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Great Ocean Road: 5-Day Plan You Can Actually Drive
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The 5-day version for March: every day fits real transit, opening hours and daylight. Prefer more or fewer days? 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go.
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5
days
669 km
distance
12.7 h
driving
8
curated stops
💡 Good to know for this plan
- Autumn is the preferred balance of daylight and cooler walking weather; ocean conditions, roads and every park site still need a live check.
- Light day: day 1 has one stop and time left over. Local tours and day trips are the way to fill it — each day links to what is bookable in its own town.
Day 1 Surf Coast and Lorne
- Transit
- 2h45
- Finish
- ~12:45
- Temperature
- 13.2°C–21.3°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
10:45
Bells Beach/Djarrak clifftop reserve greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au map ↗
Begin the coastal road at Bells Beach/Djarrak from the managed clifftop reserve.
120 min · Surf Coast and Lorne
Time to spare on this day
One stop and a free afternoon. We don't book activities, but these partners do.
Overnight here
Day 2 Around Surf Coast and Lorne
- Transit
- 0h20
- Finish
- ~12:20
- Temperature
- 13.2°C–21.3°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
08:00
Memorial Arch and Lorne coastal history visitvictoria.com map ↗
Connect the returned-servicemen road story with Lorne’s public foreshore.
120 min · Surf Coast and Lorne
10:20
Erskine Falls upper lookout parks.vic.gov.au map ↗
Reach the open upper lookout without requiring the steep lower track.
120 min · Surf Coast and Lorne
Overnight here
Day 3 Apollo Bay and the Otways
- Transit
- 1h58
- Finish
- ~14:05
- Temperature
- 15.6°C–18.5°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
09:25
Great Otway rainforest walk parks.vic.gov.au map ↗
Walk one officially open Otway rainforest circuit selected from current park notices.
120 min · Apollo Bay and the Otways
12:05
Apollo Bay harbour and coast walk visitvictoria.com map ↗
Slow down at Apollo Bay’s public harbour and beachfront.
120 min · Apollo Bay and the Otways
Overnight here
Day 4 Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
- Transit
- 2h25
- Finish
- ~14:30
- Temperature
- 12.8°C–21.6°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
10:15
Twelve Apostles viewing platforms parks.vic.gov.au map ↗
Use the managed viewing path for the Shipwreck Coast’s defining sea stacks.
120 min · Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
12:30
Loch Ard Gorge open-trail circuit parks.vic.gov.au map ↗
Follow an open signed Loch Ard Gorge circuit through geology and shipwreck history.
120 min · Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
Overnight here
Day 5 Warrnambool and Tower Hill → back to start
- Transit
- 5h13
- Finish
- ~15:20
- Temperature
- 14.6°C–20.0°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
09:25
Flagstaff Hill maritime history flagstaffhill.com map ↗
Finish the Shipwreck Coast story in Warrnambool’s maritime collection.
120 min · Warrnambool and Tower Hill · Current admission applies
🔍 Check before you book
Every stop is a real, sourced place, but opening hours change, roads close and businesses move. Check anything you're paying for before you book.