The chance to experience cities, nature, wildlife, and activities all on a single trip has the makings of an epic adventure. Australia can be an expensive place for a backpacker on a budget, but it doesn’t have to cost you a ton to have an amazing time. A road trip in Australia is something on many bucket lists.
“The Land Down Under” is the sixth-largest country in the world in terms of landmass, so yea, it’s big. For a lot of people, due to financial or work restraints, the allotment of time is in the 1-3 week window. If you are wondering how to take a road trip on the Great Ocean Road, it will be comforting to know that 1 week is enough time for an incredible itinerary, including stops in national parks, hikes, waterfalls, mobs of kangaroos, jaw-dropping views that keep on coming and even a chicken parmy.
First stop, Melbourne mates! Melbourne is considered the cultural capital of Australia. There’s some of the best coffee in the world, tucked away in alleyways filled with graffiti, street art, and gritty old-school vibes.
If you are a sports enthusiast, the AFL, known as “footy”, is an easy sport to learn and it always pairs well with a beer and a meat pie. Footy runs from March to September and Melbourne, where the sport was invented in 1859, is home to 9 of the league’s 18 teams, so you have options. If you have some extra time to spend in the city before or after your road trip, it’s certainly worth it.
There’s a plethora of bars and restaurants for any type of atmosphere you can imagine, as well as shopping, museums, and beaches close by where you can see penguins in the wild. After you’ve had your fix of Tim Tam slams, a bag of hot jam doughnuts, and tasted some Vegemite, it’s time to start the road trip.
Jump to:
DAY 1
Whether you prefer tents and a rental car or a camper van with a home on wheels experience, either is doable and just as fun. We had 4 people, so we went for the camper van, which cost us $180 USD each, or $30 per day, for 6 days on the road. It’s a good idea to stock up on food at the famous Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne before leaving the city. The market is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, so plan accordingly.
Fuel up your vehicle and head southwest towards the coastal town of Torquay, the gateway of the Great Ocean Road. Stretch your legs and check out the scenic Jan Juc Lookout at Point Danger before heading 10 minutes down the coast to Bell’s Beach. Here, you’ll have a great photo op, and be sure to watch the surfers tackling gnarly waves in a location that hosts a major pro surfing competition each year. Another 45 minutes traveling along the Great Ocean Road, and you’ll be ready to post up, crack a few beers and cook dinner.
Big Hill Campground in Great Otway National Park is the perfect spot to settle in for your first night. The campground is free, but it is only accessible from June to October. If you are traveling during its off-season, no worries! There are numerous campsites to choose from. We suggest downloading the “Campermate” app which will help you find free campsites, paid campsites, attractions, hikes, toilets, water, ATM and so much more. It will also have updates on campsites or hikes that could be currently closed. It’s such a useful tool and we can’t recommend it enough.
DAY 2
The day begins with a 20-minute drive to Erskine Falls, where the 30-meter falls will greet you after a short walk through the forest. Admire nature in all its beauty before heading to Lorne, a small town on the shore popular for swimming, surfing, and fishing. We rented surfboards and wet suits from Lorne Surf Shop for less than $20 USD each. It was a sweet experience as the 4 of us battled the rough waters and each caught a couple of waves, always a rewarding feeling. Afterward, we fueled up on some of the best fish and chips you can find, just ask the cockatoos hoping for a taste at the edge of our table.
Take a quick peek at Teddy’s Lookout, a viewpoint that offers an amazing birds-eye view of the meandering Great Ocean Road along the coast. Journey 30 minutes to the Kennet River Coastal Reserve. If you look carefully, you can spot some koalas chilling in the trees snacking on eucalyptus leaves, as well as a beautiful blue and red species of parrot, the crimson rosella.
Drive 30 minutes and you’ll be ready to turn off the engine and relax at Skenes Creek Beachfront Park, much deserved after an eventful day. This is a paid campground, around $15 USD per person, but there’s a hot shower which we were due for after a day in the ocean.
DAY 3
Today on the Great Ocean Road you will see some amazing vistas, as the sandstone cliffs along the coast create a vibrant, golden display of color, ever-changing as the sun rises and dips in the sky over the course of the day. Begin the day properly, by catching the sunrise bright and early at the beachfront where you camped. Then, right down the road, you’ll want to check out Mariner’s Lookout of Apollo Bay. The sheep know what’s up, and they’ll be there feasting on grass and checking out the incredible view of the bay as well.
Cruise another 20 minutes to Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. This will be a nice change of pace from the rugged cliffs you’ll marvel at later on. The peaceful short walk is filled with information on the surrounding wildlife and flora, including the tremendous rainforest trees, some of which are up to 300 years old.
Now it’s time to get into the meat (pie) and potatoes portion of your day. You’ll be making quite a few stops, but rest assured, they are all relatively close to one another. Castle Cove Lookout is a good place to stop and ponder life while gazing at the deep blue waves flowing in and out in contrast to the burnt orange sand. Mesmerizing as this scene is, the next stops are the main attractions of a road trip on the Great Ocean Road.
