We’ll collect you from your hotel in Melbourne and head west, watching the city gradually give way to wide-open farmland and country towns. Our first stop is historic Ballarat for a relaxed morning tea and a wander through one of Victoria’s great gold-rush era towns.
From there, we continue into the heart of Grampians National Park, where rugged sandstone peaks rise dramatically from the plains. At MacKenzie Falls, you’ll hear the waterfall before you see it — one of the few in the state that flows year-round.
We’ll take in sweeping views from Boroka Lookout, overlooking Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield, then continue to Reeds Lookout. If you’re up for an easy walk, the short return stroll to The Balconies rewards you with panoramic views across Victoria Valley.
As evening settles in, kangaroos and wallabies often appear in the open grasslands. After checking into your accommodation in Halls Gap, enjoy dinner and a peaceful night surrounded by mountain air and star-filled skies.
If you’d like one final Grampians highlight, the optional Pinnacle walk offers beautiful morning views before we journey south toward the coast.
By late morning, the landscape changes as we reach the Southern Ocean and join the iconic Great Ocean Road — widely regarded as one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world.
Our first stops along the Shipwreck Coast include the Bay of Islands, The Grotto and the limestone formation once known as London Bridge. At Loch Ard Gorge, you’ll hear the fascinating story of the 1878 Loch Ard shipwreck and the extraordinary survival of Eva Carmichael and young apprentice Tom Pearce.
By late afternoon we arrive in the seaside village of Port Campbell. After settling into your accommodation, enjoy an early dinner overlooking the bay and the relaxed pace of coastal life.
As the day-trippers begin to leave, we head to the nearby Twelve Apostles. Seeing these towering limestone stacks in the softer evening light, with fewer people around, feels far more personal and memorable.
This morning we continue east along the Great Ocean Road, where dramatic cliffs gradually give way to rolling green hills and classic Australian surf beaches.
We travel through the cool temperate rainforest of Great Otway National Park. You might choose to stretch your legs among the fern gullies at Maits Rest or visit Erskine Falls, where water cascades through a lush forest setting.
At Kennett River, we’ll look for koalas resting high in the eucalyptus trees — they’re often surprisingly easy to spot once you know where to look. From Teddy’s Lookout above Lorne, the coastline sweeps out in a dramatic curve that truly shows off this drive.
We’ll stop at the historic Split Point Lighthouse and visit Bells Beach, home to world-class surf and the annual Rip Curl Pro competition. Passing beneath the Memorial Arch near Anglesea marks our official farewell to the Great Ocean Road.
From here, it’s just over an hour back to Melbourne, arriving in the late afternoon with three days of mountains, wildlife, dramatic coastline and unforgettable scenery behind you.
ROOMS ARE BASED ON TWIN SHARE ACCOMMODATION.