Driving the Great Ocean Road Australia

Updated at : 09 Sep, 2024

A route to adventure beckons, seductive to all of us. At the bottom of Australia stands a coast unparalleled in natural wealth. Awaiting you to hunt the beauty it contains.

One of my best travel stories is of the day I hired a campervan and started along Australia's Great Ocean Road with pals. A rich Brit, sophisticated chef, party animal, beautiful devil, and photographer piled in a camper van and headed off. The idea was to drive down the coast to Melbourne, tour the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide, then fire right back to Sydney.

Five grown men in one van meant that the journey would be intriguing. We had such a great time discovering the less well-known beauties of Australia's southern coast; I wanted to share our schedule and advice for copying this great Australian road trip.

Great Ocean Road Route in Brief

Officially beginning at Torquay south of Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road finishes in Allansford, Victoria. Stretching a distance of 151 miles (243 kilometers). Along the drive, the main stops are the well-known Twelve Apostles, Bells Beach, Otway National Park. Be ready to be amazed by the bends this road has to offer since there are no pictures that show it the justice it deserves.

My companions and I spent 4–7 days of our road trip negotiating the Great Ocean Road from our starting location in Sydney and touring Melbourne before we started to cruise along it. This itinerary opens with some pointers on our preferred 42 Wallaby Way location. (Side note: do not try to locate this non-real Finding Nemo address.)

Selecting A Campervan Rental In Australia

We thought a campervan rental was the best option when my companions and I decided on our Great Ocean Road route. Particularly if you will be driving most of the sites, campervans are the most affordable means of travel across a nation.

Over time, a campervan will be less expensive than renting a car combined with lodging, and it will also allow you the freedom to choose your own schedule rather than having to follow a tour company. The campervan's dual use as your bed and ride lets you create an unmatched degree of power in route planning.

Strong advice is to choose a campervan rental van that can accommodate the number of people you are travelling with; trying to fit in extra people can help with budgeting but cause issues with comfort and available seat belts.

Another consideration is the height of the roof; depending on your height, you might choose a van with a raised roof or high top so you may stand comfortably inside.

Ensuring it contains a table, sink, refrigerator, heat, A/C, and a cooking mechanism is key campervan component. While the smaller vans might have a small gas grill that could be placed on a small counter, larger vans might feature a stove.

Based on their good recommendations and the fact they provided the larger size van we required to accommodate five adults, we chose to travel with Travellers Autobarn Campervan situated by Sydney Airport.

There are further add-ons like extra drivers, solar shower, gas (for cooking), chargers, etc that might increase the daily rental price; because there were five of us we chose the HI5 size (2-5 people). At the minimum this was $50 AUD daily.

Advice On Australian Travel Using A Campervan

One should give some of these things some thought before starting their road journey.

First Tip: Save Campsites Ahead Of Time

Many Australian visitors find renting a campervan to be a great vacation plan. This causes campsites to quickly and well fill in advance. We didn't give this any thought ahead of time on our journey, hence each night we searched frantically for somewhere to call home.

In Australia, campground rates could run from $50 to $70 AUD. Should you be lodging at a known location, choosing an area with power will impact the cost as well. Along with kitchens and some possible leisure areas, these sites will provide showers. You can find a free campsite if you like to save some money; but, these will be isolated areas with nothing around.

But cannot a campervan set up at a rest stop?

Sure and not sure.

The response to that question will rely on your location inside Australia. While Victoria or Southern Australia forbid visitors camping at a highway rest area, New South Wales lets visitors do so. Before assuming anything, be sure you know where you are traveling through.

Searching for nearby campsites of your area using Google is the easiest approach to locate a campsite. Google will merely phone the top paid campgrounds in that area to inquire for availability or utilize their website to reserve a place.

We followed the same procedure for free campsites but make sure your search includes the terms "campervan" and "free". You desire not to find yourself caught at a location that forbids campervans.

Some websites and apps, including Find A Camp and Full Range Camping, can help locate campgrounds.

Second Tip: Rental Insurance Is Void From Twilight Until Morning

Some may find this surprising, but this all-encompassing legislation results from the great number of mishaps caused by increased nighttime activity of wildlife. Most rental firms want the hassle of visitors damaging cars by running across an animal gone away. Though you are still legally free to drive, use great care.

Like deer in North America, kangaroos are deadly and can strike out of nowhere; however, when threatened, a kangaroo will retreat the other direction. Therefore, it could leap back into the road without notice even if you believe it has already crossed the road out of your path.

Third Tip: Fly With Basics

Travel with a couple basic non-perishable food items as my last advice. You will still have food even should something happen to your refrigerator or cooking device. I heartily endorse Poptarts, nutrition bars, peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches. Make sure you have a substitute if you are nut allergic. You may also read this: World's Most Iconic Sunrise Spots

Activities Sydney Offers Before Your Vacation

Sydney is clearly a good starting place for your Australian road trip and Great Ocean Road itinerary since it's a simple flight into and offers many of must-see activities there. The famous Australian city is the ideal base from which to obtain a modest sample size of Australia.

