Melbourne to Adelaide: The Ultimate Great Ocean Road Trip - Apollo Bay to Mount Gambier: A Scenic Great Ocean Road Adventure with Wildlife, Views & Gourmet Bites (Part 3)
- Mario Ng
- 9 minutes ago
- 14 min read
🚗 The Ultimate Melbourne to Adelaide Road Trip Series
What began as a casual chat about Europe turned into the ultimate Melbourne to Adelaide road trip — here’s how we planned every unforgettable kilometre.
From a Dreamliner touchdown to scenic coastal drives, boutique stays, and seafood feasts — our Australian adventure kicked off with style, sunshine, and serious road trip vibes.
Part 3: Apollo Bay to Mount Gambier: A Scenic Great Ocean Road Adventure with Wildlife, Views & Gourmet Bites
From smoked trout breakfasts and sanctuary strolls to a breathtaking chopper ride over the Twelve Apostles — our Great Ocean Road journey hit full stride with wildlife, wonders, and winding roads all the way to Mount Gambier.
Part 4: From Mount Gambier to Melbourne: A Scenic South Australian Road Trip Through Adelaide’s Hidden Gems
From marathon drives and foodie discoveries to wine tastings, Vietnamese feasts, and unforgettable moments with friends — our Adelaide chapter was a rich blend of flavour, friendship, and scenic surprises.
Part 5: Final Stretch: One-Day Drive, Silo Art & City Eats
From silos and sunsets to one final stroll through Melbourne’s markets, we wrapped up our 721-kilometre return drive with heartfelt meals, sky-high views, and the kind of memories only the open road can offer.
🏨 The Ultimate Melbourne to Adelaide Road Trip Series: Where We Stayed
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins – A suite stay to kick off the trip in style
Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn – Coastal charm and convenience
Mount Gambier Hotel – A comfy stop after a long day’s drive
Hotel Indigo Adelaide Markets – Boutique vibes, thanks to a Dennis Bunnik review
Sofitel Adelaide – A must-stay. The first five-star hotel in Adelaide in 30 years
Mercure Welcome Melbourne – A quick crash pad after the long return drive
W Melbourne – A luxurious suite stay to end the journey in style
Day 3: Wildlife, Scenic Views, and Coastal Flavours: A Full Day Exploring Apollo Bay and Beyond
Date: 30 July 2022
Location: Apollo Bay
Breakfast & Exploring Apollo Bay
After we had washed up and showered, it was time to explore Apollo Bay. But first, it was time for breakfast. We headed to Scorched Grill, a cafe in downtown Apollo Bay. By the time we arrived around 9.45 am, it was bustling with activity, and lots of customers were flowing in and out. We quickly ordered our breakfast and waited eagerly. Soon, our food arrived, and it was the best start to our day in a while! My friend had a traditional full breakfast comprising bacon, sausage, mushrooms, hash browns, tomato, toast, and a sunny-side-up egg. Although I did not taste it, the dish definitely looked delicious. While I felt a little regret about not ordering it, the regret soon dissipated. Not wanting to eat too full in the morning, I went for a simple breakfast. I had poached eggs on toast, with a side of smoked trout. I loved those chunky trout that tasted delicious. I usually enjoy plain breakfasts without too much flavour, and this breakfast hit the spot. The smoked trout was very enjoyable, and as an egg lover, poached eggs are the best. Soon, I finished my breakfast. After washing our breakfast down with a cup of latte each, we were on our way!
Wildlife Wonders Sanctuary: A Peaceful Encounter
We drove to Wildlife Wonders Sanctuary, a wildlife park located approximately 5 km from Apollo Bay. At this sanctuary, the wildlife is protected by a fence surrounding the sanctuary. With no natural predators in the sanctuary, all the wildlife is free to roam all over the park. If guests are fortunate enough, they would be able to spot koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies roaming about.
To protect the wildlife, all guests must sign up for a guided tour to enter the sanctuary. This ensures that guests do not wander about and unwittingly disturb the wildlife. There are various tours to choose from, and while most will opt for the Walk with Wildlife Tour, other tours may offer more opportunities for wildlife sightings. Many Australian animals are most active during dawn and dusk. Guests can go for the Dawn Discovery Tour or Dusk Discovery Tour, where they might have a chance to catch the wildlife starting to wake up and forage for food. For the rest of us, we were pretty satisfied with the Walk with Wildlife Tour, where we snapped pictures of animals high up in the trees. Admittedly, I had no idea what I was snapping in half the photos! Alas, it was a fun and great experience! Perhaps the next time I am here, I will join the Dusk Discovery Tour! One cool part of the tour was seeing the ocean from the sanctuary. We do not usually enjoy such landscapes from a city-state like Singapore. It was pretty impressive looking at the beautiful blue ocean.
