Melbourne to Grampians: The Budget Traveller’s Complete Road Trip Guide

From Torquay surf breaks and koalas at Kennett River to Boroka Lookout and The Pinnacle, this itinerary shows budget-conscious travellers how to see more for less by tapping into the YHA network.

Road trips across Victoria really give you the best of both worlds. Within hours you can swap bustling city laneways for quiet surf beaches, and trade lush rainforest for serene mountain regions to properly relax and unwind. Whether you like travelling fast or slow, the Melbourne to Grampians loop via Apollo Bay combines all of these elements. In three days, you can see all the big-ticket stops along the Great Ocean Road, walk beneath towering tree ferns in the Otways, before venturing into one of Victoria's most underrated regions.

This loop is one locals love too, because it blends city coffee, classic surf breaks, koala-filled roadside forests and big mountain views in a way that still works for a long weekend.

Day 1 | Melbourne > Geelong > Apollo Bay

Day 2 | Apollo Bay > Halls Gap

Day 3 | Halls Gap > Melbourne

Day 1

Melbourne

Departure time: 8am | Driving Time: 0mins | Walking time: A few hours 

With its world-class food and coffee scene, vibrant nightlife and enormous events calendar, Melbourne is more than just a pickup point for the hire car. If you have the time, it's worth spending a few nights here to ease into your trip. But if you're pressed for time, start with an early walk along the Yarra as the city wakes up. Grab a laneway coffee ($5) and explore the State Library's stunning La Trobe Reading Room (free entry), where the architecture delivers the wow factor and sets the scene for some serious itinerary planning.

Queen Victoria Market

Next, a little organisation will save you money later. Wander Queen Victoria Market and stock up on fresh and sustainable produce from local growers. Bring a reusable water bottle and a couple of containers, because it makes self-catering easier and cuts down on servo packaging later. There's also plenty of nearby supermarkets for the basics like fruit, muesli bars and cold drinks for the drive. Aim for big-ticket snacks that travel well and don't create a bin full of wrappers by day two.

• Stay: You couldn't ask for a better spot for budget-friendly accommodation. YHA Melbourne Central (from $95 a night in a 4-bed shared room) is minutes from Southern Cross Station, perfect for airport and bus transfers. Enjoy the rooftop views, then hop on a tram right out front in the 'free tram zone'. You'll likely meet other travellers about to drive the Great Ocean Road too, making it easy to swap tips. YHA members save 10% on your stay here, which starts to pay off quickly if you are booking more than one property on this loop.
• Save: Do your main food shop in Melbourne or Geelong where prices and options are better. Aim to spend around $20-30 a day on snacks at a minimum. Plus, you won't be spending on overpriced snacks during petrol station stops. Melbourne has toll roads (including CityLink), so set your maps to 'avoid tolls' if you want to skip them. Depending on where you're staying, you can get out toward Geelong without tolls.

Melbourne to Geelong

Departure time: 12pm | Distance: 75km | Driving Time: 60-90mins

Aim to leave by late morning or midday and you'll dodge peak hour traffic. That also puts you in a good position to take your time cruising down the Princes Freeway (M1) and stop in Geelong to stretch the legs. From there it's onwards along the Surf Coast Highway, which syncs up directly to the iconic Great Ocean Road.

Great Ocean Road

The drive from Melbourne to Apollo Bay is where this itinerary really shines. Almost all the classic stops along the Great Ocean Road are free or low cost, and by driving this route yourself, you can choose which ones you want to see.

After leaving Melbourne, Geelong's laid back, arty vibe is worth checking out. It's also your first taste of holiday mode before hitting the Surf Coast. Park in metered spots (around $3 per hour) near the revamped waterfront, where old woolsheds now house cafes and bars, and check out the quirky bollard sculptures along the promenade. Keep strolling past Eastern Beach and the Art Deco pool if you've got 10 spare minutes, because it's the quickest way to flip into holiday mode. Visit the Geelong Gallery in the cultural precinct (free entry), then grab fish and chips (around $20) by the bay.

