, Boronia Peak and Chatauqua start from Halls Gap or you can drive to walks such as MacKenzie Falls, Hollow Mountain and Piccaninny which offer a wonderful variety of vegetation and landscapes.
View Australian native animals in the wild throughout the Grampians National Park or visit the Wildlife Park and Zoo on Pomonal Road to see kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats, emus, possums, and dingoes as well as deer, waterfowl, ponies and other domestic farm animals in a bushland setting.
Take the Grampians scenic road through the ranges, past towering Mount Abrupt to the quiet little town of Dunkeld. The ranges are 95 kilometres long and 55 kilometres wide and the road follows a beautiful stretch of the Southern Grampians called the Serra Range.
Overnight: Halls Gap
Day 05
Halls Gap to Penola
Distance 270km, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2HR 45MIN
Drive from Halls Gap via McKenzie Falls to Horsham, then continue west along the Wimmera Highway past Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park, a premier rock-climbing site. The Wimmera region is a farming area with wheat and sheep farming being the main industries here.
Crossing the border into South Australia, spend some time exloring the World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves National Parl, with its limestone caves, Southern Bent-wing bats and prehistoria mega fauna fossial remains. Head South to the quaint township of historic Penola, which celebrates the life of Blessed Mary MacKillop and the Bool Lagoon Bird Sanctuary where you can take guided walks. Continue on to the wineries of Coonawarra region, which is famous for producing spectacular red wines from the red "terrarossa" soil.
Overnight: Coonawarra or Penola
 Day 06
Penola to Naracoorte (Distance: 50km, Approx. Travel Time: 30MIN)
Naracoorte to Padthaway (Distance: 46km, Approx. Travel Time: 30MIN)
Padthaway to Keith (Distance: 63km, Approx. Travel Time: 45MIN)
Keith to Adelaide (Distance: 229km, Approx. Travel Time: 2HR 15MIN)
Head up to Naracoorte and join a guided tour to explore one of the many caves at the impressive World-Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves comprising caves full of delicate calcite formations and a 350,000-year-old fossil bed. You can even go adventure caving here. Head to Padthaway, known as a classic Chardonnay region and visit some of the cellar doors such as Henry's Drive and Stonehaven Vineyards. Continue on to Adelaide through Keith and Dukes Highway.
Day 07 Adelaide
Take the morning to explore Adelaide city on foot. If it's a market day, visit Adelaide Central Market (open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays), which is the largest food and produce market in Southern Hemisphere, or take a behind-the-scenes tour at Haigh's Chocolates Visitors Centre (11am, 1pm and 2pm). If time permits, find out more about the Aboriginal culture by joining a Bush Food Trail tour and enjoy Bush Tucker in the city.
Stroll through the Rundle Mall shopping precinct for both department store and boutique shopping. This evening, dine along any number of Adelaide's 'eat streets', such as Gouger Street, Rundle Street and Hutt Street in the city, and O'Connell Street and Melbourne Street in nearby North Adelaide.
For more information:
http://www.southaustralia.com/sg/MelbournetoAdelaideTouringRoute.aspx
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Day 01 Melbourne for Apollo Bay
DISTANCE: 200KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 3HR
Depart Melbourne via the West Gate Bridge and follow the Princess Highway towards Weribee. The Mansion at Werribee Park was built in the 1870s and is surrounded by extensive manicured grounds and the Victorian State Rose Gardens. Also part of the Werribee Park precinct is the Open Range Zoo where animals from Africa, Asia, North America and Australia roam in open grasslands. Continue to Geelong, Victoria's second-largest city, and explore its historic waterfront; a lively area filled with restaurants and cafés.The Geelong waterfront with its colourful bollards and yachts is a sight to behold.
Breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay can be seen from the "Rip" Lookout at Point Lonsdale and from here, a short drive to Torquay - the official start of the spectacular coastal drive along the Great Ocean Road. The Surfworld Museum at Torquay documents surfing history in the region and provides interpretative displays. Along with Bells Beach, Torquay is recognised among the world's premier surf locations. Time permitting, you can learn to surf with the experts. Continue on through the townships of Anglesea and Aireys Inlet to Lorne , a resort-style town combining restaurants and shops with historic properties and natural attractions such as the Angahook-Lorne State Park. The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved into sheer cliffs that drop away into the ocean, offering commanding views of the waves swelling and crashing onto the rocks and beaches below. This small fishing and farming village is also an excellent base for exploring the waterfalls and rainforests in the Otway National Park whilst enjoying the fresh seafood and local produce. Not to be missed is dinner at award-wining Chris Beaconpoint Restaurant which overlooks Apollo Bay.
Overnight: Apollo Bay
Day 02 Apollo Bay to Warrnambool
DISTANCE: 169KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 2.5HR
Continue your journey west from Apollo Bay and walk through breathtaking wilderness, explore secluded beaches or the forest canopy via the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in the Otway National Park.
