How to get to Port Campbell
Drive routes from Melbourne, parking near the Twelve Apostles, V/Line transport limits — everything you need to plan the journey to the Apostles' closest town.
The two routes from Melbourne
From Melbourne to Port Campbell, there are two practical routes — the Great Ocean Road (the scenic coast experience that's the trip itself) and the inland Princes Highway (the fast, plain route useful for return legs).
Route 1: Great Ocean Road (recommended outbound). M1 west out of Melbourne to Geelong (1 hour), then south through Torquay (1.5 hours total), then the Great Ocean Road through Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne to Apollo Bay (3 hours total). From Apollo Bay, the road heads inland through Lavers Hill before re-emerging at Princetown and Port Campbell (4 hours total). This route includes Memorial Arch, Bells Beach, Split Point Lighthouse, the cliff section south of Lorne, the Otway forest — the entire scenic experience.
Route 2: Inland Princes Highway (recommended return). M1 west to Geelong, continue Princes Highway through Colac, then south on the C155 (Colac–Forrest Road) to the coast just east of Apollo Bay, then continue west to Port Campbell. Total: 230 km / 3 hours direct. Skips most of the scenic content but saves an hour. Use this on the way home from a 2- or 3-day trip.
Route 3: Inland Princes Highway via Camperdown. An alternative inland route that bypasses Apollo Bay entirely — Princes Highway to Camperdown (~2.5 hours), then south to Port Campbell (~30 min). Total: about 3 hours. Saves 30 minutes on Route 2 but is the dullest of the three options.
For a 3-day trip, the standard structure is Route 1 outbound (Day 1 from Melbourne via Surf Coast to Apollo Bay, then Day 2 onward to Port Campbell), then Route 2 home (Day 3 from Port Campbell back to Melbourne via Princes Highway). This gets you the full scenic experience while saving time on the return.
Distances along the way
- Melbourne CBD → Geelong: 75 km, 1 hour
- Geelong → Torquay: 25 km, 25 min
- Torquay → Lorne: 45 km, 50 min
- Lorne → Apollo Bay: 45 km, 1 hour
- Apollo Bay → Lavers Hill: 50 km, 50 min
- Lavers Hill → Princetown: 30 km, 30 min
- Princetown → Port Campbell: 15 km, 15 min
- Port Campbell → Twelve Apostles: 12 km, 12 min
- Port Campbell → Loch Ard Gorge: 8 km, 8 min
- Port Campbell → Warrnambool: 65 km, 1 hour
Worth stopping for on the way
- Bells Beach — 6 km detour from Torquay. Bells Beach guide.
- Memorial Arch — 10-min photo stop. Memorial Arch guide.
- Lorne pier + coffee — 30-min foreshore break. Lorne guide.
- Cape Otway koala drive — 25 km south from the road, half-day commitment. Cape Otway guide.
- Maits Rest Rainforest Walk — 30-min boardwalk loop on the road inland from Apollo Bay.
- Lavers Hill — fuel and roadhouse coffee at the highest point of the Otways.
Public transport limits
Port Campbell is sparsely served by public transport. V/Line operates a coach service from Melbourne to Apollo Bay (about 4 hours door-to-door, ~AU$35 one way), but onward services to Port Campbell are limited to a few weekly runs operated by Christian's Bus Co.
For non-drivers, the most practical approach is one of three options:
- V/Line to Apollo Bay + day tour — overnight in Apollo Bay, then take a guided day tour to Port Campbell + the Twelve Apostles, returning to Apollo Bay the same evening.
- V/Line to Warrnambool + transit — V/Line trains run direct to Warrnambool (~3 hours from Melbourne). From there, a 60-minute coach or hire car to Port Campbell. Less common but works.
- Direct coach tour from Melbourne — multiple operators run 1-day or multi-day Melbourne-to-Twelve-Apostles coach tours that include Port Campbell as a meal stop. Depends on tour operator schedules.
For most travellers, self-driving remains the practical option. The V/Line + tour combination works for budget-conscious solo travellers but doesn't allow the flexibility of staying in Port Campbell overnight to catch sunset and sunrise.
