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Melbourne Tours
Small-Group Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne
5

Small-Group Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne

By Oceania Tours & Safaris
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
See the best of Australia’s magnificent Great Ocean Road in a day by going on a small-group day trip. No need to worry about navigating—enjoy having a driver-guide to take you between sites in an air-conditioned minivan with narration along the way. The trip includes stops at Apollo Bay as well as Port Campbell National Park, the Twelve Apostles, and much more.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 4-99, max of 11 per group
Duration: 11h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More
Written guide
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
: German, Italian, French, Spanish
More

Highlights
  • Save time and go to multiple Great Ocean Road highlights in a day
  • Great for wildlife fans—see koalas and kangaroos in the wild
  • No need to book transfers—select hotel pickup and drop-off provided
  • A small-group tour ensures a more personalized experience

  • Selected City Centre Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
  • Live commentary on board
  • Entry/Admission - Great Otway National Park
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
  • Mercure Melbourne Southbank, 9 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
    Please meet your guide at the entrance of Mercure Melbourne Southbank hotel.
Pickup details
  • We will message you pick up time from specific hotels. *** Please note this is the time when we depart that hotel, you need to be there at least 5 minutes before that time ***
Hotel pickup offered
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Not wheelchair accessible
      • Near public transportation
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5706M2

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Most travellers can participate
      • Children 3 and under not catered for. Booster seat available for children 4 to 7 available.
      • Tour not normally suitable for cruise ship passengers. Tour starts at 8:00 from city centre, it is your responsibility to check you can make it on time to avoid missing out on tour and cancellation fees.
      • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
      • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travellers

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5706M2

      From
      AU$245.00
      per adult
      Select date and travellers
      Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