After our tour ended, we had to enjoy a cup of mocha and a small bite in the sanctuary’s Emu Cafe. A great part of Emu Cafe is how all its profits go towards the conservation of Australian animals and plants in the region. It is a win-win situation where guests can enjoy delicious food and drinks while contributing to a good cause! If you happen to be in the area, make sure you drop by Emu Cafe, as it is open to the public and you do not need to join a tour to enjoy a well-deserved break at the cafe!
🌿 Road Trip Tip: Wander into the Wild — Where Nature Roams Free
🦘☕ Just 5km from Apollo Bay, Wildlife Wonders Sanctuary offers a rare chance to see native animals in their natural habitat — no fences, no predators, just pure Australia.
Join a guided tour (it’s required!) to catch a glimpse of koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies doing their thing. For the best chance, opt for dawn or dusk tours when the bush comes alive. And don’t leave without a cuppa at Emu Café — every sip supports local conservation. Sometimes the most meaningful stops are the ones closest to nature.
Cape Otway Lightstation & a Scenic Surprise
After filling our tummies yet again, we headed off to our next destination. We made our way to Cape Otway Lightstation to explore the famous Australian lighthouse, which is also known as the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Australian mainland. To our disappointment, it was closed that day! Such things happen, and we have to make the best of them. Since we had already parked our car by the lighthouse, we wandered to a pathway and walked deeper to explore the Australian bushlands.
As we wandered further, we were quite close to the cliff, and we walked cautiously to take the all-important ocean photos. It was pretty awesome to see the ocean waves gently hitting the Australian mainland. It was beautiful. From that distance, we looked back and saw Cape Otway Lightstation from afar. Coupled with the perfect Australian weather, it looked almost like a Microsoft wallpaper, save for the fact that my less-than-adequate photography skills did not do it enough justice. Wow. This day was going great as we managed to take so many pictures of the great Australian outdoors. What a scoop!
🌊 Road Trip Tip: No Entry? No Worries — Cape Otway Still Delivers
🚶♂️📸 Even if the lighthouse is closed, don’t turn back. Wander the nearby bush trails and you’ll uncover sweeping ocean views, rugged cliffs, and a postcard-perfect peek at Cape Otway Lightstation from a distance.
It’s proof that detours and dashed plans often lead to the best photo ops — and the most unforgettable travel moments.
Seafood Feast & Sweet Treats in Apollo Bay
As the afternoon sun began to beam down on us, we made our way back to Apollo Bay while there was still sunlight. We made a little detour at Marengo Beach, checking out the waves before realising that the sun was slowly beginning to set over the mountains. Feeling a little peckish, we decided to have an early dinner. We drove to Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op for some fresh seafood! We ordered some freshly shucked oysters, fish and chips, and a perfectly grilled half lobster. Before long, all the food was gone. Yet another perfect meal in our Australian road trip!
Still craving a dessert to complete our meal, we made our way to Dooley’s Premium Ice Cream. It is always amazing to enjoy ice cream in the cold weather, and this was the perfect ending to our day. With so many flavours to choose from, customers will be hard-pressed to choose what they want. Among some flavours include Turkish Delight, Bubblegum, and Rum & Raisin. If you are adventurous enough, feel free to try Unicorn Poo or the Chilli Chocolate. If you are extremely adventurous, definitely try some Vegemite ice cream. It should be a blast! We went for the more conventional flavours and enjoyed our sweet treats in the cold Apollo Bay weather.
Golden Hour at Marriner’s Lookout
Our last destination for the day was Marriner’s Lookout. Perched on the mountain top, it offers a sweeping view of Apollo Bay and faces the ocean. It looked really beautiful from the Google pictures, and we knew we had to head there to see for ourselves. We were definitely not disappointed. It had a bird’s eye view of Apollo Bay, and the vast ocean just made us realise how small we all are. It also looked like Apollo Bay is a great place to live. Maybe I should start finding out if it is possible to get a place here… Realising it faces the East, it should have quite an epic sunrise the next morning, weather permitting. We decided there and then that we should have an early night and wake up first thing in the morning to catch the sunrise. Back to our hotel!
