The best advice I can give when you book a Great Ocean Road Day trip with Great Sights is to arrive early to get a good seat! The front four seats on the upper deck provide the best views in every direction, failing that any window seat on the left side of the bus.
After an early start we set off, the bus itself (operated by GrayLine) is actually really comfortable with recliner seats, footrests, air con and even on board wifi. Leaving the city before rush hour is great and we were soon crossing Westgate bridge, don't forget to look behind you crossing the bridge for a city skyline photo! The western suburbs give way to Geelong, Victoria's largest provincial town and less that 90 minutes after leaving the city we drove through Torquay and onto the start of the Great Ocean Road (GOR).
The first stop of the day was in Anglesey, where we had our first glimpses of the ocean. Included on the trip at this stop is a cup of freshly brewed Bush Billies tea (coffee is available from a local cafe) and a chance to try some Australian delicacies including Lamington Cakes and Vegemite (it's not for everyone!). It's a nice touch to a relatively uninteresting stop, especially compared to the rest of the stops we made!
As the Bass Strait came into full view, the road became the Great Ocean Road I had expected! The overcast morning began to clear and blue sky and sunshine poked through. We had a photo stop at Urquhart Bluff looking back along the coast with an already pretty spectacular view of the golden sandy beach and the breaking waves. Little did I know at this point, it was only going to get better!
There are some great stops along the way before the main Twelve Apostles attraction. An almost compulsory stop for a selfie with a 'Great Ocean Road' memorial arch, Aireys Inlet to spot the 
lighthouse at Split Point and the surfers catching the waves along the Surf Coast. There's a drop off at Lorne for optional overnight stays in the pretty surf resort full of beachside cafés and bars. A final photo stop at the mouth of the Cumberland River before lunch at Apollo Bay. Lunch isn't included but there are some great options along the seafront included fantastic fish (or shark!) and chips at George's or delicious cakes and coffee at The Apollo Bay Bakery.
With the stunning coastline on one side and the impressive Otway Mountain Range on the other, after lunch the views go into hyperdrive! By this point in my day the sun had burned away all the cloud and we had spectacular blue skies along Ship Wreck Coast.
Gibson Steps gives you the first real chance to get on the beach! The staircase down to the sand is steep but after a short walk around the headland, you get a really incredible perspective on the first few apostles from the waters edge towering nearly 50m out of the Ocean. It's not a very long stop and the climb back up the steps can be hard if you're rushing back as I was!
The Twelve Apostles are most peoples main attraction and the highlight of the trip, and they definitely don't disappoint! There's a great vantage point boardwalk built into the cliff which gives postcard perfect views, but for the best view of all the apostles, I'd whole heartedly recommend taking a helicopter flight! It's not included but for discounted $95 extra you can buy a flight that will fly right over them. The flight lasts between 10 and 15 minutes and the pilot gives a good commentary on what you're looking at, it definitely makes the whole trip extra special and is well worth doing! Not only do you get a unique view from the Oceanside of the towering apostles and into coves and inlets inaccessible from land but also views right back inland.
Obviously they're a natural phenomena and they are not the original twelve, for long periods of time there haven't even been 12! Some have collapsed into the sea while new ones have been created, each with their own individual nicknames like the 'Twin Sisters', 'Salt and Pepper' and the 'Razorback'. From up in the air you can spot the 'Blowhole' as well, a sink hole connected to the waves by a cave at the bottom. Back with my feet firmly on the ground, we moved on to cliff side views of the Razorback and Island Arch Apostles, looking down over the cliff edge is when you realise just how massive they are. Walk out to Shipwreck Point viewing platform and see the site where The Loch Ard sank with only 2 survivors before heading down into Loch Ard Gorge where they were found the next day unable to get out of the cove! Today there is a handy stairway down to the beach, a sheltered inlet with beautiful golden beach and crystal clear blue waves.
The final stop of the day is at the town of Port Cambell. There are a few cafés and tourist shops here to stock up on drinks or snacks for the trip back to the city and to pick up postcards or Apostle memorabilia! It's a long drive back to the city so make sure to use the public toilets! The drive back goes inland, past Lake Colac and takes about 2 and a half hours or so. They did put a movie on but keep a look out for koalas in the treetops and kangaroos on the plains before an impressive sunset shot of Melbourne's skyline coming back across the Westgate Bridge.
It's a long day, over 12 hours and there is a lot of driving as the coach covers more than 500km. However it's definitely worth it, each stop is better than the last and it really showcases some of Victorias natural beauty and one of the most famous drives in the world!
We have a great deal from Great Sights on our website, check it out and book it today!
