Day 1: Melbourne to Apollo Bay
Ease into your road trip with the leisurely drive from Melbourne to Torquay, just over an hour's drive. Home to some of Australia's best-known surf beaches, Torquay marks the official beginning of the Great Ocean Road. Dose up on surf culture at the Australian National Surfing Museum before visiting Bells Beach, host of the annual Rip Curl Pro.
Stop at Anglesea Golf Club for a kangaroo tour and see kangaroos lounge under trees on the surrounding greens. Further along the Great Ocean Road, visit Splitpoint Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet for beautiful views down to Cape Otway.
Magnificent coastal views dominate the next 30 kilometres as you drive to the beach town of Lorne, a perfect spot for fish and chips by the beach at lunch.
As you make your way to Apollo Bay, you'll travel up along cliff-tops offering incredible views and alongside wild beaches – take time to stop at the lookouts for photos, or beachside for a stroll.
From Apollo Bay, follow the Great Ocean Road into the lush Otway National Park, and turn off to the Cape Otway light station (about a 50-minute drive). Take a tour of the oldest surviving lighthouse in mainland Australia. Climb to the top to see where the Bass Strait meets the Southern Ocean.
Opening December 2020 just west of Apollo Bay, the Wildlife Wonders ecotourism experience is a conservation area where visitors will be able to see koalas doze in the treetops, potoroos and bandicoots forage on the ferny forest floors and kangaroos hop along the horizon against a spectacular ocean vista.
Make your way back to Apollo Bay for the night. Dine at Chris's at Beacon Point, where gourmet food is complemented by spectacular cliff-top views. Take the short stroll from the restaurant and settle in at the sumptuous Beacon Point Ocean View Villas, where you'll wake in the morning to see the sun sparkling on the ocean below.
Day 2: Apollo Bay to Port Fairy
From Apollo Bay, follow the Great Ocean Road into the lush rainforest of the Otway National Park and turn off to the Otway Fly Treetop Walk, an easy hour's drive. Reach for the sky along the treetop canopy walkway – the longest and tallest of its type in the world – or up the adrenaline with a zip-line tour. Take time out for the Maits Rest Rainforest Walk in Great Otway National Park (reopens late 2020).
Back on the Great Ocean Road, get your camera ready for the spectacular coastline leading to Port Campbell and its famous 12 Apostles, a group of magnificent rock stacks rising up from the Southern Ocean. Descend all 86 of the Gibson Steps to walk down to the wild beach for a ground-level view of the 12 Apostles. Take plenty of time to stop at lookouts over the cliffs of the Loch Ard Gorge and, just beyond Port Campbell, the hauntingly beautiful Bay of Islands. For the best views of this beguiling coastline, take to the skies on a helicopter tour. Unforgettable.
Continue along the Great Ocean Road west, to Warrnambool. Explore the maritime capital's history then head to the viewing platforms at Logans Beach to spot its impressive winter visitors: southern right and blue whales. Catch a glimpse mothers feeding their calves just offshore.
From Warrnambool, drive towards Port Fairy and take the turn-off to Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, an easy 15-minute drive. Take to the walking tracks, keeping an eye out for koalas, emus, kangaroos and waterbirds who roam freely among the hills and lake-filled craters of this extinct volcano. Visit the Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre to find out more about the reserve's Aboriginal and geological history.
Top off the day with dinner in nearby Port Fairy. Or make the short journey back to Warrnambool for seafood chowder and a drink or two with stunning bay views at Simon's Waterfront and stay overlooking the beach in coastal luxury at the Lady Bay Resort.
Day 3: Port Fairy to Halls Gap
Spend the morning exploring charming fishing village Port Fairy. Wander along the river, visit the beaches, or follow one of the historic walking trails to see old whalers' cottages and grand public buildings. For more wildlife, take a cruise out to the seal colony just offshore on Lady Julia Percy Island.
From Port Fairy, make the easy drive 90 kilometres north to Dunkeld (about an hour's drive), gateway to the southern Grampians. Popular with wildlife watchers, outdoor adventurers and history buffs, the Grampians is a series of rugged sandstone mountain ranges and forests rich with wildlife and home to significant Aboriginal rock art sites.
If you're feeling fit and energetic, tackle a challenging but rewarding climb to the summit of Mount Sturgeon or Mount Abrupt for panoramic views of the surrounding ranges and volcanic plains. Both hikes take around three hours return, require good levels of fitness and suitable walking attire, and promise camera-worthy rewards.
Leaving Dunkeld, take the scenic Grampians Road right through the national park to Halls Gap, an excellent base for exploring the ranges. If you're the outdoorsy type you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to activities: hiking, canoeing, rock-climbing and abseiling, fishing and more. Whatever your activity of choice, keep your camera poised for wildlife – the park is home to a profusion of native animals and birds, including kangaroos, koalas, emus and wedge-tailed eagles – and wildflowers.
Spend the night in luxury at the Royal Mail Hotel at Dunkeld.
Day 4: Halls Gap to Ballarat
Start your day with a visit to the Brambuk Cultural Centre to delve into the area's fascinating Aboriginal history and culture. Enjoy the art, artefacts and activities – try your hand at a boomerang. Join Aboriginal guides on tours to ancient rock art sites and to learn more about the landscape's spiritual significance.
Looking with a new point of view, explore the park further, taking in its famous lookouts: Boroka, Reed and the Balconies, all a short distance from Halls Gap and offering stunning views over the Mount William and Wonderland Ranges and Victoria Valley.
Make time to stop at another of the Grampians' star attractions: MacKenzie Falls, one of Victoria's largest and most spectacular waterfalls. Take the steep climb down to the base of the falls (allow an hour return) or the easier, more accessible trail that follows the top of the ridge line.
From Halls Gap, Ballarat is just under two hours' drive away. Out on the open road, along the Western Highway, admire the imposing Mt Ghiran and explore the beautiful Langi Ghiran State Park, rich in Aboriginal cultural heritage and home to significant art sites.
On arrival in Ballarat, explore the growing food and wine scene. Discover the boutique breweries that make it a craft beer mecca and get to know the local wines. Catch the evening sound and light show Aura at Sovereign Hill, for a dramatic introduction to local history and treat yourself to relaxed Asian cuisine at Mr Jones. Alternatively, grab dinner at the grand heritage Craig's Royal Hotel, where you will spend tonight.
Day 5: Ballarat to Melbourne
Spend the morning in Ballarat's heritage precinct and unearth the city's rich gold mining history and magnificent architecture on a self-guided heritage walk. The grand tree-lined streets are perfect for meandering. Heritage trails are dotted with elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings, parks, gardens, statues and churches.
Dig deeper into the region's gold-mining history with a visit to open-air gold-rush museum Sovereign Hill. Try your luck panning for gold, brace yourself for an underground mine tour, and learn about rare 19th-century trades.
Back in the present day, fawn over native fauna at the Ballarat Wildlife Park. Pat a koala, watch wombats wander up close and see crocodiles feeding – from a safe distance.
Before you make your way back to Melbourne, treat yourself with a visit to Daylesford and the surrounding spa country. For food and pampering, it's nothing but heavenly.
Linger over a long lunch at the renowned Lake House, where local culinary hero Alla Wolf-Tasker serves a sensational seasonal menu and views across Lake Daylesford make for an unforgettable meal.
Enrich the last day of your trip with a short detour to nearby Hepburn Springs, named for its naturally occurring mineral springs. Taste the different mineral waters from old-fashioned pumps in the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve, or soak it up – literally – with a pampering spa at Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa. Fully rejuvenated, make the short drive back to Melbourne – and start planning your next trip!
