Cliffs, Koalas, Chaos — and One Hell of a Road Trip

One Road. One Trip. One Life.

Here’s the deal — this isn’t just a road trip. The Great Ocean Road is the kind of experience that makes you sit in the back of a dusty tour van, look out at the raw, rugged coastline, and say to yourself:

“How the hell is this even real?”

From surf towns and rainforest walks to giant sea stacks and wild koala sightings — it’s Australia’s answer to the Pacific Coast Highway, but with better accents and more kangaroo roadblocks.

You came here to feel something.
This road delivers.

Why Every Backpacker Should Do the Great Ocean Road

• 🏞️ World-famous views — those 12 Apostles? Yeah, they’ll make you feel things.

• 🦘 Wildlife spotting — koalas, parrots, kangaroos, emus (and occasionally that guy from your hostel you ghosted).

• 🚐 Road trip vibes — tunes on, windows down, strangers turning into soulmates.

• 🛏️ Stay overnight — or do it in a day. Or stretch it into a full-blown Melbourne to Adelaide odyssey.

No matter how you roll it, this road is a rite of passage for any backpacker who knows that the journey is half the trip.

The Essentials: What You’ll See (and Love)

🚐 Torquay to Lorne – Surf, Sun, and Starting Strong

This is where it all kicks off.

Torquay is where surf brands like Rip Curl and Quiksilver were born — so yeah, this town bleeds saltwater.
If you’ve got time, grab a board and give it a go — or at least pretend while sipping a flat white.

Lorne is your first taste of the road trip magic — charming coastal town, Insta-worthy views, and a bakery that slaps harder than your mum’s chancla.

🌳 Great Otway National Park – Where Trees are Tall & Toilets are Optional

Take a break from the coast and head inland — you’ll hit lush rainforests, waterfalls, and maybe even a glow worm or two if you’re lucky (or brave enough to wander in the dark).

If you’re on a multi-day tour, you’ll probably crash somewhere near here — deep in the forest, under the stars, with mozzies the size of chihuahuas. Pack repellent. And a sense of humour.

🐨 Koalas in the Wild (aka Australia's Slowest Daredevils)

Cruising through Kennett River?
Look up. Koalas. Everywhere.

Some are chilling.
Some are snoozing.
One might be casually judging your outfit from 10 metres up.

This isn’t a zoo. It’s Australia in raw mode — and spotting wild koalas is one of those wholesome, core memory moments that’ll make even the toughest backpacker go “awww.”

🌊 The 12 Apostles – No Filter Needed

Here it is. The Big One. The Grand Finale.

The 12 Apostles (there’s only like 7 now, but who’s counting) rise from the ocean like ancient stone warriors. Catch them at sunset and your jaw will hit the ground faster than a dropped GoPro.

You’ll hear the engine cut. You’ll step out of the van. You’ll hear the wind.
And then: BOOM. That view hits.

Even if your phone’s dead and your shoes are full of sand, this is the moment you’ll remember. Every. Damn. Time.

Tour Options: How You Can Do It

We don’t play favourites.
At 1 Life Travels, we sell all the best suppliers — but only the ones we’ve actually been on. No tourist traps. No trash tours. Just solid, road-tested adventures.

🥪 Day Tours from Melbourne

Perfect if you’re short on time, cash, or clean underwear.

• Pick up from the city

• Big stops: Bells Beach, koalas, rainforest, 12 Apostles

• Sunset return = chef’s kiss

Best for: Whirlwind adventurers and those who drank too much the night before but still want to “do the thing.”

🌄 2 or 3-Day Tours – Great Ocean Road + Grampians

Now we’re talking.

These tours stretch it out. Think:

• Ocean one day

• Mountains the next

• Waterfalls, wildlife, and actual hikes that make you feel alive

You’ll sleep somewhere wild, eat around campfires, and wake up to mist over the Grampians like you’re in a travel doco.

Insider tip: This combo is perfect for travellers who want both coastal chill and national park thrill. Boom. Rhymed it.

🧭 Melbourne to Adelaide (or Reverse)

Now this is a journey.

Go full nomad — 3–4 days of coastlines, bushwalks, outback stops, and even the Grampians. Arrive in a new city with a full camera roll, a group chat of new mates, and sand in places it shouldn’t be.

This route is made for the “I’m not here to tick boxes — I’m here to live” type of traveller. You know who you are.

Why Book With 1 Life Travels? (And Not Some Sketchy Brochureshop)

Let’s get real:

❌ Travel Agents who’ve never backpacked

❌ Cookie-cutter recommendations

❌ “We get a better commission if you pick this one” vibes

Nah. Not us.

We’re 1 Life Travels — the only independent backpacker agency run by actual backpackers.

• ✅ We sell tours we’ve been on

• ✅ We recommend based on what’s right for YOU

• ✅ We sell at the same price as the supplier, or better with discounts

• ✅ We’ll tell you the truth — even if it means sending you to a competitor (rare, but hey, we’re real like that)

One life. Make it a good one.

Backpacker Essentials for the Great Ocean Road 🧳

• 🎧 Road trip playlist — if you hear Down Under more than once, it’s tradition

• 🧥 Jacket — coastal wind doesn’t play

• 📸 Phone or camera — for that “I was here” proof

• 👟 Trainers for hikes

• 🐨 Koala-spotting eyes

• 🍫 Snacks. Always snacks.

Backpacker Story Time: “The Grilled Cheese Incident”

So there we were — 2 days into a Melbourne to Adelaide trip. Van packed with 14 legends from 8 countries. We’d just done a sunrise hike in the Grampians. Half the group was still asleep, the rest of us buzzing.

Someone pulls out a little camp stove, says, “Anyone want a toastie?”

It starts with two. Then four.
Then someone brings out Vegemite. Another has cheese. Suddenly it’s a global grilled cheese exchange in a national park carpark at 8am.

Birds are squawking. A wallaby hops past like it’s normal. Someone says, “This is peak Australia,” and no one disagrees.

None of us remember the tour guide’s name.
But we all remember that damn toastie.
That’s the 1 Life vibe.

Ready to Ride the Road?

Don’t just stand on a rock with your hands outstretched like every travel blogger ever.
Live it. Feel it. Ride it.

👉 Day trips? Easy.
👉 Multi-day madness? We got you.
👉 Melbourne to Adelaide? One-way to legendary.

Book now with 1 Life Travels — and make this road part of your story.

You’ve got one life.
Drive it like it matters.