Geelong to Apollo Bay

Departure time: 2pm | Distance: 116km | Driving Time: 2-2.5hrs (including stops)

• Head 30 minutes south from Geelong along the Surf Coast Highway, and you’ll roll into Torquay, Australia’s surf capital, with long beaches and big-name surf outlets where you can pick up a bargain. From here, make a beeline for Bells Beach, where a short walk from the car park gets you to those famous cliff-top views and huge swells. Grab a pie or sausage roll ($10) from the Surfside Patisserie, sit on the grass above the break and watch the surfers do the hard work for you.
• Another 20 minutes down the road is Anglesea, where you can wander along the surf beach or the river, and watch for kangaroos in the wild. If you want to treat yourself, grab an old fashioned sundae ($14.50) at the nearby Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery.
• At Aireys Inlet, another 10 minute drive along, Split Point Lighthouse has sweeping views along the coast and a bit of nostalgia for anyone who grew up watching the 90s kid’s show Round the Twist. Self-guided tours (from $12.50) give you a complete snapshot of the area’s history.

Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch

The Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch is your official gateway to this stretch and makes for a perfect photo stop. It’s worth reading up on the story behind the road too, and have a taste of the Surf Coast Walk, which starts nearby and links Bells Beach and Aireys Inlet.

• Beyond the arch, the coastal town of Lorne is a 15-minute drive, and it’s another easy place to swim at the main beach or grab a takeaway picnic from one of the cafes. If you have time, wander up to Teddy’s Lookout for one of the best views on this part of the coast.
• A 15-minute detour inland leads to Erskine Falls, where a short forest walk takes you to a shaded waterfall surrounded by ferns. With mossy rock and cool air, it’s worlds away from the beach, and you can pick either the easier lookout right near the carpark, or take 230 steps down to the more impressive view.

Back on the road, the Great Ocean Road snakes deeper into the Great Otway National Park, with tall eucalypts, tree ferns and thick undergrowth. Kennett River and Grey River Road are both ideal spots to see wild koalas, plus native birdlife like kookaburras and cockatoos. If you want a bit more adventure, you can add a side trip further at Otway Fly, who run treetop walks ($20) and ziplines (from $135) high above the forest canopy.

Before you reach Apollo Bay, Maits Rest has a free 30 minute boardwalk that’s easily accessible from the Great Ocean Road. It's one of the top short walks in Victoria, with giant ferns and ancient Myrtle Beech trees. If you go after sunset, you’ll see glow worms and hear the calls of Yellow-bellied Gliders and owls. Plus, it’s only 20 minutes west of Apollo Bay, your stop for the night. 

If you’re watching your budget, swim at the main beach, explore rockpools at low tide or wander the foreshore at sunset after you check in. Stock up at the local supermarket or treat yourself to one pub meal out. Pizza, fish and chips or a beef burger at the Apollo Bay Hotel start from around $30. For a cheap local treat, $15 will get you a vanilla slice or fresh pastie and a coffee from the Apollo Bay Bakery, which you can eat on the grass by the foreshore.

Apollo Bay Beach

• Tip: Treat Melbourne to Apollo Bay as a full sightseeing day. If you can, stay an extra night in Apollo Bay. You’ll cover more at your own pace and still spend less than most group tours.

• Stay: YHA Apollo Bay Eco is a modern, architect-designed and eco certified hostel just off the main road, so it’s calm but still central. Whole rooms at this property start at $193 per night, so split the costs with your fellow travellers. There’s a big communal kitchen, BBQ, cosy lounges and a rooftop deck. Join sunrise yoga if it’s on, relax with a book or simply crash for the night between driving days. Watch the trees around the property and nearby streets for koalas, and keep an eye out for birdlife in the garden. During whale season, head up to the rooftop deck, as you might spot whales moving along the bay while you cook or sip a cuppa.

Day 2

The Twelve Apostles

Departure time: 8am | Distance: approx. 300km | Driving Time: 4.5 to 6hrs (plus stops)

From Apollo Bay, day two has the big sightseeing moments of the road trip. You’re leaving the coast behind by nightfall, so decide if you’d prefer to see the Twelve Apostles along the Shipwreck Coast (we recommend doing it this way), or cut inland through country towns. 