Thereafter, drive to Port Campbell National Park to witness nature's marvellous rock formations. This is the most famous section of the Great Ocean Road featuring an amazing collection of rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles - carved out of the headland by the fierce waves of the southern ocean. Spectacular shapes in the nearby cliffs, including Loch Ard Gorge, the Arch, the Blowhole and London Bridge as well as Wreck Beach are also not to be missed.
Adventurous sightseers can take the boardwalks that lead to lookouts and great views of the coastline, which is dotted with plaques and signs that mark the places where more than 160 ships floundered along the aptly named Shipwreck Coast.
This leg of the journey ends at Warrnambool, the only city on the Shipwreck Coast. Set on the edge of Lady Bay, Warrnambool boasts a colourful history, which can be explored at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum. Whales migrate along the part of the coastline and can be spotted from lookouts and on boat trips between May and October.
Overnight: Warrnambool
 Day 03
Warrnambool to Port Fairy (Distance: 29km, Approx. Time Travel: 30MIN)
Port Fairy to Port MacDonnell (Distance: 212km, Approx. Time Travel: 2HR 30MIN )
Port MacDonnell to Mount Gambier (Distance: 28km, Approx. Time Travel: 30MIN)
Travel to the Limestone Coast of South Australia today, stopping in Port MacDonnell - the southernmost town in South Australia and known as the 'Southern Rock Lobster Capital of Australia'. Stop in at one of the many cafés to sample the southern rock lobster. Then travel on to Mount Gambier, South Australia's second largest city and see the mysterious Blue Lake that changes colour from gunmetal grey to cobalt blue between November to March each year. Join a 45 minutes guided tour with Aquifer Tour and travelled in a glass panelled lift down the original dolomite well shaft from which water was originally extracted, and understand more about this fascinating Blue Lake.
Take a walk in time through The Lady Nelson Discovery Centre, and spend the rest of the day exploring Umpherston Sinkhole and Englebrecht Cave beneath the city's streets. For a mouth-watering experience of the world's best and most expensive Wagyu Beef, dine at The Lakes Resort Restaurant or other restaurants.
 Day 04
Mount Gambier to Tantanoola (Distance: 30km, Approx. Travel Time: 25MIN)
Tantanoola to Millicent (Distance: 21km, Approx. Travel Time: 15MIN)
Millicent to Beachport (Distance: 32km, Approx. Travel Time: 24MIN)
Beachport to Robe (Distance: 45km, Approx. Travel Time: 33MIN)
Travel from Mount Gambier to Millicent via Tantanoola. Take the scenic drive to the Woakwine Range Wind Farm Tourist Drive, the largest wind farm development in the Southern Hemisphere. Continue travel up north to Beachport, known to have the second longest jetty in Australia. Soak up the spectacular views of the rugged coastline along the Bowman Scenic Drive, and experience the uniquely buoyant Pool of Siloam, which has a salt concentration seven times greater than the sea.
Thereafter, enjoy a heritage walk through the pretty seaside village of Robe. Visit Cape Dombey and take a photo of the famous obelisk. Robe is also famous for its crayfish. So be sure to enjoy this delicious treat if visiting between October to April.
 Day 05
Robe to Penola (Distance: 98km, Approx. Travel Time: 1HR)
Penola to Coonawarra (Distance: 10km, Approx. Travel Time: 10MIN)
Coonawarra to Naracoorte (Distance: 40km, Approx. Travel Time: 20MIN)
Today head to Penola and explore its charming historic town before travelling to the famous Coonawarra wine region. It's a tightly defined wine region, and its rich, terrarosa soil is responsible for great red wines. Sample some of Australia's best cabernets in the dozen or so cellar doors here. Afterwards, continue to Naracoorte to do an overnight stay in one of the cottages or choose to stay in Chardonnay Lodge in Coonawarra.
Day 06
Naracoorte to Padthaway (Distance: 46km, Approx. Travel Time: 30MIN)
Padthaway to Keith (Distance: 63km, Approx. Travel Time: 45MIN)
Keith to Adelaide (Distance: 229km, Approx. Travel Time: 2HR 15MIN)
Join a guided tour to explore one of the many caves at the impressive World-Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves comprising caves full of delicate calcite formations and a 350,000-year-old fossil bed. You can even go adventure caving here. Head to Padthaway, known as a classic Chardonnay region and visit some of the cellar doors such as Henry's Drive and Stonehaven Vineyards. Continue on to Adelaide through Keith and Dukes Highway.
Day 07 Adelaide
This morning explore Adelaide city on foot. If it's a market day, visit Adelaide Central Market (open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays), which is the largest food and produce market in Southern Hemisphere, or take a behind-the-scenes tour at Haigh's Chocolates Visitors Centre (11am, 1pm & 2pm). If time permits, find out more about the Aboriginal culture by joining a Bush Food Trail tour and enjoy Bush Tucker in the city.
Stroll through the Rundle Mall shopping precinct for both department store and boutique shopping. This evening, dine along any number of Adelaide's 'eat streets', such as Gouger Street, Rundle Street and Hutt Street in the city, and O'Connell Street and Melbourne Street in nearby North Adelaide.
For more information:
http://www.southaustralia.com/sg/MelbournetoAdelaideTouringRoute.aspx
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