Name: 2 Day Great Ocean Road Eco-tour of the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
Brand: Australian Natural Treasures Touring
Price: 1375 AUD
Availability: InStock

Accommodation

You will be accommodated for one night in Beacon Point Ocean View Villas. These wonderful self-contained villas will be used as your accommodation for all of your overnight tours to the Great Ocean Road. Australian Natural Treasures Touring has chosen this property because they believe it enhances the experience of traveling the coastline.

Australian Natural Treasures Touring enjoys the reactions of the guests to being perched high above the Great Ocean Road with sweeping views of the coastline and waking to the sounds of the ocean in the morning. Not only does it provide great ocean views but within the native forest setting are plenty of birds, koalas, wallabies, and other native animals. This is an amazing place to relax and unwind.

Program

Duration: 34 hours (approximately)

You will be picked up from their city hotel or Federation Square and quickly depart Melbourne via the West Gate Bridge. You will travel through the vast volcanic plains en route to Geelong where you have time to stroll along the beautifully transformed waterfront. You will start your journey along the Great Ocean Road at Torquay, stopping at various places along the coast including Bells Beach and the scenic morning tea location.

The focus then turns to Australian native wildlife as you observe eastern grey kangaroos in the wild. This is one of many opportunities to see and hear about the unique and unusual animals in their native habitat. Your journey will begin by traveling to the scenic, cliff-hugging section of Great Ocean Road. While winding your way along, you will stop to view sites such as the Memorial Arch and tell you the intriguing story of this incredible road.

After lunch, you cruise along the spectacular road, stopping at many scenic spots including Kennett River where you can see koalas and many colorful native birds in the wild. Traveling through Apollo Bay, you go into the Great Otway National Park. Australian Natural Treasures Touring takes you on a one-kilometer guided walk through a cool temperate rainforest gully to see the world’s tallest flowering plants, prehistoric trees and ferns, and unique features such as ‘Yabbie Chimneys’.

Daily itinerary

Day 1: Apollo Bay - Skenes Creek

Your tour departs at 08:30 a.m. from Melbourne. Pickups are available from all city hotels within Melbourne. You visit Apollo Bay before checking in to Beacon Point Ocean View Villas. Your private self-contained villa is set high on a hill overlooking the Southern Ocean. This amazing setting is a great place to relax and unwind for a couple of hours. You have dinner tonight at the famous Chris’s at Beacon Point. This restaurant is the only local restaurant to be awarded a ‘Chefs Hat’ and boasts an extensive menu that utilizes great local produce in a modern Greek-Australian way.

The largest seaside resort visited, Lorne offers an abundance of cafes and restaurants, perfect for a relaxing lunch break. Optionally, take a swim or explore local shops. Spot koalas at Kennett River and enjoy the vibrant avian life, then drive through Apollo Bay to enter the majestic Great Otway National Park. Experience a guided one-kilometer walk through ancient rainforests, home to the world’s tallest flowering plants and unique ecosystems.

Day 2: Skenes Creek - Castle Cove - Port Campbell - Melbourne

Your second day starts with a continental breakfast at Chris’s while looking over the coastline. Great coffee, tea, and a vast breakfast menu make this a perfect way to start another full day. Your journey starts with traveling through the Otway ranges and onto the ‘Shipwreck Coast’. Your first stop is at Castle Cove overlooking the Aire River valley. Your guide will introduce you to the strong Aboriginal heritage of the region with many tribes living prosperously around the coastline for thousands of years.

In the same area millions of years ago when Australia was part of the great southern land, Gondwana, dinosaurs were roaming the land. A unique find along the coast in 1987 uncovered important clues into the world’s prehistoric past. The 12 Apostles are Icons of Australia’s natural beauty. You arrive as the stacks are lit with the morning sun making them perfect for photos and crowd free. This is a bonus for taking a two-day trip as the stacks are silhouettes in the afternoon and overcrowded.

After hearing of the creation of the stacks and holding some of the limestone rock, you can explore the boardwalks or brave a helicopter flight along the coastline (at your own expense). You then visit ‘Loch Ard Gorge’, the site of the most famous 19th-century Australian shipwreck. You retell the entire story from the calm voyage, the tragic wreck, the courageous survivors, and their ultimate fate. While hearing the tale, you will be able to see and hold some original artifacts, photos, and documents from the ‘Loch Ard’ contained in the treasure chests.

Port Campbell is your lunch stop for today. The small fishing village of just 350 is set in a beautiful natural port and has some wonderful cafes and restaurants for food and views. After lunch, you travel to a lesser-known but highly impressive area of the Great Ocean Road west of Port Campbell. This section takes in London Bridge, Bay of Islands, Bay of Martyrs, and Boat Bay before your journey turns inland and travels through open farmland towards Melbourne arriving there around 6:00 p.m. You will be dropped off at any Melbourne CBD location at 5:30 p.m. at the completion of the tour.

Location

The tour will take place in Australia.

Great Ocean Road

Australia’s Great Ocean Road with its breathtaking scenery is not only one of the world’s best ocean drives but it is also the world’s largest war memorial having been constructed by soldiers returning from the First World War as a tribute to their mates who did not return. As it hugs the cliffs you will marvel at the endless beaches and the color of the water.

Come with Australian Natural Treasures Touring on your journey and you will reveal not just the history of the road but also the natural treasures that are hidden beside it such as koala habitats, spectacular bird life, ancient Gondwana Rainforests and of course the geological masterpiece of The Twelve Apostles coastline.

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Food

You will be served one two-course dinner and one continental breakfast included in the price. You will have dinner at the famous Chris's at Beacon Point. This restaurant is the only local restaurant to be awarded a 'chef's hat' and boasts an extensive menu that utilizes great local produce in a modern Greek-Australian way. And on the second day, you will have breakfast at the local's favorite, Bay Leaf Cafe. Great coffee, tea, and a vast breakfast menu make this a perfect way to start another full day.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Dinner

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

Guided rainforest walk in Great Otway National Park
Visits to The 12 Apostles, Castle Cove, Apollo Bay, and Loch Ard Gorge
1 night boutique accommodation
1 two-course dinner
1 continental breakfast
Pick-ups from all city hotels in Melbourne CBD
Drop-off at any Melbourne CBD location at 17:30 at the completion of the tour
All entrance fees and guided experiences

What's not included

Airfare
Airport transfers
Alcohol with dinner

How to get there

Recommended Airports

MEL

Melbourne Airport

152 km

Transfer not provided

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 7 days before arrival.

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