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      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Oceania Tours & Safaris
        1,354
        Australia
        Joined in July 2011
      • Z3696HBbryant
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great Ocean Road Excellence!
        We had an amazing day taking in the sights of the Great Ocean Road From the moment we were picked up in Melbourne it was a great day made special by our guide Josh, who was very knowledgeable and obliging, a credit to the company, even dropped us off in Melbourne at night at a restaurant (Meatballs) recommended by Josh which was excellent
        Written 24 November 2024
      • P2439WWjackc
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Amazing day, magical experience. Fred is the best!
        When planning our honeymoon I knew 2 things. My wife loved penguins, and she has always wanted to go to Australia. This trip allowed us to have the experience of a lifetime. The stop at moonlit sanctuary allowed us to feed kangaroos and wallabies and see more of Australia’s amazing wildlife such as a Tasmanian devil. We then stopped off at the Nobbies and saw some incredible coastline. Finally, we got to watch the penguin parade. Where we saw hundreds of little penguins waddle their way to their nests and gather amongst their friends. Throughout all of this and the travel in between, we had the wonderful Fred, who is now a far away friend sharing his knowledge and passion for Melbourne, animals and life. He went above and beyond and was brilliant company.
        Written 24 November 2024
      • OnAir42496693668
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Family Trip (88-26 yrs of age)- fun for all!
        Had an amazing time! Our guide (Gary) made sure we had all the best insider tips to maximize the experience! From Moonlit Sanctuary to the Nobbies to the Penguin March- A1 experience of a lifetime!
        Written 22 November 2024
      • ustlkdf
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Amazing experience!
        We took a small group tour to Phillip Island to see the Penguin Parade of Little Penguins, and it was an experience that my 11 year old granddaughter will remember for a lifetime (so will I). Our tour guide, Kevin, was an outstanding source of information, and he really made the experience memorable. We were able to pet a Koala at the Moonlit Sanctuary, which was an awesome experience, and the drive around the sanctuary grounds to view some of the penguin burrows was a great experience, and we saw lots of wallabies along the way. This is an experience you will very much enjoy no matter your age.
        Written 16 November 2024
      • 336arusham
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Very relaxing
        The penguin parade was amazing! And our tour guide with Oceania was perfect. I highly recommend to anyone that is wanting a stress free tour and enjoy an evening with penguins.
        Written 16 November 2024
      • P1310RBjudithp
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Wow - little penguins!
        Kevin was a great guide, very knowledgeable but not at all pushy. Really enjoyed Moonlit sanctuary and The Nobbies but the highlight was the Penguin Parade. Such a special and unique experience
        Written 9 November 2024
      • helenkM8764YU
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great overview!
        Although I have visited Melbourne many times over the years, it was refreshing to see places close up. I particularly chose this tour because of the Brighton beach boxes, that I had never visited before. The tour guide was great too. She pointed out all sorts of things that I did not know previously. Would highly recommend this tour.
        Written 7 November 2024
      • Eilloh56
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A 'great' trip.
        Dandy our driver was considerate,informative and kept us entertained throughout the day. A day we will definitely remember on our Australian adventure. Joe & Sian Rhodes.
        Written 5 November 2024
      • Sunshine576554
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great trip to Philip island
        Great tour on a mini bus with 11 onboard. Very close pick up to our hotel. Helpful and knowledgeable guide. Variety of stops before the hilight of the Penguin Parade. We did the ranger tour which was excellent.
        Written 4 November 2024
      • Maps31143615910
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Melbourne Tour _ Philip Island & Great Ocean Road
        Hi We recently did a family holiday trip with Oceania Tours and safaris at Melbourne for City tour, Philip Island and Great ocean Road.. Tour guides Fred and Dandy were top class and extremely friendly in nature..They are highly knowledgeable 😄🛣️ and I wish them all the best in the years to come..Hope to meet them very soon in any part of the world and probably in India Namaste from India Debraj, Sudeshna and Shreesh
        Written 3 November 2024
      • michaelbU3887LB
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Excellent Tour with Alex
        Spent 2 days with Alex. Day 1 was the Great Ocean Road tour and Day 2 was Phillip Island and the Penguin Parade. The tours definitely hit the highlights and Alex was very knowledgeable. Especially appreciated his insider knowledge and tips.
        Written 3 November 2024
      • carladD4543RN
        0 contributions
        3.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great Tour…..
        Like others we found the tour amazing, however the van was a different story. We were unfortunately the last to get on and found ourselves at the back and it was a nightmare trying to brace ourselves to support our backs. We were pleased to get back into the city! We love the small group option, however would recommend a coach for this tour.
        Written 2 November 2024
      • 561isaiahb
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        First time to Australia
        For first-timers in Melbourne, this tour is an absolute must-do. Our tour guide was exceptional, providing a professional and attentive experience for our group. Witnessing the penguin parade was truly breathtaking. I'm already looking forward to bringing my next group here in 2026. This tour is truly amazing and highly recommended. A big thank you to Kevin, our tour guide, for a job well done! Isaiah and Deborah Franchise Owners, Cruise Planners
        Written 1 November 2024
      • U4104FQantoniom
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Friendly and respectful
        Eliseo was amazing with us with his explanation. And we have a great experience doing that trip. Very cool and recommended
        Written 27 October 2024
      • 288cathyw
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fred is an awesome guide
        This was an amazing day. Fred was a super great guide with many stories! He was very knowledgeable and I highly recommend doing a tour with him. Only negative comment was the van was quite uncomfortable for such a long day!!
        Written 27 October 2024
      See all 1,354 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles206 reviews
      Excellent
      180
      Very good
      17
      Average
      2
      Poor
      5
      Terrible
      2

