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Great Ocean Road: 9-Day Plan You Can Actually Drive
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The 9-day version for March: every day fits real transit, opening hours and daylight. Prefer more or fewer days? 4-day plan · 5-day plan · 6-day plan · 9-day plan · best time to go.
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💡 Good to know for this plan
- ~12.3 hours of daylight in March.
- Autumn is the preferred balance of daylight and cooler walking weather; ocean conditions, roads and every park site still need a live check.
Before you go · check live details
This is a planning draft. Check these changing details for your dates before booking or travelling.
Some route advice is currently available in English.
- Arrange a roadworthy car whose hire and insurance terms cover the coastal road and inland return.
Confirm Melbourne pickup and return, every permitted road, fuel and roadside assistance. This is a 664 km loop, not a one-way Warrnambool drop-off, and no vehicle is included.
Check source ↗ - Check VicTraffic and VicEmergency for the full route and each travel day.
Check current incidents, landslip works, closures, detours, fire danger and severe-weather warnings before departure and each morning. Follow barriers and changed speed limits. If the coastal corridor is closed without a verified safe detour, change dates rather than treating the inland return as equivalent sightseeing.
Check source ↗ - Check current access for the Otways, Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Tower Hill.
Read current Parks Victoria and Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority notices. Use an officially open Otway rainforest alternative if Maits Rest is closed. If the Twelve Apostles viewing path or Loch Ard Gorge circuit is closed, change the date; do not cross a barrier or descend to a closed beach.
Check source ↗ - Observe wildlife from a safe distance and never feed, touch or promise a sighting.
At Tower Hill and every roadside or marine viewpoint, stay on open paths, do not feed or handle wildlife, avoid sick or dead birds, and report wildlife hazards as directed. Whale, koala, kangaroo and bird sightings are possibilities only.
Check source ↗ - Book ahead for the Twelve Apostles and check the arrival instructions.
From 16 October 2026, the authority says access to the visitor precinct and viewing areas requires a booked arrival. Allow time for the visitor centre and the longer walk to the viewpoints. This plan does not include a booking or guarantee a time slot. Other coastal sites have their own access rules.
Check source ↗
Day 1 Surf Coast and Lorne
- Transit
- 5h15
- Finish
- ~15:15
- Temperature
- 13.2°C–21.3°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Day 2 Around Surf Coast and Lorne
- Temperature
- 13.2°C–21.3°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Time to spare on this day
Optional activities to explore separately. Nothing is booked.
Day 3 Around Surf Coast and Lorne
- Temperature
- 13.2°C–21.3°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Time to spare on this day
Optional activities to explore separately. Nothing is booked.
Day 4 Apollo Bay and the Otways
- Transit
- 2h40
- Finish
- ~14:50
- Temperature
- 15.6°C–18.5°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Day 5 Around Apollo Bay and the Otways
- Temperature
- 15.6°C–18.5°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Time to spare on this day
Optional activities to explore separately. Nothing is booked.
Day 6 Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
- Transit
- 3h32
- Finish
- ~15:40
- Temperature
- 12.8°C–21.6°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Day 7 Around Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
- Temperature
- 12.8°C–21.6°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Time to spare on this day
Optional activities to explore separately. Nothing is booked.
Day 8 Around Port Campbell and the Shipwreck Coast
- Temperature
- 12.8°C–21.6°C
- Rainy days
- ~7
- Daylight
- 12.3h
Time to spare on this day
Optional activities to explore separately. Nothing is booked.
Day 9 Warrnambool and Tower Hill → back to start
- Transit
- 5h25
- Finish
- ~15:30
- Temperature
- 14.6°C–20.0°C
- Rainy days
- ~6
- Daylight
- 12.3h
🔍 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.
Sources (6)
- Bells Beach/Djarrak clifftop reserve — greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.auCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase
- Great Otway rainforest walk — parks.vic.gov.auCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase
- Apollo Bay harbour and coast walk — visitvictoria.comCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase
- Twelve Apostles viewing platforms — parks.vic.gov.auCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase
- Loch Ard Gorge open-trail circuit — parks.vic.gov.auCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase
- Flagstaff Hill maritime history — flagstaffhill.comCurrent official source; factual extraction and original paraphrase