Standard or Reverse GOR
In the end it is a minor decision, but the direction you take on a standard or reverse Great Ocean Road tour will have a marked effect on your day. It dictates how much time is put in on the coastal road, if one has to contend with the heaviest crowds, when the Twelve Apostles are made and what sort of winding-road driving is on the agenda before lunch.
The standard Great Ocean Road tour is the more straightforward option for a first-timer, being an all-rounder that takes the classic way from Melbourne via Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay to the Shipwreck Coast. Then there is the reverse tour which tends to go inland to put in some miles and be at the Twelve Apostles sooner; the light and lookouts are apt to be better for it. I am Emily Whitmore and my years of road tripping in Australia have taught me that the best course is the one you can make work with your patience and priorities for a long day in a minibus.
Make Your Choice
With the standard route the famous coastal sequence is given precedence, the reverse puts the western icons on the agenda early. Do not think either will do away with the elements, traffic or other people; the Great Ocean Road is well travelled for a reason.
It is really a matter of four considerations: the scenery you like, what you want to photograph, an aversion to crowds and if you would prefer a less strenuous start. Put it this way, a small-group dynamic will alter things as much as the direction does. That may make an uncrowded Shipwreck Coast journey especially appealing.
A Quick Guide
Go with the standard if you would rather have the traditional run from Melbourne to the Surf Coast, make stops in Lorne and Torquay and let the day build to the Twelve Apostles. The reverse is for those who want to get in front of the 12 Apostles and any peak congestion, leaving the coastal road for the afternoon.
One word of advice: “reverse” is something of a misnomer in that you are not driving the road in reverse and should not expect an empty lookout. It is simply an itinerary that makes use of the inland highway to the Shipwreck Coast and then back east along the coast.
The Classic Coastal Route
From Melbourne a standard tour will be out of the city early, pre-breakfast in all likelihood, making its way south-west to Geelong and Torquay. After following the Surf Coast past Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay and over the Otways, the tour continues to Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles.
There is a logic to it. You have your seaside towns and surf beaches to begin with, then the rainforest and its roads, before the ruggedness of the Shipwreck Coast. It has the feel of a road trip done in chapters, even if the last one comes after hours behind the wheel.
What to Expect
You can count on most standard tours to pick up from central Melbourne or your hotel and put in a stop at Torquay or some such place on the Surf Coast, as well as the usual coastal vantage points and a lunch break. There may be some wildlife or rainforest to see and the Twelve Apostles. Loch Ard Gorge is often part of it for the more personal setting it offers compared to the limestone stacks.
Do not be taken in by the name of the tour, read the details. Some will have a guided walk, others are content with a short path to a lookout. As for lunch, some provide it, some will have you bring your own or put in at a café.
Reverse Itinerary: Start West
Here the group will head from Melbourne on the inland highway to the Twelve Apostles. Once the western end of the Great Ocean Road and Shipwreck Coast have been seen, it is a return to Melbourne via Apollo Bay, Lorne and Torquay.
Timing is the advantage. On a weekend you could be ahead of those who have gone the standard way to the Twelve Apostles. But an early start is still called for; a reverse tour is a way of managing the crowd with a different rhythm, not an excuse to sleep in.
How the Day Goes
With the group going straight for the headline acts in the morning, it is a more concentrated affair. You might have the Twelve Apostles and the lookouts at Loch Ard Gorge and the Shipwreck Coast in you before things get busy. The afternoon is for a more leisurely scenic drive back along the coast with a chance for lunch and to put in a few stops in town. There is a temptation to think “early” will ensure a day of quiet at a major Australian attraction, but I was not so fortunate on my first foray there ahead of the tour buses. The lookout put an end to that notion in short order. Granted, the initial minutes were more sedate and the morning light much better behaved for the camera than one would find in the midday glare, but the place does not stay empty.
Routes, Timing And Stops: A Comparison
Total road distance is not what sets the two directions apart. Rather it is a matter of which attractions you can put in for a good long stop before you are tired and where you have your freshest hours to spare.
