Experience Australia’s Famous ‘great Ocean Road’ With Melbourne Car Hire

By Author: CarRental Expert
Total Articles: 4
Comment this article

Australia is a land of vast expanses and distances, with many wonderful sites scattered throughout the country. Due to this, travelling by car is the perfect transport option to enjoy all that Australia has to offer. A great benefit of this is that Australia has well known driving routes around the country which allow travellers to not only experience major cities and surrounding areas, but the countries best natural landscapes as well.

Arguably the greatest driving route of them all is Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Well known throughout the world, the Great Ocean Road is just 100kms west of Australia’s 2nd largest city, Melbourne. The Great Ocean Road stretches 243km’s and takes drivers on an experience that includes cliff tops, rivers, rainforests and beaches that is unlikely to be rivaled anywhere around the world.

To start one of Australia’s great journey’s, use our service for car hire at Melbourne Airport, or alternatively use our city stations located throughout Melbourne. All of our Melbourne locations allow easy access to the Great Ocean Road and our staff are more than willing to give some ...
... great advice on places to visit and directions.

Surf and shop your way around Torquay and Bells Beach with car hire in Melbourne
Lying just over 100km’s west of Melbourne city, and approximately 115km’s from the Melbourne airport, the Great Ocean Rd experience starts at Australia’s surf capital of Torquay. A major holiday resort town, Torquay is the birthplace of iconic surf brands Rip Curl and Quicksilver, and aptly, Torquay houses a shopping strip lined with surf shops which will keep you busy for hours.

However, Torquay’s biggest draw card is one of the greatest surf beaches in the world, Bells Beach. Home to the Rip Curl pro surfing competition, Bells Beach is for the experienced surfer with its natural shallow reefs creating outstanding surf year round, and especially in autumn and winter (just don’t forget to bring a wetsuit!). For those of us a little less experienced, the high cliffs at Bells Beach provide a great lookout point over the Southern Ocean, and you won’t be disappointed if you happen to catch a few surfers battling the waves on a nice day out.

Melbourne car rental makes it easier to experience the Great Ocean Roads most stunning locations
Once you are finished up at Torquay, head down the Great Ocean Road towards the seaside town of Lorne. 50kms down the road, Lorne epitomises the Australian beach lifestyle with safe golden beaches, great surf and a friendly country vibe. Lorne also offers a great café culture, making it an ideal location to stop for a couple hours to stretch your legs.

The drive from Lorne towards Apollo Bay is possibly the most spectacular of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved amongst the cliffs that drop away right down to the ocean, giving amazing views of the Bass Strait. You will be amazed as you witness the waves crashing against the rocks and beaches many metres below. For those looking for the ultimate way to experience the Great Ocean Road, use our Melbourne car hire service to get the best out of this drive with our convertible sports car hire options a real treat during the summer months!

Using car hire in Melbourne allows you to witness the amazing Twelve Apostles
Moving onwards past Apollo Bay leads you to the Otway National Park. With over 13,000 hectares of forests and heathland, the Otway National Park is one of Australia's largest eco-systems. Highlights of the Otway national park include the walk amongst giant tree ferns at Maits Rest, the Otway Fly Tree Top walk which lets visitors capture the full beauty of the rainforest, and the 150 year old Cape Otway Lighthouse at Johanna Beach.

Further down the road at Port Campbell National Park is arguably the highlight of the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles. The stunning limestone formations form a guard of honour along the coastline with some measuring as high as 45 metres above sea level! Formed up to 20 million years ago, the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the limestone cliffs to what we view today. Don’t hesitate however; the great site now only has 8 limestone stacks remaining due to ongoing erosion. Regardless, the site is something to behold and a must for every traveller looking to experience this great driving route.

The Great Ocean Rd is perhaps Australia’s most famed driving route and understandably so. For those contemplating a holiday in Victoria or Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road should be on the top of your list whether it is for a day trip, or a week long adventure. Covering 243 km’s and at least 4 hours of driving each way, using our Melbourne car hire service means you can experience the Great Ocean Road on your own schedule. Visit our Melbourne pages today and get started on organising the driving experience of a lifetime!

Author Bio:

Car rental expert explores the best rental service providers & the various booking options available for the traveller.