5 Nights – 6 Days

MELBOURNE – BALLARAT – GREAT OCEAN ROAD – GRAMPIANS – MELBOURNE (or drive on to Adelaide)

Get ready for five magnificent days of awe-inspiring natural beauty and fascinating local wildlife. Waterfalls, walks and wallabies await as you journey into diverse landscapes from picturesque gardens to rocky mountain ranges and rugged coastline.

What to Expect
• One of the world’s most iconic coastal drives – the Great Ocean Road
• Discover the Grampians landscape and ancient culture at its heart
• Incredible native wildlife and plants
• Enthralling gold rush history
• Option to return to Melbourne or drive on through to Adelaide

Fast Facts
• Time: 6 days
• Distance: approx 700 kilometres, plus return leg
• Transport: car
• Nearest major city: Melbourne

DAY 1

Melbourne / Daylesford / Ballarat

Depart: Melbourne
Overnight: Ballarat
Distance: 160 kilometres (approx)

AM
In less than an hour and a half from Melbourne’s hustle and bustle, you can get to Daylesford. As you wind through the picturesque towns of Lyonville, Trentham and Glenlyon, you can feel the city stress melting away. Daylesford, at the foothills of The Great Dividing Range of Victoria, is known as Australia’s spa capital. It has the highest concentration of natural mineral waters in the country. Immerse yourself in local natural beauty on a 1.5 hour walk from Tipperary Springs to Bryce’s Flat. Taste some of the healing mineral waters as you go. Don’t forget your water bottles!
Cliffy’s, an iconic local café, is just the place to enjoy a delicious lunch brimming with locally sourced, seasonal food.

PM
Walk off lunch while exploring the lush greenery of the 10.4-hectare Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Established in the 1860s, it’s one of Victoria’s finest regional destination gardens.
Time for some fauna? Sit back, relax and head to Ballarat Wildlife Park. You’ll see kangaroos, meerkats, penguins, tigers and even enormous saltwater crocodiles! But the highlight is getting up close and personal with cuddly koalas. Watch them clamber up to their keepers for a cuddle when it’s time for gum leaves. Cute!
Round out your day wandering through the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Australia’s oldest and largest regional gallery (The Art Gallery of Ballarat is undergoing interior upgrades and will remain closed until early 2026), before dining in Armstrong Street, Ballarat’s eclectic foodie heart.

DAY 2

Ballarat / Lorne

Depart: Ballarat
Overnight: Lorne
Distance: 156 kilometres (approx)

AM
Begin the drive south to The Great Ocean Road, which officially begins at Torquay, the surfing capital of Australia.
Stop at Bells Beach to watch the local surfers tackling the swells. If you’re keen to delve into surf culture and history, visit the Australian Surfing Museum, the world’s largest museum dedicated to surfing.
Call in at Anglesea for lunch and a quick swim, or a stroll along the riverside.

PM
Back on the road, relax and appreciate the dramatic coastal scenery unfolding as you wind through the region. With crashing waves on your left and epic rocky cliffs on your right, you can see why this is a drive like no other. The jewel of The Great Southern Touring Route towns is idyllic, coastal Lorne. Stop here for the night and take your time ambling the beach and strolling the pier before dining out on some locally caught fresh seafood.

DAY 3

Lorne to Port Fairy

Depart: Lorne
Overnight: Port Fairy
Distance: 230 kilometres (approx)

AM
Tuck into a takeaway breakfast with your toes in the golden sands of the Lorne foreshore before heading west toward Apollo Bay. Along the way, be sure to stop and take in incredible coastal views at Teddy’s Lookout, Mount Defiance Lookout and Marriner’s Lookout.
At Wildlife Wonders (great lunch stop!) join a 75-minute guided walk through The Otways. Your conservationist guide will share the secrets of the plants and animals that call this bushland home. All profits from this sustainable wildlife experience go directly to conserving the region’s unique flora and fauna.

PM
Get ready for great heights when you arrive at Port Campbell to visit the Twelve Apostles. These storeys-high, limestone rock stacks rise majestically from the Southern Ocean. Get great photos from the viewing platform or wander down Gibson Steps to the beach to see them from a fresh angle. Witnessing them at sunset is an epic experience (if you can time it right). From any vantage point and at any time of day, they look spectacular – one of the most incredible natural wonders of the route!
With your memory-bank full, drive onto the beautiful fishing village of Port Fairy.

DAYS 4 & 5

Port Fairy / Halls Gap

Depart: Port Fairy
Overnight: Halls Gap
Distance: 156 kilometres (approx)

AM (Day 4)
Don’t leave the lovely seaside town of Port Fairy without taking time to look around. Enjoy a morning walk along the Moyne River to see boats moored along the jetties, then head into town and browse charming boutiques for artisan souvenirs. Break your fast at an amazing café and it’s time to hit the road again!
Just beyond Warrnambool, call into Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve and discover kangaroos, koalas and emus as they roam through this ancient dormant volcano. The reserve spans wetlands, craters and bushland, offering easy-access trails and scenic climbs.

PM (Day 4)
Plan for lunch in the picturesque town of Dunkeld. Royal Mail Hotel is home to two restaurants, the more casual Parker Street Project and the two-hatted, fine dining Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel. With an ever-changing menu, up to 80% of produce grown on-site and a wine cellar boasting 25,000 bottles, you’ll have unbeatable choice.
On to Halls Gap and the natural beauty The Grampians (Gariwerd) is famous for. Relax, you’ve got a couple of days to enjoy this vast outdoor adventure playground.
Make a wine tasting stop or two. The region is home to some of the world’s oldest vines. Best’s Wines, Pomonal Estate, Grampians Estate and Seppelt all have excellent shiraz and sparkling – the varietals the region is famous for.
Now, check into your amazing accommodation. Glamp under the stars with a view of The Grampians and, best of all, make friends with your neighbours … hundreds of kangaroos!

AM (Day 5)
Head out for a guided walk along the Grampians Peaks Trail with the guys from Absolute Outdoors, or go chasing waterfalls – MacKenzie Falls, to be precise. It’s one of Victoria’s largest waterfalls and the only one in the Grampians that flows all year ‘round. Why not pack a picnic in your daypack and pause to enjoy lunch in a true bushland setting along the trail.

PM (Day 5)
Walking tracks criss-cross the Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, giving you many choices to explore and discover. Keep watch for glimpses of native wildlife, stunning wildflowers (in season) and majestic views.
If you’ve been blessed with good weather, there’s one thing you don’t want to miss: a Grampians sunset. Head up to Reed Lookout and trek the 1km to reach The Balconies. There you’ll enjoy epic, panoramic views of Victoria Valley and the surrounding ranges in beautiful, golden-hour light.

Day 6

Halls Gap / Melbourne or Adelaide

Depart: Halls Gap to Melbourne, or drive on to Adelaide
Distance: Varies

AM
Today is a travel day. Your Great Southern Touring Route adventure is nearing its end. Enjoy breakfast in a local café or hit the road early and stop at an eatery along the way. Join the Western Highway, heading east back to Melbourne or west on to Adelaide, depending on your plans.