Short answer: Great Ocean Road day tours from Melbourne start at about A$129. That was the lowest “from” price we found, on another operator’s own site on 27 October 2026. Most full-day tours to the Twelve Apostles cost A$159 to A$169. The one we sell, the Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Day Tour, is $159, below the operator’s own A$169. It includes national park fees, morning tea with kangaroos and emus, and a guided Otways rainforest walk. If you’re heading to Adelaide anyway, the 3-day Melbourne to Adelaide tour from $949 covers the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians and replaces your bus or flight. Wanderlust Travel & Adventure is an Australian backpacker travel agency in Byron Bay, with no booking fee.
Our prices are per person in AUD and update from our live listings. Other operators’ prices come from their own websites on 27 October 2026 and change by date and season.
Great Ocean Road day tour prices, 27 October 2026
| Tour | Length | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-group Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles tour (another operator) | full day | from A$129 | lowest “from” price we found; a sunset version is also from A$129 |
| Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Day Tour (through us) | 13 hours | $159 | park fees, morning tea with wildlife, Otways rainforest walk, Wi-Fi, up to 38 |
| Same tour on the operator’s own site | 13 hours | A$169 | |
| Full-day eco tour and sunset tour (another operator) | 12 to 14 hours | A$159 |
What the table shows: we don’t have the lowest headline price for a Great Ocean Road day trip. We do have a lower price than the operator for the tour we sell. All of these are long coach days: the Apostles are about 230 km from Melbourne, so every day tour runs 12 to 14 hours. Before you book on price alone, check the group size, whether park fees and any food are included, and whether you’re picked up in the city centre.
The day tour we sell
The Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Day Tour from Melbourne is run by Autopia Tours on a medium coach for up to 38 people, from $159. In order, you get:
- the Memorial Arch photo stop
- morning tea with kangaroos and emus
- an easy guided rainforest walk in the Otways
- Loch Ard Gorge and the Shipwreck Coast
- the Twelve Apostles in afternoon light
Park fees, Wi-Fi, commentary and a translation app in ten languages are included. Lunch and dinner aren’t; you buy them at the stops. Pick-up and drop-off are at selected inner-city points.
Who it suits: anyone with one day in Melbourne who wants the Apostles without hiring a car.
Cheaper per day: the 3-day tour to Adelaide
If you’re going on to Adelaide, a day tour plus a bus or flight costs you twice. The Melbourne to Adelaide 3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour is from $949 (A$959 on the operator’s site). It covers the Great Ocean Road, wild koalas, Tower Hill, the Grampians and the drive to Adelaide, with two nights’ shared accommodation in a group of 6 to 23. It also runs the other way: Adelaide to Melbourne, from $949.
Grampians instead?
The Grampians are inland: waterfalls, lookouts and kangaroos rather than coastline. Day tours from Melbourne start at $149: the Grampians National Park Wildlife Tour, the Grampians Day Tour and the small-group Grampians & Halls Gap for up to 11.
For a side-by-side of the day trip and the 3-day tours by what you see and where you sleep, read Great Ocean Road tours compared. Every Melbourne tour we sell, by price: Melbourne tour prices.
Questions: cheapest Great Ocean Road tour
What is the cheapest Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne?
The lowest “from” price we found on 27 October 2026 was A$129, on another operator’s own site, for a small-group full-day tour. Most full-day tours cost A$159 to A$169. Through us, the Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Day Tour is $159, including park fees and morning tea.
Is a Great Ocean Road day trip worth it?
Yes, if you only have one day. Expect 12 to 14 hours, much of it on the coach. With three days and Adelaide next on your list, the 3-day tour sees more for less per day.
Is it cheaper to drive the Great Ocean Road yourself?
For two to four people splitting a hire car and fuel, usually yes. On your own, a tour is usually cheaper. Driving means about 230 km each way with a lot of winding road, so it’s tiring as a day trip.
Do Great Ocean Road tours include lunch?
Not usually at the cheaper end. The tour we sell includes morning tea, and you buy lunch and dinner at the stops. Check each listing.
Sunset or day tour?
Sunset tours reach the Apostles at golden hour and get back to Melbourne late. Summer sunsets are after 8.30pm, so expect to be back around midnight or later. Day tours like ours reach the Apostles in the afternoon and get back earlier.
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