Great Ocean Road Private Tour
Description
Our tour guides make the Great Ocean interesting and excited with wonderful shipwreck stories and aboriginal history. The Great Ocean Road Private tour can be done in reverse avoiding the crowds , especially in peak season features amazing scenery, stories and wildlife in a leisurely drive that will have you gasping at every turn. The Great Ocean Road is a 244-kilometre-long stretch meanders through secret bays filled with rock pools, imposing sandstone cliffs, lush rain forests and deserted beaches. Dotted with quaint seaside towns, coastal walks and shipwrecks, the region is immensely popular . We have a fleet of 7 and 11 seater buses/vehicles for your group and the price is for the driver/guide and vehicle, not per person. The larger the group, the better the value.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway was built in 1939 to commemorate the men lost in World War One, and marks the gateway to this well-known coastal drive. Your guide will take individual, family or group photos with the Great Ocean Road sign hanging from the Memorial Arch in the background, or take your own selfies. A real postcard shot!!
A spectacular ocean lookout offering panoramic views of the Great Ocean Road and the first permanent resting place of convict William Buckley. Have your camera ready to take amazing photos of the cliffs hugging the Great Ocean Road and the sweeping ocean backdrop. Ever heard of the Australian saying, “you have two chances Buckley’s and none”? Well, your guide will share with you the fascinating story of William Buckley and his tale of survival against all odds.
We stop to look for kangaroos, whilst enjoying complimentary morning tea on the banks of the picturesque Anglesea River. Anglesea is a beautiful seaside village surrounded by forest and coastal scenery, with the vast expanse of sand surrounding the mouth of the Anglesea river being a popular spot for tourists.
et amongst tall gum trees, Lorne is an iconic seaside town and a popular destination for many Melbournian’s. We drive up the mountain to a secluded lookout to enjoy wonderful views of the Great Ocean Road. Your guide will take some time explaining about the local Aboriginal culture, food and bush medicines.
Explore a cool temperate rain forest of Beech trees and Mountain Ash gum trees in the Great Otway National Park. This 20 minute walk along a mixture of boardwalks and gravel paths takes you along a valley floor in part of this ancient rainforest. See the giant rainforest trees - some up to 300 years old - rise up through the mists, creating a canopy for the beautiful array of fern gardens and moss on the forest floor. If you are lucky you may see some of the local natural wildlife inhabitants, including Swamp Wallabies, Koalas, Ring Tailed Possums and Grey Kangaroos.
Time to spot Koalas in their natural environment, hanging out in the eucalyptus trees and if you’re lucky you can get up close to King Parrots and Crimson Rosellas here. Kennett River is situated in a beautiful setting between the forest and the sea. This spot is always a favourite amongst our guests on our Great Ocean Road tour.
The small township of Lavers Hill is the highest point on the Great Ocean Road and is located inland between Apollo Bay and the glorious Twelve Apostles. If you haven’t already eaten, this is a great place to enjoy a bite to eat. Lunch at your own expense.
An iconic view. Take your time to soak up the sight of the magnificent limestone sea stacks that rise from the Southern Ocean and form the official Twelve Apostles; currently there are eight Apostles left, the ninth having dramatically collapsed in July 2005. These monoliths have been created by the constant erosion of limestone cliffs over 10-20 millions years ago; the stormy Southern Ocean and gusty winds have gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs, then arches, until rock stacks up to 45 metres high have been crafted, completely isolated from the shore. View the Twelves Apostles at sunset or sunrise (on our two-day tour) to see the changing colours from dark in the shadows to a brilliant sandy yellow in the full sun. Nature in all its glory.
The Loch Ard Gorge is a favourite stop off point along the Great Ocean Road. The picturesque gorge is flanked by two yellow-washed cliff faces, a smooth bay and inlet of clear, blue water. Wander the trail down to the Gorge, take in the natural beauty and view the location of Australia’s most famous shipwreck - the Loch Ard - and hear its story of loss and survival. Loch Ard Gorge is the start of the Apostles from the opposite end, where you can also see the Razor Back and Honey Pots rock formations.
