The Great Ocean Road lies in the very south of the Australian state of Victoria and begins approximately 100 km south-west of Melbourne.

Most travellers head to the Great Ocean Road by car; indeed, this area is world-renowned for its fantastic road trips.

However, you can also get there by public transport from the city of Geelong, which is served by frequent commuter trains from Melbourne.

Hiring a car at Melbourne Airport

By car

There are several access roads leading to the Great Ocean Road.

We’d recommend taking at least one trip along the coast and another through the inland areas, which certainly have plenty to offer too!

From Melbourne

The main route from Melbourne follows the M1 motorway. In this case, you have two route options:

• Near the town of Geelong, follow the signs for “Great Ocean Road” and drive straight to Torquay on the coast, where the Great Ocean Road officially begins
  • Route map
• From Geelong, continue along the M1 motorway towards Colac; just before you reach Colac, take the ‘Birregurra’ turn-off heading south and, passing through a beautiful stretch around Lake Elizabeth or Stevenson Falls, you’ll reach Apollo Bay
  • Route map
• Compare car hire prices at Melbourne Airport

From Adelaide

If you have more time in Australia, road trips from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road are very popular.

As Adelaide is quite a long way from the Great Ocean Road itself (600 km), you’ll most likely travel in several stages via the Coastal Road and then along the coast via Kingston and Mount Gambier to Warrnambool, where the Great Ocean Road begins in the west.

• Route map
• Compare car hire prices at Adelaide Airport

By public transport

There is only one tourist-friendly bus route operated by V/Line along the Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road is only easily accessible by public transport from Melbourne or Geelong.

The bus route, also known as the No. 101, is divided into two sections:

• Geelong – Torquay – Anglesea – Aireys Inlet – Lorne – Apollo Bay
  • 4 times a day
  • In Geelong, there are frequent V/Line train connections to Melbourne
• Apollo Bay – Lavers Hill – 12 Apostles – Port Campbell – Bay of Islands – Warrnambool
  • 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
  • In Warrnambool, there are 4 V/Line trains a day to Melbourne

You can search for connections and timetables on the websitevline.com.au/Timetables.

You can always pay for your tickets by card to the bus driver or at the ticket office at Melbourne station.

Nearest airports

Travellers heading to the Great Ocean Road mainly use the following airports:

• Melbourne MEL – a major international airport with direct flights to destinations worldwide
  • 112 km from Torquay
• Adelaide ADL – an international airport with direct flights to destinations such as New Zealand or South-East Asia
  • 672 km from Port Campbell
• Melbourne-Avalon AVV – a small airport for domestic low-cost flights
  • 50 km from Torquay
• Mount Gambier MGB – a small domestic airport with direct flights only to Melbourne and Adelaide
  • 253 km from Port Campbell