The Twelve Apostles

Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles

Distance: approx. 85km | Driving Time: 2hrs (plus stops)

Aim to leave Apollo Bay after breakfast. It’s roughly 85 kilometres to the Twelve Apostles, and you’ll want about two hours of drive time plus extra for lookouts, toilets and photo stops. If you’re especially keen, set the alarm earlier and arrive for sunrise. You’ll beat the first tour buses and have plenty of space on the boardwalks.

From the main car park, an easy sealed path takes you along the clifftop boardwalks for a run of different lookouts. Give yourself time to wander between them, then, if you have the energy, drop down Gibson Steps for a ground level view of the cliffs and limestone stacks towering above the beach. Loch Ard Gorge is close by and worth a quick loop for its sheltered cove and shipwreck stories, before you reset with a coffee or bakery stop ($15) in Port Campbell and start thinking about the run inland.

Option 1: Shipwreck Coast to Halls Gap via Port Campbell

Distance: approx. 200km (from the Twelve Apostles to Halls Gap) | Driving Time: 2.5-4hrs (including stops)

If you want the full Great Ocean Road into the Grampians story, stay coastal until at least Port Campbell, then turn north toward Halls Gap. All up, Apollo Bay to Halls Gap via the Twelve Apostles and Port Campbell is around 300 kilometres. On paper, the drive is 4.6 to 6 hours, but once you factor in leg stretches, food and a few viewpoints, it’s a proper travel day that still sees you arriving at Halls Gap by early evening if you don’t spend too long at each stop.

Option 2: Heading inland to Halls Gap via Colac and Dunkeld

Distance: approx. 270km (from Apollo Bay to Halls Gap) | Driving Time: 3.5-4.5hrs (plus stops)

If you’re watching the petrol budget or you have already done the Apostles on a previous trip, the inland route is faster. Instead of staying by the ocean, you cut across farmland and lakes for roughly 270 kilometres of driving. Colac makes a handy first pause, with the Colac Botanic Gardens and Lake Colac offering an easy leg stretch and a simple picnic or takeaway lunch. If you want to sneak in one extra viewpoint, a short drive out to Red Rock lookout (about 15 minutes) has wide views over lakes and old volcanic craters before you get back on the highway.

From there, the road heads through Dunkeld, a small town sitting neatly under Mount Sturgeon that punches above its weight for food. You can keep it low key with a classic bakery stop, or, if you are in the mood to splurge, settle in for a proper degustation long lunch (from $310) at the Royal Mail Hotel using the best regional produce and local wines, before the final run into the mountains. Whichever version you choose, it’s worth planning one decent break so you are not trying to arrive at Halls Gap hungry and tired.

Arriving in Halls Gap

Whichever route you choose, you eventually wind into Halls Gap, the main village in the Grampians National Park. It feels like a little mountain town tucked between sandstone ranges, with trailheads, lookouts and kangaroos never far away. This is where the trip starts to really reward budget-minded travellers, because most of the headline experiences are free once you are here.

Boroka Lookout

For an easy first taste of the ranges, drive about 15 kilometres (around 20 minutes) up to Boroka Lookout. It’s a very short walk from the car park to a wide viewing platform that takes in Halls Gap, Lake Bellfield and the surrounding peaks in one hit. Further along Mount Victory Road, Reed Lookout offers another quick stop overlooking the Victoria Valley, and from here it is about a 1 kilometre walk each way, (a 2 kilometre return) out to The Balconies, where rock ledges frame one of the most photographed sections of the park. Late afternoon is the sweet spot for both, with softer light and long shadows across the valleys.

MacKenzie Falls

Once you’re settled and have a sense of the landscape, you can plan a bigger outing for the next day. The Pinnacle is the signature Grampians hike, with a solid but manageable climb and a dramatic lookout that lets you see the whole valley laid out below you. Like Erskine Falls in the Otways, MacKenzie Falls is one of Victoria’s most impressive, with a well-formed track into the gorge and a good workout on the way back up. If you don’t feel like driving around to see any of these highlights, Experience The Grampians runs half-day tours starting at $160, and they’ll also pick you up from the YHA. 

Meanwhile, to connect what you are seeing with the deeper story of the place, head to Brambuk the National Park and Cultural Centre on the edge of town. Entry to the centre itself is free, and it’s the best starting point for understanding the culture and stories of the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung Peoples, as well as checking what talks, tours or activities are running when you visit. When cultural tours and rock art experiences are operating, they're worth budgeting for as your main paid activity in the park, and they turn the scenery into something much richer.

