Great Ocean Road Sunrise Tour: 12 Apostles & Loch Ard

A reverse route means you see the 12 Apostles before the tour buses arrive.

A 12-hour guided tour of the Great Ocean Road departing from Melbourne hotels, traveling the route in reverse to reach the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge ahead of the crowds. Hotel pickup is included, and the itinerary covers national park entry, bottled water, and a professional driver-guide in a small air-conditioned coach. Children from age 6 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Twelve Apostles45m · entry included
2. Loch Ard Gorge30m · entry included
3. Immigration Museum10m

Great Ocean Road reverse sunrise tour

• Pick up from hotel in Melbourne
• Stop in Colac for morning tea/breakfast
• Drive through Port Campbell National Park
• Visit Memorial Arch photo stop
• See koalas and kangaroos
• Lunch in Apollo Bay
• Explore Melba Gully rainforest
• View Razorback rock formation
• Visit Loch Ard Gorge shipwreck site
• See the Twelve Apostles limestone formations
• Finish day in Anglesea town
• End trip with transport options back to hotel

The experience

You get picked up from your Melbourne CBD or Southbank hotel without having to rush to a meeting point, and the driver confirms the time a day before. The reverse itinerary is the whole strategy: instead of following the standard route that fills with tour groups by mid-morning, you head to the 12 Apostles first, when the limestone stacks are still quiet. You'll see them as they are (rock formations roughly 20 million years old, shaped by wind and water erosion), and have time to walk and photograph without the pavement crowded behind you.

The day moves through a series of stops that build the story of the coast. You pass through Port Campbell National Park and stop at Loch Ard Gorge, where an 1878 shipwreck killed all but two passengers: a story the gorge itself still tells through its cliffs and beach. Razorback, a jagged rock formation further along the coast, shows what the same forces do to different stone. Melba Gully rainforest, one of Victoria's wettest spots, brings you into tree-ferns and blackwood before the road opens again. A stop at the Memorial Arch marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road, and you'll see koalas and kangaroos in their habitat as the landscape shifts. Lunch happens in Apollo Bay, where you choose from local cafes and restaurants. The tour ends in Anglesea, where you can catch free trams or trains back to your hotel.

The coach is small and air-conditioned, with USB charging ports and bottled water included. All national park entry fees are built into the price, so there are no surprises at the gate. The whole day is 12 hours, and travel time is already counted in that. You're not sitting in a van for hours and then discovering the actual tour is short. A morning stop in Colac for tea or breakfast is on your own, but everything else is arranged.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Melbourne CBD or Southbank hotels.
• all national park entry fees.
• professional driver-guide in English.
• small air-conditioned coach with USB charging ports.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:50

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Child (6 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 22

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by TOURS AROUND MELBOURNE

Is this one for you?The 12-hour day is full (you're moving between stops from early morning to late afternoon), so it suits travelers who want to see the whole coast in one trip and don't mind a long day on the road. The reverse itinerary is built to give you quiet time at the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge before the crowds, which is what makes the drive worth the length.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the 12 Apostles and why does the reverse route matter?

The 12 Apostles are limestone rock formations roughly 20 million years old, carved by wind and water erosion into stacks that rise from the ocean along the Great Ocean Road. The reverse itinerary takes you there first, before the standard tour groups arrive, so you get quiet time to walk and photograph them without crowds.

What happened at Loch Ard Gorge?

In 1878, the ship Loch Ard ran aground on Mutton Bird Island and wrecked in the gorge. Of all the passengers and crew, only two survived: Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael, two teenagers who managed to drag themselves to the beach. The gorge is now a stop on the tour where you can see the cliffs and beach where the disaster unfolded.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch in Apollo Bay is your choice from local cafes and restaurants, and you pay for it yourself. A morning tea or breakfast stop in Colac is also at your own expense. Bottled water is provided throughout the day.

What time does the tour start, and how do I get picked up?

Hotel pickup from Melbourne CBD and Southbank hotels is included. The driver will confirm your specific pickup time a day before the tour and message you with the details for your hotel.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, all national park entry fees, a professional driver-guide, bottled water, and transport in a small air-conditioned coach with USB charging are all included. You pay separately for meals and personal expenses.