Great Ocean Road Reverse Route Day Tour with 10 Stops from Melbourne

The Great Ocean Road and the reverse route

The Great Ocean Road runs for about 240 kilometres along the south-west coast of Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford. It was built between 1919 and 1932 by soldiers returning from the First World War, using picks, shovels and explosives, and it was dedicated as a memorial to those who died in that war, which makes it the largest war memorial in the world. It was added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2011.

Most day tours drive the coast road west in the morning and reach the Twelve Apostles at the busiest time. This Great Ocean Road reverse tour goes the other way: after a 7:00 hotel pickup your driver-guide takes the faster inland highway towards Port Campbell, so the group starts at the far end with London Bridge and the stacks, then follows the winding coast back towards Melbourne in the afternoon and evening, ending at about 20:00.

London Bridge (London Arch)

London Bridge is a natural sea arch carved from soft limestone near Port Campbell. For a long time it had two spans and was connected to the mainland, resembling the old bridge in London that gave it its name. In January 1990 the span nearest the shore suddenly collapsed into the sea, leaving two visitors stranded on the outer section; they were rescued by helicopter a few hours later. Since then it has been officially called London Arch, though most people still use the old name.

From the viewing platforms you see the arch standing alone in the surf, with waves pushing through the opening below. Little penguins sometimes come ashore on the beach beneath at dusk, though the tour visits during the day. London Bridge is skipped by many standard Great Ocean Road tours, so it is a real bonus of this route.

Loch Ard Gorge and the Razorback

Loch Ard Gorge is a narrow inlet framed by tall cream-coloured cliffs and a small sandy beach. It is named after the clipper ship Loch Ard, which struck nearby Mutton Bird Island in June 1878 at the end of its voyage from England to Melbourne. Only two of those on board survived, both 18 years old: one was washed into the gorge, and the other, having reached the beach, swam back out to save her. A short walk leads down steps to the beach and to the cliff-top cemetery of the shipwreck.

Next to the gorge, a lookout faces the Razorback, a long, thin wall of limestone whose jagged top has been sharpened by wind and salt spray. Nearby you also see the two pillars left after the Island Archway collapsed in 2009, a reminder of how quickly this coast changes. Allow about 45 minutes here for the walks and photographs.

The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are limestone stacks rising up to 45 metres from the Southern Ocean in Port Campbell National Park, the most famous sight on the Great Ocean Road. The limestone formed over millions of years from the skeletons of sea creatures, and waves slowly carved caves into the cliffs, then arches, then stacks. They were once known as the Sow and Piglets and were renamed in the 1920s; there were never twelve, and one stack collapsed in 2005.

A boardwalk from the visitor centre leads to several lookouts over the stacks and the cliffs, with the sea glowing in shades of green and blue. Because of the reverse route you arrive before the main afternoon wave of coaches. Is the Twelve Apostles worth visiting? It is the reason most people make the trip, and an optional scenic helicopter flight is available here at your own expense.

Great Otway National Park and the wild koalas

After a lunch break at your own expense near Princetown, with an optional visit to a nearby wildlife park, the road climbs into Great Otway National Park. Here the coast is backed by cool temperate rainforest of tall mountain ash, myrtle beech and giant tree ferns, crossed by streams and waterfalls. The road bends through the forest before dropping back to the sea, one of the most scenic driving sections of the day.

In the manna gum trees along this coast live wild koalas, and your driver-guide stops at a quiet spot known for sightings so you can search the branches for them sleeping or feeding. Later, as the light fades, the van pauses at open grassland where eastern grey kangaroos come out to graze. Sightings of wild animals are usually from a distance and are not guaranteed.

Apollo Bay and the Memorial Arch at Eastern View

Apollo Bay is a relaxed fishing and holiday town at the foot of the Otway Ranges, with a wide curved beach, a small working harbour and a main street of cafés and bakeries. The stop gives you time to walk on the sand, stretch your legs and buy a snack before the most famous cliff-hugging section of the road, where the asphalt runs right along the edge of the sea past Lorne.

The last landmark is the Memorial Arch at Eastern View, a wooden arch over the road marking the official start of the Great Ocean Road and honouring the soldiers who built it. It has been rebuilt several times since the first arch went up in 1939, and a bronze sculpture beside it shows two returned soldiers at work. From here the van heads back to Melbourne, arriving at about 20:00.