Where to park in Port Campbell
Port Campbell parking is generally easy — most spots are free, the town is small, and walking distances are short.
- Lord Street central — free time-limited parking (typically 2 hours).
- Foreshore car parks — free unlimited.
- Harbour — free harbour-side parking.
- Holiday park — guest parking within accommodation.
At the Twelve Apostles main car park (12 km east), parking is free with hundreds of spaces. Even at peak summer the car park rarely completely fills, though spaces near the entry can be tight from 11am.
Charging in Port Campbell
Port Campbell has limited EV infrastructure. Plan your charging east of town.
- Chargefox AC — one slow charger near the visitor centre. Use overnight only.
- Closest fast DC east — Lavers Hill (40 min) or Apollo Bay (90 min).
- Closest fast DC west — Warrnambool (45 min).
For EV travellers, top up at Apollo Bay's Tesla Destination Chargers or Lorne's Tesla Supercharger before driving the Otway-to-Shipwreck-Coast leg. Do not rely on charging in Port Campbell itself for fast turnaround.
Getting to Port Campbell FAQs
- How do you get to Port Campbell from Melbourne?
- Two routes. The scenic coastal route via the Great Ocean Road takes about 4 hours (285 km), passing through Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay before arriving in Port Campbell. The faster inland Princes Highway via Colac takes about 3 hours (230 km) but skips the entire scenic experience. Most travellers take the coast outbound and the highway return.
- How long is the drive from Melbourne to Port Campbell?
- About 3 hours direct via the Princes Highway, or 4 hours via the Great Ocean Road coast route. Add 1–2 hours if you stop for photos along the way. For a one-day return trip, that's 6–8 hours of driving — Port Campbell is too far for a comfortable day trip from Melbourne.
- Can you take public transport from Melbourne to Port Campbell?
- Limited. V/Line operates a coach service from Melbourne to Apollo Bay (about 4 hours via Geelong train + V/Line coach), but services beyond Apollo Bay to Port Campbell are sparse. The most practical option for non-drivers is V/Line to Apollo Bay, then a guided day tour from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles and Port Campbell. There's also a coastal coach service operated by Christian's Bus Co. that runs Apollo Bay to Warrnambool a few times a week.
- Where can you park in Port Campbell?
- Most parking in Port Campbell is free. Lord Street has free time-limited parking through the centre of town. Foreshore car parks have free unlimited parking. Holiday park guests park within their accommodation. Even at peak summer, parking is rarely a problem — Port Campbell is small enough that walking distances are short.
- Are there EV charging stations in Port Campbell?
- Limited. Port Campbell has one Chargefox AC charger near the visitor centre — slow charging only. The closest fast DC charger is at Lavers Hill (40 minutes east) or Warrnambool (45 minutes west). For EV travellers driving the full Great Ocean Road, top up at Apollo Bay or Lorne (Tesla Supercharger) before the long Otway-to-Shipwreck-Coast leg.
- How long is the drive from Apollo Bay to Port Campbell?
- About 90 minutes / 95 km via the Great Ocean Road. The road heads inland from Apollo Bay through Lavers Hill, then re-emerges on the coast at Princetown. The most scenic stretch of the entire drive. Allow 2 hours if you stop at Maits Rest, Cape Otway, or Lavers Hill on the way.
- Is Port Campbell suitable for caravans and motorhomes?
- Yes. The Great Ocean Road from Apollo Bay to Port Campbell is well-engineered for caravans and motorhomes (fewer tight bends than the Lorne-to-Apollo-Bay cliff section). Port Campbell has a foreshore caravan park with full caravan facilities. The town's wide streets accommodate large rigs without issue.
- What's the closest fuel station to Port Campbell?
- United station as you enter Port Campbell from the east. Anything further east, Lavers Hill (50 km away). Westbound, Warrnambool (60 km). Fill up at Apollo Bay or Lavers Hill if you're driving in from the east; petrol prices are typically a few cents per litre cheaper at the larger towns.