If you are just coming in the country under a three-day weekend, the ideal length of time to adjust yourself to a possible time difference you might encounter. Though Sydney offers lots of activities to keep you occupied, here are some of my suggested highlights:

• Walk over Sydney Harbour Bridge or, if you are bold enough, climb to the top with BridgeClimb.

• Taronga Zoo Sydney is the ideal venue to view some of the rare species Australia is well-known for. On your own, Tasmanian devils, koalas, and crocodiles could be challenging to locate and maybe dangerous. From the gondola you must ride to the park, you will also get some quite lovely views of the skyline.

• Wander out to Bondi Beach to tan under the sun. Make sure you take part of Bondi to Coggee trek when at Bondi. The walking trail circles Sydney's rocky coast to provide different viewpoints of the well-known beaches.Pro Tip: Often heard at Australian Beaches is the "stay between the flags" advice. To keep people safe and away from surfers, lifeguard at most beaches set up red and yellow flags denoting where beach-goers might join the ocean.

• Everyone wants a picture of the famous Opera House, but a tour will provide the fascinating background of this unusual construction. Backstage will teach you about the way shows are run here.

• Watch an Australian Football game; true Australian culture is found in their athletic events. Try to secure a ticket for an Australian Football if while are in Sydney. The chaotic sport that the whole nation loves is footy, the moniker for the game. With athletes from all around the world, the game combines elements of handball, soccer, and rugby for constantly high-intensity action.

Day 1: Sydney to Point Hicks

• At a Glance: Long driving day, appreciating Eastern Coast's breathtaking scenery

• 7 to 10 hours total driving time; distance is 616 to 628 km (383 – 390 miles).

• Highlights consist of Royal National Park via Sea Cliff Bridge

• Where should one stay near Point Hicks? Thurra River Campground

New road trippers and eager passengers sometimes forget some of the fundamentals and get too ahead of themselves. Though you intend to eat out on your first day, it is wise to have some food in case someone becomes hungry. Plan a little run to a grocery shop before reaching your first destination.

Regarding alcohol intake: "How much have you lately drank? concerning a box of Goon. In Australia, box wine is known as goon; you may hear this term rather regularly there. Let this be a caution to the obvious but avoid driving after drinking. But if you want to relax with a drink after a demanding day, boxed wine is the most often seen drink.

Wine is the least expensive kind of drink you can purchase in Australia given the heavy import tax on beer and spirits. You can indulge in alcoholic soda known as Little Fat Lamb or a few reasonably priced local beers such Hammer and Tongs. Still, most beer and strong liquor is two to three times the price you might be used to.

Day 2: Agnes Drops

• At a Glance: Waterfall Morning Hike

• Six hours total driving time; distance: 386km (240 miles).

• Highlights: Agnes's falls

• Where would one stay—Dingo Creek Campground or Toora Tourist Park?

Point Hicks faces east; hence, if you make it to the campsite the night before, remember to set your alarm and will be blessed with a stunning sunrise. Once everyone is waking, follow the road leading to the lighthouse for a simple 45-minute walk. The lighthouse offers a beautiful picture view from high on the hill with a rocky seashore down below.

Once back on your bicycle, start heading toward Agnes Falls. You will come upon a solid-sized cascading waterfall on your route to Wilsons Promontory. It makes for a nice late-afternoon dining venue after an afternoon of driving.

Fun Tip: Our English friend taught to us an annoying yet entertaining driving game called "Cow. COW. CooooOOOW! Like England, Australia's backcountry boasts a sizable share of agricultural area. In the game Cow, one cries "Cow!" at a group of cows and gains points for having animals glance at you.

Day 3: Wilsons Promontory and Phillip Island

• Beach day, chocolate factory, beautiful sunset—at a glance

• Four to five hours total driving time; distance is 315 kilometers ( 195 miles).

• Highlights: Wilsons Promontory; Phillips Island; possible penguin sightings; Phillips Island Chocolate Factory

• The place to stay is Corinella Caravan Park.

• Travelers spending the day at Wilsons Promontory, a lovely natural area, often visit this beach. A big cove stretches out into the sea creating a long beach with smooth, warm sand ideal for napping.

Phillips Island off Australia's southern coast lies somewhat south of Melbourne. The attraction of Phillips Island is that, on the further side, penguins could be prowling the shore. Though you cannot find any penguins, the beach also experiences the sunset, which creates a beautiful scene. Time permits a chocolate factory where you can stop and grab some refreshments to satiate your group's sweet-tooth.

Day 4-7: Melbourne

• In brief: Principal Australian city

• One to two hours for total driving time; 100km (62 miles) distance

• Highlights: Night Life, Festivals, Luna Park, Brighton Beach Houses, Graffiti Alley

• Where to lodge: Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park

The city is said in an Australian accent "Mel-bin," not "Mel-born." This is good to know; you run the danger of being corrected.

Sydney and Melbourne are rivals historically. Not unlike Boston and New York in the United States. Melbourne offers a range of attractions and sites to explore, which makes it ideal for a two to three day road trip stop-over. If you have limited time and wish not to travel all the way from Sydney, it also represents another possible starting point for the Great Ocean Road.

Melbourne's bus system makes getting about the city the least expensive option and is straightforward to use. Uber is also accessible for a ride-sharing program covering straight, short routes.