3-Day Great Ocean Road and Grampians Itinerary + Honest Private Tour Review (From Melbourne)

Traveling to Melbourne, Victoria, and want to explore the Great Ocean Road and Grampians, seeing stunning coastlines, mountains, rainforests, and wildlife without having to drive yourself? This guide shows you how to enjoy 16 attractions on a relaxed 3-day Great Ocean Road and Grampians itinerary, plus my detailed, honest review of our private tour with Andrew from Southeast Touring. Hopefully, this guide makes organising your Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park trip much easier.

Since this was my first time traveling to Australia and with the whole family, each with different travel needs, fitness levels, and limited English, and none of us had ever driven a right-hand drive car before, I thought booking a private tour would be a much easier and more relaxed way to explore the Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park in Victoria, Australia.

While there are plenty of day tours for the Great Ocean Road, tours to Grampians National Park are much rarer, and even fewer combine the two into a multi-day tour. So, after comparing about 9 different tour options, we ended up choosing the private tour with Southeast Touring.

Southeast Touring Great Ocean Road and Grampians private tour review

Looking back, we couldn’t have made a better decision- we had a really great time with Andrew! I’d rate this trip a 8.8 out of 10. If you are traveling with a group of friends or family and looking for hassle-free, comfortable, flexible, highly engaging trips and learning about Victoria State from a local guide, he can be a really great choice. 

You can contact Southeast Touring for customised trips via email: [email protected] or book a day tour with them 🔗here.  

Below, you will find more details about the tour and our guide.

1.Tour guide & driver

Rating: 9/10 

Andrew, the owner of Southeast Touring, was our guide and driver for this 3-day Great Ocean Road & Grampians tour. He’s a licensed Australian tour guide, born and grew up in Melbourne, and surprisingly speaks excellent Mandarin. Friendly, energetic, easygoing, professional and proactive when it comes to anything tour-related. He was recommended to us by another Melbourne-based guide who doesn’t do trips to the Grampians.

The journey with him was pleasant and effortless. He broke the ice immediately with my parents and sister by speaking Mandarin and with his uplifting vibe when he picked us up from the hotel, and it didn’t take long for us to feel comfortable and get along with him. Even my dad, who’s usually quite serious with strangers, ended up singing Chinese songs with him in the car. We all had a great time with him!

Andrew is also good at spotting wildlife.

He knows where to find them and is always happy to slow down or stop the car when he can (safety first of course) so we can get a closer look. Thanks to his sharp eyes, we saw wild kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, emus, echidnas, cockatoo and a variety of colourful parrots.

2.Tour planning & travel pace

Rating: 9/10

The tour planning process with Andrew was smooth. I only gave him a list of all the attractions in Grampians National Park and the Great Ocean Road that I wanted to visit and discuss with him about our family members’ fitness level, dining preference and he came up with a flexible, balanced itinerary that suited us perfectly, and the travel pace was just right for us.

(At the last part of the review, you will find our full Grampians National Park and Great Ocean Road itinerary & attractions we went)

3.Safety & vehicle comfort

Rating: 9/10

The vehicle Southeast Touring provided was an 8-seat Mercedes-Benz van (year 2022)—spacious, comfortable and clean. Perfect for the long journey to the Grampians and the Great Ocean Road.

Our 3 large luggages and 2 smaller ones fit easily, so we didn’t need to leave anything behind in Melbourne for this 3-day tour.

Andrew drove safely, smoothly and always calm. As someone very picky about drivers, I felt fully at ease with him even when he drove a bit faster sometimes.

4.Price

Rating: 7.5/10

The price for our 3-day Great Ocean Road and Grampians private tour was 2,680 AUD, EXCLUDING accommodations and meals. 

Honestly, it can feel a bit pricey if you are only four people or fewer. But if all you want is to hit the main sights in the Grampians and the Great Ocean Road, and you don’t mind a faster-paced group tour, then yes, you can find cheaper options.

