Great Ocean Road Melbourne: Twelve Apostles & Loch Ard Gorge Tour

The Twelve Apostles Without the Tour Bus Queue

You get picked up from your Melbourne hotel and driven to the Great Ocean Road's most famous stops (the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and a rainforest walk through Melba Gully) arriving at each before the main tour groups. Lunch in Apollo Bay, time to breathe at each lookout, and a return to the city by late afternoon. The reverse itinerary is what keeps the crowds manageable.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Twelve Apostles55m · entry included
2. Loch Ard Gorge20m · entry included
3. Great Otway National Parkpassing by
4. Immigration Museum10m

Great Ocean Road scenic tour from Melbourne

• Pickup from Melbourne hotel
• Stop in Colac for morning tea
• View the Twelve Apostles
• Optional helicopter ride at Twelve Apostles
• Visit Loch Ard Gorge shipwreck site
• Drive through Port Campbell National Park
• Explore Melba Gully rainforest
• Lunch in Apollo Bay
• See Great Ocean Road coastal views
• Spot koalas and kangaroos
• Photo stop at Memorial Arch
• Finish day in Anglesea town
• End trip with free tram or train options

The experience

The coach was supposed to leave at 7:30 but your hotel's front desk had no record of the pickup. A five-minute scramble that somehow made the whole day feel more real, less like something you'd booked from a website. Then the driver arrived, apologized for nothing (it wasn't his fault), and you realized you were in a proper mini coach, not a packed shuttle with forty other people. That's the thing about the Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne: the reverse itinerary means you hit the Twelve Apostles before the main tour groups do, which changes everything about what you see and how long you can stand there.

The drive out takes you through Colac, a dairy country town where you stop for breakfast or tea at your own cost, then into Great Otway National Park. The rainforest section, Melba Gully, is genuinely wet and green, myrtle beech and tree-ferns crowding the path, and you're not rushing through it. Lunch happens in Apollo Bay, a working fishing town with actual good cafes, not a tourist trap. Then comes the Twelve Apostles themselves, those limestone stacks that are roughly 20 million years old, and because you're there early, you can actually move around the lookout without elbowing past someone's selfie stick. The rocks catch the light differently depending on the hour, and you get the hour that works.

Loch Ard Gorge is next, and the story here is darker than it sounds: in 1878 a ship called the Loch Ard ran aground on Mutton Bird Island, and only two survivors made it to the beach. A teenage boy and girl who became briefly famous because the English-speaking world hoped they'd marry. They didn't. The gorge itself is where that shipwreck happened, and it's also where they filmed The Pirate Movie in 1982, which means the place has layers. You walk down to the beach, see the rock formations, and the guide fills in the history without making it feel like a school trip. The Memorial Arch marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road, and you stop there for photos. By late afternoon you're in Anglesea, where the tour ends and you can catch a free tram or train back to your hotel in Melbourne.

The whole thing runs on a pace that lets you actually absorb what you're looking at instead of checking it off a list. Hotel pickup means no meeting point stress, the premium coach has air conditioning and isn't packed, and because it's a reverse route, the lookouts don't feel like a cattle market. You'll see koalas and kangaroos if you're lucky, though they're not guaranteed. Breakfast and lunch are on you, but the driver takes you to the nicest cafes, not the ones with the tour bus discount signs.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup from central Melbourne, transport in a premium air-conditioned mini coach with an English-speaking guide, bottled water throughout, stops at the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Great Otway National Park, Melba Gully rainforest, the Memorial Arch, and Anglesea.
• Breakfast in Colac and lunch in Apollo Bay are at your own cost, though the driver recommends the best local cafes.
• The tour ends in Anglesea, where you can catch a free tram or train back to your hotel.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 27

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TOURS AROUND MELBOURNE

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the Great Ocean Road's main sights in one day without arranging your own transport or timing: the reverse route and hotel pickup are what let you see the Twelve Apostles before the crowds and still make it back to Melbourne by evening.

Traveler reviews

4.95★★★★★★★★★★

129 verified traveler reviews

5 ★124

4 ★4

3 ★0

2 ★1

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 6 years). Children under 3 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 time does the tour start and finish?

Hotel pickup is at 7:30 AM. The tour ends in Anglesea in the late afternoon, from where you can catch a free tram or train back to your Melbourne hotel.

Is breakfast and lunch included?

No. You stop in Colac for breakfast or tea at your own cost, and lunch is in Apollo Bay, also at your own expense. The driver takes you to the best local cafes and restaurants.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, the premium coach, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, all fees and taxes, and air conditioning. Entry to the attractions and meals are separate.

Can I do a helicopter ride at the Twelve Apostles?

Yes, helicopter rides are available at the Twelve Apostles for an additional cost, but they're not included in the standard tour.

What animals might I see?

Koalas and kangaroos are sometimes spotted, but they're not guaranteed.

Why is it called a "reverse" tour?

The reverse itinerary visits the Twelve Apostles and other major lookouts before the standard tour groups arrive, so you avoid the crowds and have more time at each stop.