One should regard the travel times as realistic parameters for planning, not some guarantee etched on a sign by the side of the road. They are subject to the vagaries of traffic, weather, any roadworks, how the group is put together and how many photo opportunities present themselves.
| Tour Element | Standard Direction | Reverse Direction | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| First major region | Torquay and the Surf Coast | Shipwreck Coast | You get to your scenery of choice first |
| Twelve Apostles timing | An afternoon affair | More of a morning | Those on the reverse may encounter lighter crowds |
| Coastal road experience | Earlier | Later | A change in the light and in your energy |
| Lunch | Frequently in or near Apollo Bay | After the western highlights | See if it is part of the package |
| Return to Melbourne | Inland from the western coast for the most part | The coastal route is taken prior to heading inland | Either way you could be in late |
| Estimated full-day duration | 11–13 hours or so | 11–13 hours or so | Build in some time for stops and traffic |
Put in city transfers and detours and a Great Ocean Road itinerary from Melbourne will see you put 400 kilometres or more on the vehicle. Do not take it as an industry given; it is only an estimate. The Great Ocean Road proper is put at around 243 km, but a day tour from the city has other roads to cover.
To Beat The Crowds At The Lookouts
If you want to make a case for the reverse tour, look at the numbers. The Twelve Apostles and the like on the Shipwreck Coast will be swamped with self-drivers and tour buses come midday, on a weekend or during the school holidays and fine summer days.
But conditions alter in a hurry. A coach can put an end to a road’s tranquility and a wet morning makes for fewer visitors if not slippery paths. The reverse direction is your best bet for an earlier go at it, though it will not dictate the weather or the movements of every car on the highway.
Expectation And Reality
You might anticipate a private viewing of the Twelve Apostles on a reverse tour. In fact you are unlikely to be there when the afternoon rush comes, but do not be surprised to have company on the platform. Or consider the standard route: an early start can still yield some fine stops on the Surf Coast even if the western side gets busy later on. Where you depart is as important as which way you head.
For something less of a crowd, a small-group tour with an early pickup and a cap on numbers is worth seeking out. The “Cheap Great Ocean Road tour” ads have their appeal but a lower fare can mean a bigger vehicle, a rigid schedule or optional extras you have to pay for. Make sure to compare what is included.
Better Light For Your Camera
The reverse tour is the photographer’s choice of late because the morning will be kinder to the Twelve Apostles and the cliffs. The western vantage points are of prime importance and being there before noon leaves you with the energy for a tripod-free exposure or a short walk.
The standard route has its merits too. An east to west run along the coast allows you to work your way through the towns, forest and beaches before the Shipwreck Coast. One cannot count on the golden hour or sunset from a regular guided day out of Melbourne; driver fatigue and the need to be back on the road are considerations.
Priorities And The Light
Go the reverse way for the chance to sidestep the midday hordes and for some concentrated sightseeing of the west with the morning light at the Twelve Apostles. The standard direction offers the variety of the coast and some good Surf Coast pictures as the country gets wilder to the west.
And remember to be patient for the shot. A bit of wind and you will have a shaky camera, cloud will dull the colour and sea spray will make it to the boardwalk. Have a lens cloth to hand and mind the barriers; do not putter about the edge of a cliff in search of an angle. The ocean has no time for your Instagram plans.
Comfort, Traffic And Pace
One does not find the Great Ocean Road to be a straight motorway and that is what makes it so scenic. Winding roads are to be expected as well as narrow places, varying speed limits and the odd delay in the wake of a truck or caravan. Those with a tendency towards motion sickness would do well to take a seat up front, forgo any heavy food prior to the more tortuous stretches and have on hand some suitable medication.
Going the standard way has its merits; the coastal stops put in an interlude to the journey out and the whole affair is less of an ordeal. You might think a reverse route is the more efficient option but after a poor night’s sleep or if you are not fond of being in a vehicle for long, the trek inland to the Twelve Apostles will wear on you. Either way it is a long day with your meal times dictated by the schedule and a few short walks in.
Plan For Real Road Conditions
There is rain to make the paths slick, wind at the exposed lookouts and in summer the threat of bushfire can see a park or road shut down. So before you set off, look up the weather warnings, park details and the state of the roads. For official word on access to the Great Otway National Park and its environs, Parks Victoria has visitor information to that effect.
Do not assume a tour covers national park entry. Put it to the operator to see if they include lunch, hotel pickup, admissions to attractions and the like. And factor in the cost of food; a casual meal will run you in the region of $15 to $30 a head if it is not part of the package, venue and order permitting.