Don’t just view these sea stacks from the viewing platform. Let’s climb the 80 steps down to the beach and get up close and personal to the awe-inspiring rock formations. Take amazing photos from the beach looking back to the Apostles to remember your visit to the Great Ocean Road. (please note can be close at differnet times of the year your driver will advise if open)
Colac is situated on a huge, rich volcanic plain and the area is mainly used for agriculture and pastoral purposes. It is on the way home to Melbourne, so a perfect place to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat if you’re hungry. Colac offers a variety of takeaway cafes, or if you would prefer we can drop you back at your preferred location within Melbourne CBD and you can have dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Dinner at your own expense.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will wait you at the hotel lobby.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Service animals allowed
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The travel time is included in the total tour duration
Reviews(21)
We have a group of 10 pax, including 4 elderly (above 70yo) and 2 kids (below 12). Our tour guide, Wes, took very good care of the entire group. He was really helpful in customising the experience, from taking off roads to do some koala and wallaby spotting to finding the perfect photo spots and places to eat. He is really patient as well in accommodating our requests for extra stop breaks, making our trip a really effortless and enjoyable one. I highly recommend taking this tour for families :)
Melbourne Touring Company exceeded all our expectations. We booked the Great Ocean Road tour with Melbourne Touring Company and had an outstanding experience today. Our driver and guide, Wes, was fantastic. He suggested doing the route counterclockwise to beat the crowds—a tip that made a real difference to our day. We got to Twelve Apostles first when the light was perfect, which made for incredible photos and atmosphere. What impressed us most was how Wes took us beyond the usual tourist stops. He knew all the hidden spots and beautiful lookouts that most visitors miss, and he even managed to find koalas and kangaroos in the wild for us to see. He shared wonderful stories along the way and was genuinely knowledgeable and kind, making the whole experience feel personal rather than like a standard tour. Seeing the wildlife was truly the cherry on top of an already amazing day. The planning stage was smooth too, thanks to John’s help. He gave us thoughtful advice that shaped our itinerary and made everything run smoothly. If you’re thinking about exploring the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne, don’t hesitate. This company really knows how to do it right. Their pricing is appropriate and you can’t go wrong with them.
Breath taking views of the Great Ocean roadway along with interesting information about the Melbourne area.
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the views along the Great Ocean Road - it really is one of the most spectacular drives in the world. It’s also great to hear that you found the commentary about the Melbourne area interesting and informative. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
We did a personal 2-day tour of the Great Ocean Road with Wes from Melbourne Touring Company as our guide. We chose this personal tour because we wanted to chose our itinerary, go at our own pace, and to be in a car by ourselves with someone else driving and not have to jockey for a seat in a tour bus. We got everything we wanted plus more! Wes was a fabulous guide. He initiated contact several days prior to our tour, then again the day before, informing us on what to expect, what he would bring, & what we needed to bring. Wes was very personable and incredibly informative throughout our two days together. He asked about our priorities and by the time we left him, we had ticked everything off our list! We saw so many animals in the wild- koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, an assortment of incredible birds, and even camels (did you know Australia has a huge population of feral camel that roam wild?), and all close up. He commented often that what we were doing was not something he could do on his bigger tours just because of the distance and timing which made us even happier about our decision to spend the extra money for a private tour. We stopped when we wanted, ate when we wanted, and saw everything we wanted. Thank you Wes for making our time in Australia an AMAZING trip!!
Thank you so much for such a detailed, positive review! It means a lot that you chose to spend your time exploring the Great Ocean Road with us, and even more that the experience exceeded your expectations with Wes We’re thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your two days with Wes. He takes great pride in creating personalised experiences, so it’s wonderful to know that everything from the pre-tour communication, to customising the itinerary and timing, helped make your trip so memorable. It sounds like you had some special wildlife encounters too! Seeing koalas, kangaroos, and other native animals up close is always a highlight, and we’re so glad you were able to experience that in a more unhurried way. Your kind words about the value of a private tour really resonate with what we offer - freedom, comfort, and unique moments that aren’t possible in a larger group setting. We have passed your feedback on to Wes and the rest of our team. Thank you again for trusting us with your journey, and for taking the time to share your experience. We’re so happy we could be part of making your time in Australia amazing!