However, if you prefer a small group with a flexible, customized itinerary where you can go at your own pace, the price with Southeast Touring is actually quite fair. And based on our experience, it’s worth it. If I were to plan this family trip again, I would still choose Southeast Touring. As I mentioned, I compared around 9 different tours before making a decision, and choosing this one was definitely the right call. Especially after a full week of being our family’s translator and guide, having Andrew take over that role took a huge weight off my shoulders.

If you are planning a trip with older adults, kids, or a group of friends and don’t want to worry about driving or handling everything, I highly recommend taking a private tour with Southeast Touring. It lets you save your energy so you can really enjoy the journey and the hikes. The best part? With a small private group, you can see even more in less time!

5. 3-day Great Ocean Road and Grampians itinerary and attractions

Rating: 9.5/10

Below is our 3-day Great Ocean Road and Grampians itinerary created for us by Southeast Touring, which was perfect!!

With this itinerary, we were able to travel at our own pace, taking photos, hiking at a relaxed pace, and visiting almost all the attractions we wanted to see, plus several nice spots he recommended.

We also got to choose the restaurants we wanted to eat at and stay at our preferred accommodations. (I’ve also included a brief review of the hotels we stayed at in the Grampians and the Great Ocean Road, plus a few restaurants we tried at each stop.)

Compared to a group tour where everything is fixed and inflexible, this is the real perk of taking a private tour with the right guide.

Day 1: From Melbourne city to Grampians National Park

Set off from Melbourne -> Coffee break in Beaufort Town-> Arrived in Halls Gap in The Grampians National Park for a quick lunch-> The Pinnacle walk-> Boroka Lookout -> Hotel check-in -> Dinner at Halls Gap-> Rest

8:30 set off from 🔗Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands

10:30 we stopped by 🔗The Flywheel Bar & Café in Beaufort Town for a coffee (their oat milk & almond milk flat white are all so good, even my sister who doesn’t normally like coffee loves it.)

Andrew told us Beaufort is the “Vegemite town” — it’s near Chute, the hometown of Cyril Callister, who invented Australia’s iconic Vegemite. There’s even a small museum here called Cyril Callister Museum, dedicated to him and Vegemite. And it’s literally right next to the cafe we went to, but our goal is to have enough time for the hike in Grampians so we didn’t stop by the museum.

11:30-12:30 Arrived in Halls Gap and had some pasty 🔗here that Andrew recommended for lunch. Spinach & Feta cheese, steak & mushroom, steak & bacon flavours are all so good!

13:00-16:30 The Pinnacle walk

Andrew thought we could first tick off the hardest hike on our Grampians list, so the rest would be much easier! And it was a great decision!

For The Pinnacle hike, we started from 🔗Wonderland Carpark, passed through the Grand Canyon and Silent Street, and finally reached Pinnacle Lookout.

The view at the top was really beautiful, totally worth the effort. Very windy though!

My sister didn’t make it to the top, so she rested at the safe triangle junction on the hiking trail that Andrew recommended. On the way back, we all went back to the junction and then took the alternate path together down to the car park.

For details on this hiking route, the views along the way, and whether the hike is difficult or not (for each of us with different fitness levels), check out this article (coming soon).

17:00-17:30 Boroka Lookout

Since my sister didn’t make it to the Pinnacle Lookout, Andrew took us to Boroka Lookout right after the Pinnacle walk for a panoramic view from a different angle.

Reaching Boroka Lookout doesn’t require a hike, as 2 lookouts are literally just a 1-minute walk from the nearby car park and public toilet. It was super easy for my sister to enjoy the stunning scenery.

When we first arrived at Boroka Lookout though, it was pouring rain. But Andrew told us that the weather here changes really fast, and that’s so true, after about 10 minutes the rain stopped and we even got to see a double rainbow! So lucky!

18:00-18:30 Hotel check-in at 🔗Breeze Holiday Parks (Grampians)

Even though it was a little late and we were all tired and hungry, Andrew knew how much we loved spotting wildlife and taking photos. So when he saw kangaroos at Halls Gap Recreation Reserve on the way to our hotel, he still stopped the car to let us take photos before heading to check in.

19:00-19:40 Dinner at 🔗Paper Scissors Rock Brew Co

Since restaurants in Halls Gap close pretty early, we ended up at the pub for burgers, beef sandwiches, and salad on our first night. It was packed when we arrived.

