Melbourne + Beyond: 5 Day Victoria Trip
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Five days is our 4-day itinerary , the city plus a proper 2-day Great Ocean Road trip, with a fifth day added for the Yarra Valley, a true easy day trip that needs no overnight of its own. Want Phillip Island’s penguins added too, our 6-day itinerary fits both in.
Day-by-day at a glance
| Day | Focus | Est. spend (excl. hotel) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CBD laneways, Federation Square (NGV/ACMI), the MCG | ~AUD $100-140 |
| 2 | Queen Victoria Market, St Kilda | ~AUD $80-120 |
| 3 | Great Ocean Road out: Kennett River, Apollo Bay | ~AUD $150-220 |
| 4 | Great Ocean Road back: Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge | ~AUD $150-220 |
| 5 | Yarra Valley: wine and Healesville Sanctuary | ~AUD $150-250 |
Book these before you go
- ETA or eVisitor : sort entry before you fly, Australia has no visa-free entry.
- Great Ocean Road overnight: book accommodation in Apollo Bay or Lorne ahead, especially in summer.
- Yarra Valley wine and wildlife tour : worth it if you’d rather not sort a car and cellar-door bookings yourself.
Day 1: CBD, laneways, and the MCG
Federation Square, the laneways (Hosier Lane, Degraves St, the Block and Royal Arcades), ⚠ NGV’s two separate free buildings, and the MCG (ground tours around AUD $38). Dinner in Chinatown, the oldest continuously running Chinatown in the Western world.
Day 2: Markets and St Kilda
Queen Victoria Market (1878), then St Kilda’s Luna Park and Acland St. The little penguins come ashore on the breakwater at dusk, free but book the timed slot ahead.
Day 3: Great Ocean Road, the drive out
Morning: Depart Melbourne, Torquay and Lorne along the way.
Midday: Kennett River, the reliable spot for wild koalas in the treetops.
Afternoon: Apollo Bay, a good overnight base roughly halfway along the route.
Evening: Settle in for the night rather than pushing on, the whole point of taking two days is not rushing this stretch.
Day 4: Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles
Morning: On to the Twelve Apostles, the marquee stop of the entire drive, best light is early.
Midday: Loch Ard Gorge, right nearby, worth the short walk down.
Afternoon: The drive back to Melbourne, several hours depending on stops.
Evening: Arrive back in Melbourne for a final dinner.
Day 5: Yarra Valley
Morning: About 1h15 from the city, a true day trip.
Midday: Wine cellar doors, and a cellar-door lunch at one of them.
Afternoon: Healesville Sanctuary for koalas, kangaroos, and wombats in a bush setting.
Evening: Back in Melbourne, no overnight needed for this one.
Does the Yarra Valley fit well after the coast?
Yes, it’s a much lighter day than the Great Ocean Road, wine and wildlife rather than hours of driving, which makes it a good way to close out the trip rather than open it. Get your ETA or eVisitor sorted before you fly and load a Myki once you land, trams and buses outside the Free Tram Zone need one.