Experiences › Day tours from Melbourne › Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road, done backwards
Beat the crowds at the Twelve Apostles, and be home for dinner. Our Great Ocean Road day is coming soon.
Coming soon
Twelve Apostles by 10:15am
Back around 6:00pm
Small coach · maximum 24
Coming soon
Apostles by 10:15am
Home by 6pm
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Over ten years, thousands of guests and more than 7,000 five-star reviews across Google, Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide, Klook and more. This is our first season on the Great Ocean Road, so you will not find reviews for this tour yet. You will find the same drivers, the same coaches and the same standard of care.
Over ten years hosting · one local driver and guide all day · never more than 24 of you
Almost every Great Ocean Road day tour leaves Melbourne and turns right at the coast. They reach the Twelve Apostles in the early afternoon, at the same hour as everyone else, and they get you back to the city somewhere between 8pm and 10pm.
We drive inland first. Breakfast at Colac, then out to the Twelve Apostles by 10:15am, while the car parks are still half empty and the light is still low across the stacks. The coast road is the way home, not the way out, which means the afternoon is the pretty part: Apollo Bay for lunch, the rainforest hills above Lorne, kangaroos on the grass at Anglesea, and a chocolate stop before the run into town.
You are back at Southern Cross Station at around 6:00pm, with the evening still ahead of you.
What makes this day different
Reverse route
The Twelve Apostles mid morning, before the tour buses arrive.
Home by 6pm
Back at Southern Cross around 6:00pm, not 9pm. Dinner is still an option.
Right sized group
Maximum 24 guests on a mid size coach. Not a fifty seater, not a minivan.
7,000+ ★★★★★
five-star reviews across Google, Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide, Klook & more
The route, anticlockwise
Most tours go clockwise and reach the Twelve Apostles after lunch. We go the other way: inland first, and the coast road home.
1
Pickup from 7:00am
→
2
Breakfast in Colac
→
3
Twelve Apostles 10:15am
→
4
Lunch at Apollo Bay
→
5
Lorne and Anglesea
→
6
Southern Cross 6:00pm
Illustration, not to scale. The numbers match the stops in the day, hour by hour.
Swipe through the stops →
2
10:15am · 45 minutes
Twelve Apostles
Mid morning light, and room to walk both lookouts before the tour coaches arrive.
4
11:40am · optional
Gibson Steps
A steep staircase down to the beach, standing under seventy metres of cliff.
6
1:25pm · lunch at your own expense
Apollo Bay
About an hour for lunch, from fish and chips on the harbour to a quick sit down.
The Apostles at 10:15am, your evening still free
Planned fares from $129 per adult. Register your interest and we will tell you as soon as departures open.
Why we run the Great Ocean Road backwards
The busiest stop at the quietest hour
The Twelve Apostles is the photograph everyone comes for, and it is a very different place at 10am than it is at 2pm.
Going inland first costs us nothing in scenery, because the coast road is still driven in full. It simply moves the busiest stop to the quietest hour, and it brings the whole day forward by two to four hours at the end.
Most day tours
Coast road first, the Apostles after lunch with the crowds, and back between 8pm and 10pm.
Our day
Inland through Colac, the Apostles at 10:15am while it is quiet, the coast road home in afternoon light, and back around 6:00pm.
Layers, good shoes and a card for meals
Layers, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, a water bottle and a camera. The coast is usually several degrees cooler than the city and the weather changes quickly, so layers matter more than a heavy coat.
The day, hour by hour
Ten stops between a 7:00am pickup and a 6:00pm finish. Times are indicative and move with traffic and weather. The finish time does not.
MorningColac, the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps
7:00am
First hotel pickup
Selected city hotels, from 7:00am.
7:20am
Depart Melbourne
One city departure point, then west and inland.
9:00am
Colac, breakfast at a local bakery
Pastries, coffee, and the last easy stop before the coast.
Stop 1 · 15 min
10:15am
Twelve Apostles
Mid morning light, and room to walk both lookouts.
Stop 2 · 45 min
11:05am
Loch Ard Gorge
A sheltered beach between limestone cliffs.
Stop 3 · 25 min
11:40am
Gibson Steps
A steep staircase to the beach beneath the stacks. Optional.
Stop 4 · 25 min
MiddayKoala spotting and lunch at Apollo Bay
About 1:00pm
Koala spotting
No fixed stop. Where the manna gums look promising, we pull over.
Stop 5 · 10 min
1:25pm
Apollo Bay, lunch and free time
Fish and chips on the harbour, a bakery, or a quick sit down.
Stop 6 · 45 min
AfternoonLorne, Memorial Arch, Anglesea and the Chocolaterie
2:55pm
Teddy’s Lookout, Lorne
The view back down over the road as it bends around the river mouth.
Stop 7 · 15 min
3:25pm
Memorial Arch
The timber arch at Eastern View, honouring the returned servicemen who built the road.