Food wise, Halls Gap is small but geared to travellers. There’s an IGA supermarket for stocking up on basics, which makes it easy to cook at your YHA accommodation and save money for other experiences. Remember to refill your bottle before you head out and carry your rubbish out with you, because bins are limited once you’re up in the ranges.

You’ll also find a handful of relaxed spots in town for when you want someone else to sort dinner. Livefast Cafe by the creek is a go-to for good coffee and casual bites, Spirit of Punjab is a favourite for generous curries with mountain views (mains from $24), and the Kookaburra Hotel serves classic pub meals (from $30) and local wines right on the main street. If you feel like tasting the region in your glass, Fallen Giants Vineyard just outside town has a laid back cellar door with views back to the ranges. Tastings are usually $5 each, and that’s waived when you buy a bottle of wine (from $30 each). Sharing a cheese plate is an easy way to also enjoy the view without blowing the budget.

Stay: Staying at YHA Grampians Eco (shared rooms from $55.20 each) keeps things affordable, with the bonus of a stay that actually walks the talk on sustainability through solar power, rainwater capture and clever touches that cut waste. Evenings are all about cooking in the shared kitchen, chatting through tomorrow’s hikes and watching kangaroos wander past outside.

Tip: Set the alarm for a sunrise hike to the Pinnacle by driving to the Sundial car park and giving yourself around 1.5 to 2 hours for the 4.2 kilometre return walk, with a head torch and an extra layer for the early start. Aim to arrive just before first light and you will watch the sun spill across the ridgelines and valleys before most people have even ordered a coffee.

Note: The Grampians, or Gariwerd, is rich with Indigenous creation stories and holds around 80% of Victoria’s known Aboriginal rock art sites. To see them respectfully, follow the signed Grampians Rock Art Trail to spots like Manja, Billimina and Ngamadjidj.

Day 3

The scenic return from Halls Gap to Melbourne

Departure time: 9am | Distance: approx. 260kms (back to Melbourne via Ballarat) Driving time: 3.5-5hrs (including stops)

The drive back to Melbourne is the final stretch of this trip, but you don’t have to rush it. Allow a full day to see the smaller towns and rural landscapes that define this part of Victoria.

• From Halls Gap, head 20 minutes northeast and you’ll arrive at Stawell, known for its heritage streets and annual Easter Gift running race, the Stawell Gift. The main street has a classic country-town feel, with old shopfronts, a couple of cafes and a bakery where you can grab a pastry or vanilla slice ($10 each) for the road.
• Also worth visiting is Ararat, a historic gold rush town with a strong Chinese heritage. If you have time, see the Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre ($14), which is a small museum telling the story of the Chinese miners who helped shape the region. Even if you’re short on time, the lookout beside the centre gives you a quick sense of how the town sits in the surrounding hills before you drop back to the highway.
• One hour away, nearby Ballarat makes for a great final stop before Melbourne. Wander around Lake Wendouree or step back in time at Sovereign Hill (from $52.50) for a glimpse of gold rush history. The city’s food and bar scene really makes the most of its beautiful, turn-of-the-century buildings, whether that’s a cocktail (check out Grainery Lane or Renard) or a relaxed dinner in one of the many top-rated restaurants. Even a short visit is a satisfying final stop before wrapping things up.

Tip: Leave early from Halls Gap if you want to include Ballarat or Sovereign Hill. It’s an easy three to four hour driving day in total, and the detours are worth it if you’re not in a rush. You could even spend the night too. The Bendigo historic tram is a must, and the Ballarat ghost tours are iconic.

Stay: Back in Melbourne, drop off your hire car or settle back into YHA Melbourne Central (from $95 a night in a 4-bed shared room) for one last night. Grab dinner or a drink at a laneway bar, or close the trip with a rooftop sunset.

Note: If you’ve got a few spare hours back in Melbourne before your onward journey, ask YHA Melbourne Central to store your bags so you can jump on the free trams, squeeze in one last laneway coffee or quick gallery visit, and end the road trip feeling like a local rather than killing time at the airport.

Words: Troy Nankervis