We did a 3 day, 2 night custom tour of the Mornington Peninsula and the Great Ocean Road. Our guide Wes was fantastic. We asked for a foodies and animals tour. We sighted dolphins, koalas and kangaroos and ate all kinds of meals. From 9 course meals to eating fish and chips and scallops pie on the beach . Doing a longer tour meant we really got a chance to experience Victoria at a deeper level. John who custom made our tour was really responsive and created a perfect tour Thank you Wes and John
Hi Ying, Thank you for the wonderful review. Most importantly thank you for trusting in all the suggestions for the wonderful restaurants, such as "the Cups Estate " The Perch and the Union Station Hotel at Woolsthorpe for your 3 day Private "Foodies "tour and more. It was wonderful to meet you and your family in person on day 1 of your tour. Hopefully we provide a Private tour to South Australia or Kangaroo Island in the future and even Cooper Pedy!! Remember -Let the others, Rush!!
An excellent day. Kevin was very patient and helpful. He guided us and gave us lot of information. He is very friendly and we all Loved being with him. We successfully completed all the travel points.
Thank you for your kind review! We’re so glad to hear you had an excellent day. Kevin will be delighted to hear your feedback. He’s a fantastic guide who always aims to make the day enjoyable, informative, and relaxed for everyone, so it’s wonderful to know you appreciated his patience, friendliness, and the information he shared along the way. We’re also happy that you were able to visit all the planned stops and make the most of your day. Thank you again for choosing to tour with us, and we hope to welcome you back on another adventure in the future!
We had a tour with Wes Albert and it was amazing. We started at 10am which was perfect for us, we skipped all the crowd and turístic buses. Wes was so profesional, full with tips and storys, knew exactly where to spot kangoroos akd koalas.
Thankyou Melanie for the positive comments. The kangaroo photo was amazing. Very Big kangaroo. I must ask Was where he saw the kangaroo. We are very happy that Wes took his time spotting wildlife for you . Wes does love his job and the Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles tour Safe travels and thankyou again for the positive review
Excellent choice, it couldn't have been better. The reverse tour we did was excellent. Special mention to Wes who gave us lots of interesting information about our tour and was very helpful. I recommend it 100%.
Apologies for the late response, it's been a very busy start to 2026. Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so pleased to hear that you had such a great experience on the reverse Great Ocean Road tour. Starting the day in reverse is one of our favourite ways to experience the Great Ocean Road - there's less people and less holdups going this way - so it’s great to know you enjoyed it and that it made the day even better. We’re also delighted to hear your kind words about Wes. He’s a fantastic guide and loves sharing interesting stories and insights along the way, so we’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to him. Thank you for recommending us, and we’re so glad you chose to tour with us. We hope to see you again on your next visit!
Wes was amazing. He was so nice and provided great information to get to know Australia better. We totally recomend the tour
Apologies for the late response, it's been a very busy 2026. Thank you for the lovely review! We’re so glad you enjoyed the tour and that Wes helped make the experience special. He’s a fantastic guide and loves sharing insights about Australia, so we’ll be sure to pass along your kind words. We really appreciate the recommendation!
This was a fantastic tour that our group of 11 people, from Portugal, conducted with the “Melbourne Touring Company”! The driver and guide was very skilled in driving and managed to accomplish with expertise the entire scheduled itinerary. We saw wonderful landscapes on Great Ocean Road, very charming coastal villages and animals in their environment, of which I highlight the Koalas. Although it is a long day, you can go without fear, because the experience is worth living! We will keep in memory and photographic records the glorious moments of this day!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that your group from Portugal had such a fantastic day exploring the Great Ocean Road with us. It’s great to know you enjoyed the beautiful landscapes, the charming coastal towns, and especially seeing koalas in their natural environment — that’s always a highlight for many of our guests. We’re also pleased to hear that your guide helped make the long day comfortable and enjoyable while ensuring you experienced everything on the itinerary. Thank you for choosing Melbourne Touring Company for your trip. We’re so glad the day created such special memories and photos for your group, and we hope to welcome you back to Australia someday!