Stop 8 · 10 min
3:50pm
Anglesea, kangaroo viewing
Late afternoon, when the mob comes out onto the open grass.
Stop 9 · 10 min
4:15pm
Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie
A comfort stop. Chocolate, ice cream and a last stretch of the legs.
Stop 10 · 20 min
4:35pm
Depart for Melbourne
Freeway home, and usually a very quiet coach.
6:00pm
Arrive Southern Cross Station
One drop off, onto the train, tram and airport bus network.
Loved by thousands of our guests
This is our first season on the Great Ocean Road, so the reviews below come from our Yarra Valley days. Same hosts, same care.
These ratings cover Dancing Kangaroo Tours as a whole. The Great Ocean Road day is new this season, so it has no reviews of its own yet.
Be first on the coast this season
Register your interest and we will email you as soon as departures open.
At a glance
Price
Planned fares: $129 adult · $109 child under 14 · $429 family of two adults and two children
Duration
First hotel pickup 7:00am, back at Southern Cross around 6:00pm
Departure days
Planned for Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
Pickup
Selected city hotels from 7:00am, plus a city departure point at 7:20am
Drop off
Southern Cross Station only
Maximum group size
24 guests
Vehicle
Mid size air-conditioned coach
In bad weather
We run rain or shine and the stops stay the same. If conditions ever make a site or the road unsafe, we adjust or cancel and refund.
What is included
Included
- Return coach travel from Melbourne, air-conditioned and comfortable
- Pickup from selected city hotels
- A local driver and guide for the whole day
- All park and site entry along the way
- Commentary and stories
Not included
- Breakfast and coffee at Colac
- Lunch at Apollo Bay
- Chocolate and ice cream at the Chocolaterie
- Travel insurance and gratuities
Want the same day for your own group? Private tours collect you from your door.
Why meals are not in the price
We have deliberately left food out of the price so you are not paying for a set menu you did not choose. There is a great bakery in Colac for breakfast, and about an hour in Apollo Bay with everything from fish and chips on the harbour to a quick sit down. Bring a card, and eat what you feel like.
Pricing and departures
Planned fares for the first season. Nothing is charged until bookings open and you choose a date.
Planned fares
Coming soon
Fare
Price
Who
Adult
14 and over
Child
Under 14, with an adult
Family
Two adults, two children
Planned departures
Four days a week
Days
Pickup
Back
Mon, Tue, Fri, Sun
From 7:00am
About 6:00pm
Fares are in Australian dollars, per person except the family fare. The tour runs subject to a minimum number of guests. If a departure does not reach it, we let you know at least two days before and offer another date, another tour or a full refund.
Is this tour right for you?
We would rather you booked the right day than any day.
A great fit if
- You want the Twelve Apostles without a crowded viewing platform
- You have one day for the coast and want the whole road, not half of it
- You would rather be back in the city for dinner than at 9pm
- You like a guide who talks, and a group small enough to ask questions
- You are travelling with a child who is comfortable with a long day out
It might not suit you if
- A 7:00am pickup is too early for the way you travel
- You would prefer meals included rather than choosing and paying your own
- You want a leisurely lunch. An hour at Apollo Bay is enough, but it is not long
- You need a drop off at your hotel. We finish at Southern Cross Station only
- Stairs and uneven ground are difficult. Several stops involve both, and Gibson Steps is a steep staircase down to the beach
- You need guaranteed wildlife. Koalas and kangaroos are wild, so we can give you an excellent chance and no promise
Pickup and drop off
Morning pickup, from 7:00am
We collect from a short list of selected city hotels, then make one city departure at 7:20am. The hotel list and the departure point are confirmed when bookings open.
Your exact pickup time is confirmed the day before. We run to a tight schedule, so we do have to depart on time. If you are running late, call the number on your booking confirmation and we will do what we can.
Evening drop off, around 6:00pm
One drop off only, at Southern Cross Station. It is the fastest way to end the day for everyone on board, and it puts you on the train, tram and airport bus network.
If your hotel is a walk away, your guide will point you the right way.
A mid size air-conditioned coach, never more than 24 guests.
Children
Welcome, with a child fare for under 14s and a family fare. It is a long day, so it suits children who travel reasonably well.
Group size
Never more than 24 guests on a departure.
Booking terms
Departures run subject to a minimum number of guests. If your date does not reach it, we let you know at least two days before and offer another date, another tour or a full refund. Every detail is in our terms and conditions.
Great Ocean Road questions
When can I book the Great Ocean Road tour?
Bookings are not open yet. Register your interest on this page and we will email you as soon as departures open. Until then, WhatsApp Selina with any questions.
What time does the tour start and finish?
Hotel pickups start at 7:00am and we leave the city at 7:20am. You are back at Southern Cross Station by around 6:00pm. That is shorter than most Great Ocean Road day tours, which typically run twelve or thirteen hours and get you home well after dark.
Why do you run the tour in reverse?