Their sweet potato salad with chicken was really good, while the rest of the dishes were just average.

20:00 Back to hotel to rest

Day 2: The Grampians and the Great Ocean Road

Set off from hotel -> Mackenzie Falls walk -> Reed Lookout & The Balconies walk -> Halls Gap for coffee and lunch -> Set off from Halls Gap The Grampians National Park -> The Grotto (Port Campbell) -> Port Campbell view point -> 12 Apostles -> Apollo Bay for dinner & hotel

07:45 Set off from Breeze Holiday Parks (Grampians)
08:40-10:30 Mackenzie Falls walk

It was great that Andrew planned this waterfall walk first thing in the morning, there were no tourists around at that hour, so we had the whole place to ourselves for a long time, and it felt refreshing and peaceful.

The Mackenzie Falls walk wasn’t too hard, and with just a short distance to the car park. But it did involve about 260 steps each way, roughly 520 in total. It wasn’t the easiest path to walk, but we took our time and managed it, even my sister made it all the way down and back.

10:50-11:00 Reed Lookout

11:00-12:30 The Balconies walk (The Jaws of Death)

Andrew told us that The Balconies walk is a flat and relatively easy trail for my sister, so we decided we could still do it even after Mackenzie Falls. And since Reed Lookout and The Balconies share the same car park, it’s super easy to visit both at once.

The views from these two spots are different from each other, and totally unlike Boroka Lookout and The Pinnacle.

For photos of the trail and more details about The Balconies walk and Reed Lookout, check out this article (coming soon).

13:00-14:00 Back to Halls Gap for coffee and quick lunch

Pizza at 🔗Town Fryer Fish & Chips Pizza Bar is surprisingly good! Cheesy, full of flavour and not dry at all.

14:30 Set off from Halls Gap Grampians (the view on C222, C148 roads are really beautiful)

17:00 Arrived in Port Campbell (Part of The Great Ocean Road)

17:00-17:20 The Grotto

Our Great Ocean Road adventure began at The Grotto — a beautiful rock formation and one of the most photogenic spots on the Great Ocean Road. Andrew said most tours skip it because of limited time, but it’s truly worth seeing. I’m so glad he took us there.

17:30-17:35 Port Campbell viewpoint

I didn’t know this place, Andrew stopped by and brought us to this nice viewpoint overlooking Port Campbell, a little and quiet seaside town.

The famous Great Ocean Road attractions- 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and Gibson Steps are all nearby.

18:00-18:40 Twelve Apostles

It was great that we traveled to Victoria (VIC) after daylight saving time began, so the most famous attraction along the Great Ocean Road- the Twelve Apostles was still bright when we arrived at 6 pm, and we also saw a wallaby here.

And It’s interesting to know that the Twelve Apostles never actually had 12 rock stacks. They began with only 9 when they were named.

There is a path called Gibson Steops where you can walk down to the beach. Unfortunately, the Gibson Steps were closed when we went in October, so we couldn’t go down to the beach.

20:00 Arrived in Apollo Bay for dinner at 🔗Great Ocean Road Brew House

Their steak, fish, lamb, and squid were all excellent, but the butter chicken curry was just average, and the rice was quite dry.

The Ginger beer(with alcohol) is really good, even my sister who doesn’t normally like alcohol loved it.

21:00 Hotel check-in – 🔗Seaview Motel and Apartment

You can easily step outside and enjoy a sky full of stars when the sky is clear, and can also hear the wave sounds outside of the room, we loved it!

Day 3: Great Ocean Road, Geelong & back to Melbourne

Set off from hotel -> Breakfast at Apollo Bay -> hidden gem for Koala -> Great Otway National Park rainforest walk -> Apollo Bay for ice cream break -> Cape Patton Lookout -> Kennett River -> Lorne for a beach walk and lunch -> Split Point Lighthouse & Aireys Inlet -> Geelong -> Melbourne hotel

08:40 Set off from Seaview Motel and Apartment
08:45-09:10 Breakfast at 🔗Apollo Bay Bakery
Andrew highly recommended us to try their famous scallop pie. The pie was with at least 3 big scallops. I can see my sister really enjoyed it. As for me, I had the spinach and cheese pie, and it was also good.

