Get some friends or family together for an Aussie road trip along the Ocean Road, over the Grampians, through the Coonawarra past Robe and the Mclaren Vale and you can even add a little Kangaroo Island for good measure. This experience boasts loads of hidden treasures and local secrets, beaches, waterfalls, rainforests and wildlife.
*Can be spec’d up or paired back, shortened or stretched to suit.
With lovely local accommodation and regional farm-to-plate dining, it’s perfect as a tailored, self-drive experience or escorted journey. Add a world-class wine region like the Barossa or some time in Kangaroo Island and you’ve got yourself one hell of an Aussie adventure.
DAY ONE
Depart Melbourne for the Great Ocean Road. If you’re self-driving, you can ask us about the option to hire a luxury touring vehicle and one-way transfer arrangements. If your group would prefer to take it easy, be hosted by a fabulous Localing guide in one of our luxury touring vehicles – either way, you’re guaranteed twice the experience for less than half the effort.
And before we lose you, remember Localing is not touring. We’re your capable, well-connected local mate and you have all the freedom and flexibility of going it alone just with none of the guesswork nor heavy lifting.
Today is a glorious mix of sweeping coastal views, rainforests, waterfalls and wildlife. Even if you’re no stranger to the Ocean Road, we’ve got plenty of hidden gems to show you from among our favourites whether you want a taste of the local Aboriginal culture, to wine and dine, try your hand at surfing, ziplines or spend some time on bushwalks.
Explore the Otway Rainforest with a local naturalist guide for a chance to learn about the local ecology, meet loads of native wildlife and spot colourful local parrots.
Spend the night near Apollo Bay and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves and rustling eucalyptus forests.
DAY TWO
After a relaxed breakfast, head to Cape Otway Lighthouse or the redwood forest for a stroll deep in the Otways and then soar over the Apostles on an optional scenic helicopter flight. It’s normally teeming with international tourists around here making this a uniquely wonderful time to visit one of Australia’s most spectacular natural icons.
Stop in at a lovely local distillery for some lunch with a side of gin and whisky before heading up into the Grampians National Park. This is one of our favourites with an incredibly rich Aboriginal history and rock art dating back more than 10,000 years. The park has some of Australia’s best hiking, waterfalls, wildlife and it just looks like nowhere else. Adventure’s here can range from quite challenging to very mild so don’t be put off by the prospect of too much physical demand.
An alternative to the park is to stay on the coast and head into one of Victoria’s oldest and prettiest towns, Port Fairy. Both locations have plenty to recommend them including exceptional accommodation and dining like what you find at the Royal Mail in Dunkeld or Drift House in Port Fairy – just two of our favourites for the night.
Spend the evening with a nice bottle of red playing cards by the fire with your friends, really settling in to the rhythm of a classic Aussie road trip.
DAY THREE
Start your day with fresh coffee and breakfast, much of it sourced from the local kitchen-garden. Take the short, scenic drive north, deeper into the Grampians National Park.
Expect to see plenty of kangaroos, emus and the odd koala on scenic drives and bushwalking trails. The park’s waterfalls and sweeping views are truly world-class and a stop to see (At least) 10,000-year-old Aboriginal rock art is an awe-inspiring must. Enjoy a café or picnic lunch along the way in a native bush setting.
The option to spend part of today exploring with a local Aboriginal guide is well-worth considering to properly understand the significance of the local community here and its incredibly long and rich history and culture.
Continue in the late afternoon, across the border into South Australia and across to the lovely Coonawarra wine region to check into one of the regions beautiful, private accommodation options for the evening.
DAY FOUR
Enjoy breakfast in your accommodation before spending the morning visiting a few of the region’s best wineries. Coonawarra winemakers play with plenty of varietals including riesling, merlot and pinot gris but they’re here the real hero is cab sav so expect plenty of these of an excellent standard. Go behind the cellar doors, meet the winemakers and get to know why the region is so well-loved by South Australian locals.
After a delicious gourmet lunch among the vines, continue on to Naracoorte for an optional tour of the incredible limestone caves the region is famous for before continuing on to the charming coastal town of Robe.