Pick The Standard Tour
First-timers wanting a broad overview of the region and the recognised route will find the standard Great Ocean Road tour to their liking. It is a good fit for one who has as much interest in the coastal road and such places as Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay as the Twelve Apostles. A group that prefers a familiar itinerary and the gradual change of scenery it affords would be wise to opt for this. Mixed-interest parties and families can make of the day what they will with the beaches, cafés, rainforest and lookouts on offer.
Standard Tour Checklist
- For the classic run through Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay, book the standard.
- Find out if Loch Ard Gorge is on the agenda and how long the stop at the Twelve Apostles will be.
- See what is planned for lunch and when the return to Melbourne is due.
- Have water, sun protection, a light jacket for the rain, good shoes and anything for motion sickness.
Pick The Reverse Tour
This is for the traveller intent on seeing the Shipwreck Coast and the Twelve Apostles before the day gets away from him. Photographers and those making a return visit will appreciate having the headline attraction to themselves while the rest of the group is still fresh. Not everyone will be suited to it; early starts and the prospect of a late hour back in Melbourne are off-putting to some. Nor is it for those who want to put in a few impromptu stops on a relaxed drive, an organised tour has to put in the miles.
Reverse Tour Checklist
- Make sure the operator is in fact running an inland-first reverse itinerary.
- What time will the group be at the Twelve Apostles?
- Does the way back go via Apollo Bay and Lorne?
- Leave yourself some leeway once the tour is done, traffic has a way of holding up the arrival in Melbourne.
Make The Day Fit You
With only a day to spare, concentrate on the part you would regret missing. A reverse tour is best if you want to put in some photography and have the major cliffs of the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and the vantage points of the Shipwreck Coast. To get the full measure of a Great Ocean Road trip, one should go with the standard route and be prepared for some stops to be of short duration.
Those travelling on their own may well put in the drive from Melbourne, but it is incumbent on them to make the arrangements for fuel, parking, navigation, a safe return and any necessary breaks. Then again, putting in an overnight at Apollo Bay or Port Campbell will see you off the clock and allow for more leeway with the weather and walking conditions. Do not think of public transport as a viable means of doing the whole route in a day.
Great Ocean Road Tour Questions
What follows are the sort of questions put to us by travellers prior to making a booking. The answers here are only so useful; make sure to review the operator’s latest itinerary as access and inclusions are subject to change.
Is there a reverse tour of the Great Ocean Road?
You can find options running in reverse out of Melbourne, though that is at the discretion of the operator and will vary with the season and date of departure. If the wording indicates the tour heads inland to the Twelve Apostles before coming back on the coastal road, that is what you want. An early bit of sightseeing does not of itself make a tour a reverse one.
So which way to drive?
There is no right answer. The standard route has the appeal of the Surf Coast and a more traditional coastal flow. In reverse you will get to the Twelve Apostles sooner and put some distance between yourself and the midday hordes. But your choice of stops and the time of day and weather will be the deciding factors.
What makes for a good Great Ocean Road itinerary?
If you have a day to spare, you might plan on being picked up in Melbourne, make your way to the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge (inland or coastal), have a meal and put in some time at Lorne or Apollo Bay before heading back safely. Any attempt to call at every beach and wildlife spot will leave you in a hurry. Have three priorities and let the rest be.
Clockwise or anticlockwise around Australia?
That is a matter for a far bigger road trip than the Great Ocean Road. Both ways of going are fine provided you take into account the time, the state of the roads, seasonal closures and where you want to be. As for the Great Ocean Road, do not try to apply a rule of thumb for the whole country, just look at the standard and reverse itineraries.
Are the tours worth the money?
For someone short on time or who would rather not put in the miles on winding roads at the end of the day, they are. A guide is also good for an account of the Shipwreck Coast and its history. Not so if you like to call the shots on when to eat or where to park for a photo. Give the reviews of a Great Ocean Road tour a close read, and do not rely on the stars; see what is said of the group size and how long the stops are.
Your best coastal day
The standard tour from Melbourne is the sure thing for a varied and classic introduction. For the western highlights and to be mindful of the crowds, the reverse tour is more to the point.
I would put it this way: book the standard if the journey is of as much interest as the icons, the reverse if the Twelve Apostles are your main concern. Allow for traffic, the odd mozzie and the elements and pick an itinerary that does not put a quick day trip spin on the coast.