09:25 Andrew’s secret spot to see wild koala and a nice view
He’s got a great eye for wildlife, so we saw a wild koala almost as soon as we started the day.

09:45-10:30 Great Otway National Park rainforest walk

The moment we started walking, we were transported, feeling a totally different vibe from our entire journey. We were surrounded by a lush green world, breathing the fresh air with the scent of wood and wet soil which was so peaceful and recharging. While the ocean is my favourite, I enjoyed this rainforest walk a lot.

I found this place by searching must go Great Ocean Road attractions, yet even seeing many photos of it, seeing such a hidden rainforest nestled there in person was still a surprise. Actually the fact that The Great Ocean Road isn’t purely a coastal drive- the route constantly weaves in and out of ocean views and dense forest was incredible.

11:00 Apollo Bay for ice cream break

Andrew introduced us to the award winning 🔗Dooley’s Premium Ice Cream shop which offers lots of flavours & the crazy Vegemite ice cream! We all tried a bit of Vegemite flavour, I wasn’t a fan, but my dad said it’s pretty good. We ended up ordering Bailey’s and strawberry flavours and it’s delicious! Just the perfect reward after a walk!

11:45 Cape Patton Lookout

This was another spot I didn’t know. Our guide, Andrew, made a great, quick stop here just so we could admire the beautiful layered coastline.

12:00 Kennett River

Then he brought us here as he promised to find more wild koalas for us. Luckily we instantly saw one sleepy koala on the tree when we just arrived.

13:00-14:30 Lorne for a beach walk and lunch

Lorne is such a lovely town with clear ocean and nice sandy beach.

We had a walk along the beach and had lunch at 🔗Captain Hooked fish & chips restaurant.

This place was amazing! I’ve never seen a fish and chips restaurant where you can actually choose between grilled or fried. We didn’t want fried seafood, and still got fresh grilled fish, shrimp, and squid. All food here are just so delicious, even the side salad was my favourite Mediterranean style, with feta cheese and olives, loved it and I totally recommend you check this restaurant out too!

If you sit outside, be careful and watch out your food carefully though, as there were many wild birds and cockatoos waiting to snatch a snack.

15:15-15:40 Split Point Lighthouse & Aireys Inlet

We had a quick stop here as Andrew suggested. This place provides great views of Eagle Rock, the Split Point Lighthouse, and the wide ocean.

While the main viewing area was beautiful, my favorite discovery was the path leading to the public toilets. This area felt like a hidden gem, offering far better and more unique spots to photograph the Lighthouse than the main entry point.

Right next to the toilets, there’s even a cute little white wooden art installation with a red hat, perfectly matching the lighthouse itself- and reminds me of the need to see the Geelong wooden bollards. So Andrew kindly agreed to take me there as an extra stop!

16:40 Geelong

Visiting Geelong and seeing the wooden bollards had been in my mind ever since my friend Tiki told me about the city and I saw the photos of the arts. Not many Great Ocean Road tours take tourists to Geelong though. So I am very glad and super happy that Andrew still took us there on the way back to Melbourne.

Stepping into Geelong, it’s easy to notice the totally different vibe compared to the Great Ocean Road (and Melbourne city too). The Geelong Waterfront area is particularly impressive, it’s stylish, modern, and artistic, with a sophisticated, elegant and calm vibe. I really loved it.

18:50 Arrived in Melbourne hotel 🔗Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins

There was traffic on the way back to Melbourne, but it wasn’t too bad, Andrew handled it well and patiently.

As we reached Melbourne, our journey with Andrew came to an end. Even though we didn’t squeeze in a couple of spots on my list, the overall tour was fantastic. The 3-day journey was fun, we all had a really great time. Would absolutely recommend him if you’re planning a trip to Great Ocean Road and Grampians or simply a day tour with him from Melbourne.

Hope this 3-day Great Ocean Road and Grampians itinerary helps with your planning. Wishing you a wonderful and smooth trip to Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, and Grampians National Park!