The Gibson Steps and Twelve Apostles are on deck, and even though you may have caught a glimpse of these scenes in photos countless times, the first view with your own eyes will live up to all the expectations. That notorious phrase “pictures just don’t do it justice” will be how you’ll describe the spectacle to all your friends and family back home. Soak it all in, wonder in awe about how long it took nature to run its course, and create this display. Take a ton of photos, some with your camera and more with your mind. As the 12 Apostles scene fades out of your rear-view mirror, do not shed a tear. The scenes approaching quickly are just as riveting, and there will be way less tourists.
To cap off the day, make stops at Loch Ard Gorge, Colourful Cove, The Grotto, and Bay of Islands. These are all within 5-15 minutes from each other, so you won’t be guzzling much fuel between each stop. If luck is on your side, you’ll have the secluded, intimate Grotto all to yourselves. After a long, action-packed day, you are sure to be exhausted and ready to feast on a meal while congregating with your crew about all the stunning landscapes you just witnessed.
The Panmure Rest Area should suit your needs perfectly. It’s a free camping ground with public barbecues, picnic tables, a creek, and a playground if you are traveling with kids.
DAY 4
Rise and shine! You should be getting used to waking up as soon as the sun comes up by now. This is how it works when you road trip on the Great Ocean Road. After a proper Aussie brekkie and a nice cup of hot tea, it’s time to get moving. Showers on a road trip don’t come as often as you’re most likely accustomed to, so take advantage when you can. About an hour and a half drive will lead you to the town of Dunkeld, which has a free public shower.
Now that you’re refreshed, it’s time to change up the setting and make your way to Grampians National Park. Today’s agenda includes a quick stop at Lake Bellfield where you can gander at the trees growing in the lake, an eerie-looking scene with scary movie feels. The Grampians have heaps of kangaroos. Observe these wondrous indigenous creatures of Australia and be sure to respect the roo’s space. Strap up your boots, because now it’s time to see what Grampians National Park really has to offer.
The Pinnacle hike in the Halls Gap region of the park is the perfect way to get a view from above. It’s a moderate 2-hour return hike. The Sundial car park offers an easier route to the Pinnacle and is better for young children. If you’d like a more challenging route, go with the Wonderland car park, which is what we elected for. No matter where you park, the Pinnacle will reward you with impressive views of the towering rock faces with trees and open land down below as far as you can see.
When you eventually make it back to your vehicle, you can ride about 15 minutes to Plantation Campground in the North Grampians. Once again, Australia is doing budget backpackers a solid by offering a free campground. There are picnic tables, plenty of facilities, and areas to light a fire, but you do need to provide your own wood. As it gets dark, take a lookup and don’t forget about what’s above you. On a clear night, the stars will be putting on a show.
DAY 5
When you’re in a national park in Australia, do as the Aussies do and go for a bushwalk. Get out early, pack enough water and snacks and go choose your adventure. It’s a big park and we decided to just wander around. Time spent in nature is always well spent.
We ended up blazing our own trail through thick bushes and trees, traversing through a forest, and climbing a mountain. Once again you can stay settled at Plantation Campground. It’s always nice to take a day off completely from driving during your road trip to slow down a bit.
DAY 6
Ease into the 6th day on the road with a 35-minute drive to Mackenzie Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in all of Victoria. Listen to the water crash, stare into the endless hypnotizing flow, and eventually snap out of it and head towards The Balconies, where after a short 2 km walk you’ll encounter panorama views of Victoria Valley. Hopefully, you’ll get a clear day with optimal viewing conditions. We were fogged out, so unfortunately we missed out on these views, but we did score big time in another way.
On the way to the Balconies, we were stopped by a pair of emus crossing the road, an incredible and unexpected surprise. Part of the experience in a road trip on the Great Ocean Road is the encounters with amazing different species that you won’t find in the wild anywhere else in the world. We were fortunate to see not only emus, but koalas, kangaroos, exotic birds, crazy spiders and penguins.
After the adventures of today, a drive of an hour and 15 minutes will bring you to Langi Ghiran Picnic and Camping Area in Langi Ghiran State Park. You guessed it, another free campsite. Everyone raise your glasses to Australia. The four of us toasted to our journey thus far collected some dead wood and branches around the campsite and stoked the flames into a roaring campfire.
DAY 7
When you wake up in the morning, eat whatever food you have leftover and make the 2 hour and 15 minutes trek back to Melbourne to drop off your vehicle.
Hopefully, you have some more time to spend in Melbourne to reflect on your legendary road trip on the Great Ocean Road. Or better yet, more time to immerse yourself in more parts of Australia. Aussies always seem to be friendly, happy, and in a good mood. They love to travel and experience the world.
The nation of Australia has a lot to offer a traveler, even a backpacker on a budget. The nature and wildlife encounters of a road trip on the Great Ocean Road are top-notch, and in as little as one week, you will have experiences that will last you a lifetime.
So what are you waiting for? Book your flight to Melbourne, get your van, gather your mates, and hit the road!
Check Out More Road Trip Inspo Below!
READY TO ROAD TRIP THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD?
________________________
**Please note, this post contains affiliate links to products and services. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, which helps us keep the blog up and running.
5 Comments Add yours