Private Great Ocean Road Shore Excursion from Melbourne

4 hours to 1 day

Overview

This is a private full-day shore excursion for cruise passengers wanting to see the Great Ocean Road without organising separate transport. You’ll travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a driver-guide, with pickup from Melbourne Cruise Ship Terminal and national park fees included. The route covers the big-name sights, including the Twelve Apostles, Great Otway National Park, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell National Park. It’s a long day and better suited to travellers who are comfortable spending a lot of time on the road in exchange for seeing a major stretch of the coast in one trip.

Why backpackers love it

If you’re arriving by cruise and want to make the most of limited time in Melbourne, this keeps the logistics simple. You get direct port pickup, a private vehicle, and the main Great Ocean Road sights wrapped into one booking. It’s not a cheap day out, and it’s definitely not for anyone who gets carsick, but for small groups splitting the cost it can be a straightforward way to do a bucket-list route without hiring a car or navigating timings yourself.

What to expect

The day starts with pickup from Station Pier, outside Mr Hobson Restaurant, before heading out of Melbourne and onto the Great Ocean Road. Over the course of around 12 hours, you’ll cover more than 500 kilometres, with roughly 8 to 9 hours spent in the car. Stops include Apollo Bay, highlights within Great Otway National Park, and the coastal rock formations around Port Campbell National Park, including the Twelve Apostles. As this is a private tour, you’ll be travelling with your own group rather than on a big coach. Drop-off can be back at the cruise ship or at selected CBD, Southbank and Docklands hotels if arranged in advance.

What's included

GST (Goods and Services Tax)
National Park fees
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Driver/guide
Local taxes
Transport by private vehicle
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)

Features

Direct pickup from Melbourne cruise terminal takes the stress out of shore-day planning
Private air-conditioned vehicle means a more flexible, less crowded day than a coach tour
Covers headline stops including the Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay and national park highlights

Details

Additional details

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
NOTE : This total duration spent in the car will be 8-9 hours, as we will travel over 500+ Kilometres. If you suffer from car motion sickness, we do not recommend you choose this tour. We do also a 2 Day Tour with just 4-5 hours driving per day. Please refer to our website for further details
We wish to advise larger groups of 4 or 5, that our luggage capacity is limited, so we recommend 1 x airplane cabin-sized bags per person. For groups of 3 passengers or less, 1 x standard size suitcase & 1 x cabin-sized bag per person is acceptable.
Pick up point - Melbourne Cruise Ship Terminal (Station Pier) Pick up from outside the Mr Hobson Restaurant.
Hotel drop off - this can be provided either back to your cruise ship, or to selected CBD, Southbank and Docklands hotels only and must be communicated in advance. Some select hotels will require a pick-up of 06:30am - We will notify you if this is the case.
Minimum age is 12 years
Comfy trainers/sneakers are advisable
Please provide a local mobile contact number on your booking, incase we need to contact you pre-tour
IMPORTANT - Please ensure you have allotted enough time for the full 12 hour tour. This includes allowing enough time to dis-embark the boat in the morning and board the vessel in the evening. We strongly advise having travel insurance for any unforseen circumstances.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately

Scenic Nature Beaches and water

Prices, availability, and cancellation policies are managed by the tour provider and may change. Please confirm all details on the booking page before purchasing.

From A$580.00

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