Spend the evening in one of the town’s lovely bed & breakfasts or private accommodation, grab some dinner in a lovely gastro-pub and fall asleep again to the sound of crashing waves.
DAY FIVE
Spend a lazy morning enjoying the seaside town of Robe before continuing up along the Limestone Coast towards Adelaide. Today’s drive follows the Coorong National Park, a unique ecosystem made up of saltwater lagoons that skirt the Southern Ocean around the Great Australian Bight. The wetlands support many significant and endangered native flora and fauna and there are plenty of stunning short walks and ocean vistas.
Stop for lunch in a lovely local brewery and sample a few of the excellent local beers before continuing on. For those looking for a shorter adventure, Adelaide is within easy reach but a short detour further East to McLaren Vale or North to the Barossa Valley is a must for wine lovers.
If you’re finishing in Adelaide have your host drop you at your city hotel or the airport for onward travel. We love the Mayfair for a decent value hotel in the centre of town.
Both the Barossa and McLaren Vale have lovely bed and breakfasts to suit a range of budgets and configurations.
DAY SIX
Enjoy another slower start to the day with a lovely breakfast overlooking the vines in your gorgeous local accommodation.
Both the McLaren Vale and Barossa need no introduction when it comes to Australian wine regions. You’re in shiraz country now and it doesn’t get any better than this. Head behind a few cellar doors to chat with the wine-makers behind the famed big Barossa reds while sampling the best of them.
The region is renowned for farm-to-plate experiences at restaurants and cellar doors. Enjoy a casual lunch or something more elegant among rolling hills and sprawling vineyards.
For dessert, taste fortified port from your birth year in an age-old institution personally endorsed by the Royal Family, or learn the unique flavours offered by Australian botanicals at a state-of-the-art gin distillery. The local dairy produces some stunning cow and sheep cheese that can’t be missed.
Spend the afternoon’s golden hour in the leafy and scarcely populated towns on the Valley floor or choose to take a moment to get out among the ancient ferns and towering redgums on a light bushwalk.
Finish the day back in Adelaide for your onward travel.
*Many of our guests love to add an extra night in Adelaide or one of South Australia’s fabulous wine regions. The Louise in the Barossa or Mt. Lofty in the Adelaide Hills are two of the best options.
**Better still is extending your trip to include a short stay in Kangaroo Island. This is best done over 2-3 additional nights and we can help you arrange affordable and convenient charter flights from Kangaroo Island back to major cities around Australia for added safety and convenience.
COST & INCLUSIONS
From $2825 AUD per person (based on 4 guests and 5 days of touring – even less if there are more of you).
The 6-day itinerary is $3390 AUD per person with 4 guests.
This includes pick up and drop off anywhere in Melbourne and Adelaide, your wonderful Localing host and luxury vehicle on-hand throughout, 5/6 full days of touring with morning tea and a cafe-style lunch daily and all your standard admissions, tastings and activities. There are a few special additions along the way like helicopter flights, surf lessons and the Aboriginal tour in the Grampians but we’ll help you navigate these to suit when you’re ready to start personalising the experience.
**The addition of a private luxury experience in Kangaroo Island is well worth making time for. We’d do it in 3 nights and 4 days, stay at the Eco Villas with a private chef and have an exceptional local host on hand throughout to show you around. For 4 guests with everything included it’s $4200 AUD per person and absolutely brilliant. Give us a yell or click here to find out more.
Personalised and curated self-drive itineraries are available from $1400 AUD for 5 days and include all your planning and arrangements using our many years of experience and relationship building, 24-hour in-destination support and a detailed and personalised step-by-step itinerary. Luxury hire cars, SUVs, vans and one-way transfers can be arranged at retail rates or better. These are the perfect option if you want to go it alone and we guarantee you’ll get twice the experience for half the effort.
Accommodation costs vary depending on the your date, rooming configuration and the standard but we will help you secure excellent deals at the best local lodges, guests houses and hotels at least as good as the retail rate.
To start planning your perfect Melbourne to Adelaide road trip get in touch with us now.