After showering, the night was still early enough that we could catch some entertainment. Manchester United had a pre-season friendly that day, and I made use of the complimentary wifi to see the friendly match against Atlético Madrid on Manchester United’s website. Alas, the wifi was too weak and the game lagged too often to enjoy it. After the match ended, we each spent some time on our phones before heading to bed. It was essential to rest early that evening as we were headed out first thing in the morning to catch the sunrise over Apollo Bay!
🌅 Road Trip Tip: Set Your Alarm — Marriner’s Lookout is worth the Wake-Up
⏰🌄 High above Apollo Bay, Marriner’s Lookout delivers front-row views of a magical sunrise painting the coast and town in soft morning light.
It’s the kind of serene, soul-refreshing moment you’ll remember long after the trip ends — so rise early and let nature wow you.
Day 4: Sunrise Dreams, Sky-High Views, and Scenic Stops: From Apollo Bay to Mount Gambier via the Great Ocean Road
Date: 31 July 2022
Route: Apollo Bay → Twelve Apostles → Port Campbell → Port Fairy → Mount Gambier
Sunrise & Saying Goodbye to Apollo Bay
After waking up early and showering, we checked out of Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn by 7.15 am. We drove the short distance to Marriner’s Lookout, but knew in our hearts that the cloudy weather made it impossible for us to catch the sunrise. Having said that, it was still fun to see the early morning view of Apollo Bay. We enjoyed the blueish hue of the skies that painted over Apollo Bay that morning and appreciated the fresh, cool air that gently brushed our faces constantly. We caught a flock of sheep grazing in a fenced-up area nearby, and thought that they must be really early birds to be able to eat so early in the morning!
After spending about 15 minutes at the lookout, we went down and topped up the fuel for our car for the long journey ahead. After driving past and saying our last goodbyes to Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn, we pressed on on our Great Ocean Road journey.
Awe at the Twelve Apostles
After over an hour or so of driving, we arrived at the Twelve Apostles! The key highlight of everyone’s journey on the Great Ocean Drive, we finally arrived at our destination. It was breathtaking as I marvelled at this natural creation. We humans looked so small compared to the large free-standing structures along the coast of the mainland. I know how some people mentioned they were underwhelmed upon seeing the Twelve Apostles, but I was adequately whelmed! They looked very cool. We wandered around the viewpoint to look for more vantage points to take more pictures. After exhausting all the possible points where we could snap the photos, we were satisfied. It was time for our next adventure. What could possibly be better than admiring the Twelve Apostles from the Twelve Apostles Viewpoint, or anywhere near the area? By air, of course!
We walked to 12 Apostles Helicopters, which is just across the road from the Viewpoint, for the tour of a lifetime! We booked a 25-minute tour that comprised a journey of flying over the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge, and the Bay of Islands. Essentially, it is 25 minutes of pure flying time covering some 90km! Costing A$245 per person, we thought it was totally worth it! However, for those who have more time on their hands, you should definitely try the 60-minute tour. It is a 220-km journey that includes flying over Cape Otway Lighthouse, back near Apollo Bay. Costing A$585 per person, we believe that if you can afford it, you should definitely go for it!
What happened next was a thrill that I will remember for the rest of my life! The helicopter took off smoothly and gently picked up altitude as it left the airfield. We were soon flying over the Twelve Apostles, and we could clearly see the coastline. To say that it looked beautiful is a massive understatement. I was relatively quiet throughout the trip, as the pilot also served as a tour guide, explaining what we were seeing. But mostly, I was just gobsmacked at the beauty of the entire area. I did remember chuckling when the pilot mentioned that The Bakers Oven, one of the structures standing, had a local nickname called “cheesecake” because it looked like a cheesecake. That was funny. Before we knew it, it was almost time to head back to the airfield. Twenty-five minutes blew past us in an instant, and it was time to be back on land. Was this one of the best experiences we have ever enjoyed? Yes! Will we try it again if we have another opportunity? Yes! Should you try it if you can afford it? Yes!
Surprisingly, we saw that there was quite a queue of people waiting to board the helicopter by the time we were back on land. We were the first customers of the day and did not think much. Thank God we made it first, as otherwise, we might have needed to wait for some time!
📍 Must-Visit Stop: The Twelve Apostles — See It, Snap It, Soar Above It
🪨🚁 Whether you're gazing up from the lookout or flying high on a scenic helicopter ride, the Twelve Apostles are a jaw-dropping highlight of any Great Ocean Road adventure.
Make the stop, take the photos — and if you can, treat yourself to the sky-high view. It’s a coastal experience you’ll never forget.