      curly0258
      Ripley, UK88 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Overall a brilliant day, made all the more special by our guide, Dandy. What a breath of fresh air he was, knowledgeable, made sure all the guests were ok, plenty of comfort breaks.
      The sights were very good, enough time at each stop to see everything without over staying anywhere.
      The only down is the vehicle they use , it’s a small van a Renault Master. The seats are very uncomfortable, the vehicle has the suspension you’d expect in a builders van so every little bump … and there are some big bumps due to the roads, sends you up in the air to land again in the seat with a thud . The seat belt when used sticks in your upper thigh. A wheelbarrow would be more comfortable I think 🤔
      Given the length of the trip and day, it’s a relief to get out of the van at the end .
      I’d recommend anyone to do the trip and to use Dandy as a guide, but a few extra quid spent on better vehicles would make this a 5 star trip .
      Written 20 November 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      maya_elizabeth
      Ottawa, Canada194 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Truly great full day trip with our tour guide Toby. While it’s a drive to get to Great Ocean Road and the main attraction of the Twelve Apostles, the itinerary was well designed with worthwhile sights and stops along the way. The Great Ocean Road is a spectacular drive, with stunning views. The tour had variety and was well paced. I like how this tour only accommodates up to 11 people (we were six in total on our trip, which was really nice). Toby was an engaging guide and great driver.
      Written 16 January 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Leighann Z
      Suffern, NY355 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Feb 2020
      We had the pleasure of touring the Great Ocean Road with Fred. Although the weather wasn’t the best, Fred made our day very enjoyable with his interesting stories and experiences. Fred knows the route and all the best viewing spots. He was able to find kangaroos in the bush as well as koalas in the trees. We look forward to our trip to Phillips Island today with Fred. We’re sure it will be equally enjoyable.
      Written 7 February 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you so much for your extremely positive review of our Great Ocean Road tour Leighann. Fred certainly does have a lot of interesting stories that many of his reviews refer to and he loves to keep his guests entertained from start to finish. I'm sure he is looking forward to hosting you again tomorrow.
      Written 11 February 2020
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      jonny B
      Ashburn, Virginia8 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2022
      Our tour guide Rainer gave us a wonderful tour of the Ocean Road telling us it's great history. Rainer was very helpful to answer all our questions about things we saw along the way and added a lot of commentary on the wildlife and landmarks we saw. Would highly recommend this trip to others eager to experience the great Ocean Road and learn about all about it.
      Written 24 August 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Beth C
      Middletown, NJ203 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      This was one of the best tours I’ve had down under. Our tour guide Dandy entertained us between stops with personal stories and music from local musicians. He really went above and beyond to show us the best places and his excitement and love for Australia was contagious! Dandy helped make some really special memories for me and my family. The only bad thing is now none of the other tours we take will be as good!
      Written 7 September 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Theresa H
      Scottsdale, AZ22 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Sept 2023 • Couples
      Today we did a full day Ocean Road trip! The scenery was mangificent, but what made the day was our guide, Fred! He was so entertaining, knowledgeable, accommodating, went above and beyond, took us off the beaten path, saw kangaroos in the wild, where no other tour buses were! A true highlight of our trip. I highly recommend this company and ask for Fred to be your guide, you will not be disappointed!
      Written 21 September 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Chris S
      Brighton, UK158 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      We took the tour from Melbourne to the 12 Apostles and had a thourghly good day out. We saw great scenary, wild koalas and kangaroos along the way. Our driver/guide (Jeff) was great fun and very insightful from start to finish. It is a full, long day. Highlight for me was the walk in the temperate rain forest with toweing Mountain Ash snd Tree Ferns.
      Written 20 November 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      RyokoshaScarlett
      Montreal, Canada47 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2023 • Solo
      I just finished this tour which was amazing! Tour Guide Sam’s commentary was informative and often witty. Guide-in-training Stephanie offered useful information and was happy to answer questions. I highly recommend this tour, as long as it is (approx 12hrs) as you’ll see some unforgettable sights such as The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, as well as the chance to see many native animals and birds along the way.
      Written 26 October 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Suzanne B
      Sydney, Australia3 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nov 2024 • Friends
      We were a group of 11 and completed the Great Ocean Rd tour with Dandy as our guide and driver. The majestic scenery, rock formations and coastal views should be on everyone’s bucket list. Dandy made the day so much more memorable. His wealth of knowledge and sense of humour had us informed and entertained throughout the tour. Consulting with us during the day, he adapted the tour according to our interests and needs. His passion and enthusiasm for his country and its history was clearly evident in the reciting and playing Australian poetry and music, telling fabulous stories and singing a well known song towards the end.
      Dandy was so caring and kind, helping our group when needed. Within a couple of hours he knew everyone’s name and engaged with each individual which goes above and beyond.
      We are a well travelled group and we all agreed Dandy was one of the best guides we’ve ever had the pleasure to come across. What a wonderful ambassador for Australia!!
      Written 1 December 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Tami L
      15 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      June 2022 • Solo
      The best part of this trip was saving a koala from the middle of the road, the Apostles, and our guide Fred. He was not only knowledgeable of every aspect, his light-hearted humor kept this group interested non-stop! Of course, the scenery and animals can't be beat but I would definitely recommend doing it with Fred. It was truly a magical day!!
      Written 19 June 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Thank you for your review!
      Written 8 August 2022
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Showing results 1-10 of 158
      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

      Small-Group Great Ocean Road Day Trip from Melbourne provided by Oceania Tours & Safaris

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