Great Ocean Road or Grand Pacific Drive?
Great Ocean Road or Grand Pacific Drive? Both routes compared: length, driving time, best season, tolls and road limits, with our recommendation.
| Great Ocean Road | Grand Pacific Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Melbourne → Warrnambool | Sydney → Minnamurra Rainforest, Budderoo National Park |
| Suggested days | 3 | 2 |
| Distance | 338 km (210 mi) | 138 km (86 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 41 min | 1 h 30 min |
| Stops | 12 | 9 |
| Best time to go | October–April | February–May and October–December |
| Tolls and vignettes | – | – |
| Good to know | – | – |
Our recommendation
Choose the Great Ocean Road if you have three days: about 338 km from Melbourne via Bells Beach, Lorne, Apollo Bay and the Otways to the Twelve Apostles and Warrnambool. The sealed road is narrow and winding, so don’t rush, and reach the Twelve Apostles before the coaches. It is best October–April, with whales June–September. Pick the Grand Pacific Drive for a two-day escape from Sydney: about 134 km through Royal National Park, over the Sea Cliff Bridge and past Wollongong to the Kiama blowhole. Its best months are February–May and October–December.