Sweet Break at Gorge Chocolates
Leaving Princetown, we made our way towards finding a cafe. We love unplanned detours and found a place where chocolates were sold. We drove towards Cooriemungle and arrived at Gorge Chocolates. It features a cafe, handcrafted chocolates, and alpacas to view and admire, making it the perfect spot for a relaxing time. Once we arrived, we immediately saw the alpacas doing their thing in the grass. Most of the time, they were busy eating. We were about to do the same. We enjoyed some hot chocolate and bought some chocolates for friends and family back home. It was great to take a break in this lovely cafe. We also managed to say hello to the resident dog roaming about outside the cafe before we left. He was very welcoming!
A Glimpse of Port Campbell
We returned where we came from, heading back onto the Great Ocean Road and hitting Port Campbell. Our next destination for the day was a small town we had first seen during our helicopter ride and wanted to check out before moving on to South Australia. We drove to Port Campbell beach and hung around for a little while, catching a glimpse of those birds chilling in the cold weather. We then drove towards the end of Port Campbell, heading to Prady’s Lookout to check out more views of those cheesecake-like cliffs that the entire Great Ocean Road is known for. Finally, it was time to clock some serious mileage as we realised we had been stopping a lot. We absolutely loved every town we stopped in, enjoying all the delicious food and drinks and just embracing the local culture. However, we also know that we will never reach South Australia if we continue at this rate. Australia is just packed with so much good stuff that you cannot enjoy everything in just one trip!
Impromptu Brunch at Port Fairy
We made the tough decision to drive much longer this time before stopping, and clocked all of 1 hour before starting to feel hungry. We then made an equally tough decision to stop at Port Fairy just for a meal. We had not intended to stop here and hence did not do any research. We drove into Port Fairy and tried to find a nice cafe for brunch. We chanced upon Bank St + Co, which seemed very busy with lots of customers. As Singaporeans, we followed the queue and made our way to this cafe. Our Singapore trait proved us right this time.
The food was stunning, and we loved it. I had the Eggs Royale while my friend had the Atlantic smoked salmon with roast chat potatoes, poached eggs, feta, beetroot relish, and roasted nuts and seeds. According to him, the dish was perfect. Combined with so many ingredients, it was very flavourful and was the best lunch to continue the day! I equally loved my Eggs Royale, and the hollandaise sauce was just stunning. It was rich, and I loved that it was just slightly runny, which to me was perfect. Enjoying a nice hot cup of Long Black after finishing the road, it was indeed a beautiful day.
Wind Turbines & State Borders
No more breaks! We left Bank St + Co around 2.30 pm and drove off towards South Australia. Around twenty minutes later, we saw a wind farm in the distance, with so many of them decorating the skyline that they looked like specks in the blue Australian sky. After driving past what looked like an entrance to the wind farm, I had a change of heart. We u-turned and hunted for the entrance. We discovered that it was the Codrington Wind Farm, and the entrance was known as the Codrington Wind Farm Viewing Area. While we could not enter the area, we could hang around at the viewing area to look at those gigantic wind turbines. It was another cool thing we found and experienced in Australia. Multiple pictures and ten minutes later, we drove off.
Perhaps annoyed by our constant stopping, my friend took the wheel this time. One hour later, we finally crossed state lines into South Australia, leaving Victoria. Another forty-five minutes of non-stop driving later, we finally arrived at the Mount Gambier Hotel. It had been a long day, and the multiple stops got to me. I dozed off in the car while he was driving, and I was glad we had arrived in Mount Gambier. It was time to take a break in the hotel room.
A Quiet Evening in Mount Gambier
As it was nearing dinner time, but not quite yet, we walked around the hotel to explore the town a little. It was almost 5 pm, and most of the shops were closed. We did not wander too far before returning to the hotel for dinner. It was a lovely dinner comprising steak, pasta, and desserts. After relaxing in the hotel restaurant, we returned to our room, where we each enjoyed some alone time before calling it a day. This has been our longest day yet! The next day, we will be making a non-stop drive all the way to Adelaide!
What’s Next?
After an epic day filled with coastal wonders, culinary delights, and a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter ride, we finally crossed into South Australia. But our Great Ocean Road adventure doesn’t end here. Up next: we hit the road for a non-stop drive to Adelaide, where new experiences, vibrant city life, and more unforgettable moments await. Stay tuned as our road trip continues into the heart of South Australia!
👉 Coming up in Part 4:
Adelaide—big city vibes, new adventures, and the next chapter of our epic Aussie road trip!
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