Because the Twelve Apostles gets busy after lunch, when the tours that went along the coast first start arriving. By driving inland first we get there mid morning while it is still quiet, then enjoy the coast road on the way home with the afternoon light behind us.
Will we definitely see koalas and kangaroos?
Usually, but we cannot promise it. These are wild animals in their own habitat, not an enclosure. Your driver knows the spots where they tend to be and we go where they are active on the day. Most tours see both. Some do not.
Is the departure guaranteed?
The tour runs subject to a minimum number of guests. If a departure does not reach it, we let you know at least two days before and offer another date, another tour or a full refund. We would rather tell you early than run a day that does not work.
What is the cancellation policy?
The same booking terms as our other daily tours. Moving your date is free if you ask more than 72 hours before your tour, subject to availability. Cancel more than three business days out and we refund 95% of what you paid (a 5% cancellation fee applies). Closer to the day, higher cancellation fees apply, and every detail is in our terms and conditions.
How much walking is involved, and is it accessible?
Not a lot, but there are stairs. Gibson Steps is a steep staircase down to the beach and back, and that one is entirely optional. The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge are boardwalks and formed paths with some steps. Everything else is a few steps from the coach. If mobility is a concern, call us before you book and we will talk you through it honestly.
Where do we eat?
Breakfast is at a bakery in Colac, about two hours in. Lunch is about an hour at Apollo Bay, where there is everything from fish and chips on the harbour to a quick sit down. Both are at your own expense, so you choose. Bring a card, most places take one.
Can you pick me up from my hotel?
Yes, from a short list of selected city hotels, starting at 7:00am, plus one city departure point at 7:20am. The hotel list and the departure point are confirmed when bookings open, and your exact pickup time is confirmed the day before.
Where does the tour finish?
One single drop off at Southern Cross Station at around 6:00pm. We do not run hotel drop offs on the way back, because a drop off circuit would add close to half an hour to everyone’s day.
What happens in bad weather?
We run rain or shine and the stops stay the same. The coast is dramatic in the rain. If conditions ever make a site or the road genuinely unsafe, we adjust the day or cancel and refund, and your guide will explain why.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. There is a child fare for under 14s and a family fare, and the early finish makes a real difference with kids. It is still a long day in a coach, so it suits children who travel reasonably well.
From
per adult
Child under 14 $109 · family of four $429
Coming soon. These are the planned fares for the first season.
- Twelve Apostles by 10:15am, before the crowds
- The whole coast road, driven home in afternoon light
- Back at Southern Cross around 6:00pm
- Small coach, never more than 24 guests
- Meals not included, so you choose and pay as you go
Bookings are not open yet. Register and we will email you when departures open. How we look after your details is in our privacy policy.
Questions first? WhatsApp Sean, a human answers.
The Twelve Apostles, before the crowds
We’re putting the finishing touches on our Great Ocean Road day. Leave your details just below and you’ll be the first to hear when bookings open.
Be first to hear when bookings open
Leave your name and email and we will let you know as soon as departures open. One email, nothing else.
What is included in the fare
- Return coach travel from Melbourne
- Pickup from selected city hotels
- A local driver and guide all day
- All park and site entry
- Back at Southern Cross around 6:00pm
- Meals, chocolate and gratuities, at your own expense
- 7:00amHotel pickups, then west and inland
- 9:00amBreakfast in Colac
- 10:15amThe Twelve Apostles, while it is quiet
- 1:25pmLunch at Apollo Bay
- 6:00pmBack at Southern Cross Station
Why meals are not in the price
So you are not paying for a set menu you did not choose. Breakfast is at a Colac bakery and lunch is at Apollo Bay, both at your own expense.
7,000+ ★★★★★
five-star reviews across Google, Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide, Klook & more
Planned departures Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, with no more than 24 guests. Planned fares from $129 per adult.
Questions first? WhatsApp Sean, a human answers. How we look after your details is in our privacy policy.
Another day in mind?
Same hosts, same care, a different part of Victoria.
Great Ocean Road
The Twelve Apostles at 10:15am and the coast road home in afternoon light, back in the city around 6:00pm.
Planned from $129 per adult
Epic
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From $179 per person
Amazing
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Adults from $114 · children from $99
Relaxed
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From $119 per adult
Give a day out this Christmas
Left it late? Vouchers arrive by email straight away, even on Christmas morning. Choose one of our tours or a dollar amount, good for three years.
Ride with Santa through the Christmas lights
A private one hour pedicab ride from Fed Square, just for your group. Thursdays to Saturdays in December, plus Christmas Eve.
Want this day for your own group?
We can run the same Great Ocean Road day privately, on a date that suits you, with pickup from your door. Already have your own plan for the coast? See minibus hire with a driver.
The Apostles at 10:15am, your evening still free
Ten stops, one long beautiful road, and a finish time that gives you your night back. Planned fares from $129 per adult. Register your interest and we will tell you as soon as departures open.
Great Ocean Road
From $129 per adult