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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Apollo Bay
Stay 1–2 nights as the midpoint of the Great Ocean Road: 2 nights if you walk part of the Great Ocean Walk, 1 if you are driving Melbourne to Port Campbell.
Apollo Bay is a small beach town roughly halfway along the Great Ocean Road, between Lorne and Cape Otway. It works as an overnight stop on the drive, a base for the Otway rainforest and lighthouse, and the start of the Great Ocean Walk. There is no airport and no train: you arrive by car or by the daily coach from Melbourne or Geelong.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (wet, cool, fewer services)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$150–250 excl. bed · High A$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112 · Apollo Bay Medical Centre 03 5237 8595
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$5–7 |
| Café breakfast | A$15–28 |
| Pub or café main | A$25–40 |
| Fish and chips | A$15–25 |
| Draught beer in a pub | A$8–12 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MEL · Melbourne Airport
- About 3 h by car via Geelong and the Great Ocean Road, or about 2 h 30 min via Colac; coach connections from Melbourne city.
- AVV · Avalon Airport
- Near Geelong; about 2 h by car to Apollo Bay. Check seasonal flights.
Typical fares
- Coach Melbourne → Apollo Bay
- about A$40, about 3 h 30 min
- Coach Apollo Bay → Port Campbell
- about A$25, about 1 h 30 min
- Cape Otway Lightstation entry
- about A$25
Get around
The town is small enough to walk: beach, shops and cafés are within about 15 minutes on foot. For Cape Otway, Maits Rest and the Otway Fly you need a car; there is no local public transport. Coaches stop in the town centre.
See and do
Known for
- Great Ocean Road midpoint
- Great Ocean Walk
- Cape Otway Lightstation
- Maits Rest rainforest walk
- Marriner's Lookout
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Otway Lightstation | Drive via the Great Ocean Road and Lighthouse Rd, about 30 min | About 45 min each way |
| Maits Rest rainforest walk | Drive about 15 min west on the Great Ocean Road | About 30 min each way |
| Otway Fly Treetop Adventures | Drive inland via Beech Forest, about 45 min | About 1 h each way |
| Twelve Apostles | Drive west on the Great Ocean Road, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h each way |
| Lorne | Drive east on the Great Ocean Road, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (Great Ocean Road and Pascoe St)
- Walk to beach, shops, cafés and the coach stop; motels, guesthouses and hostels within a few minutes.
- Marengo, 2 km south
- Quieter, closer to the beach and the start of the Great Ocean Walk; a short drive or 25-min walk to town.
- Hills above town (Marriner's Lookout Rd)
- Holiday houses with views; you need a car for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| How much is it? | How much is that? |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| Where is the beach? | Which way to the beach? |
| Is it patrolled today? | Are the flags up today? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the toilet? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- No train and no airport: arrive by car or coach, and book the coach seat ahead in summer.
- Fuel is limited along the Otway stretch; fill up in Apollo Bay or Colac.
- Swimming is ocean beach surf, not patrolled every day: swim between the flags when lifesavers are on duty.
- Mobile signal drops on parts of the Great Ocean Road and in the Otway forest.
- The Marriner's Falls walking track has been closed by Parks Victoria; check before you plan it.
A safe small town; the real risks are ocean surf, wildlife on the road at dusk, and bushfire on hot, windy summer days: check the fire danger rating before you drive inland.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Apollo Bay yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Great Ocean Road midpoint
- Great Ocean Walk
- Cape Otway Lightstation
- Maits Rest rainforest walk
- Marriner's Lookout
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Parks Victoria — Great Otway National Park: www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/great-otway-national-park
- Visit Victoria — Great Ocean Road: www.visitvictoria.com/regions/great-ocean-road
- Cape Otway Lightstation: www.lightstation.com/
- Public Transport Victoria — coach timetables: www.ptv.vic.gov.au/
- Wikivoyage: Apollo Bay, revision 5264757 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5264757
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Apollo Bay
Can you take me to this address, please?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From mobiles112
- Apollo Bay Medical Centre03 5237 8595
No embassies in Apollo Bay; consulates-general are in Melbourne. US, UK, Canada and New Zealand missions are all in Melbourne (check addresses).
Distances are approximate. Fuel, coach times and opening hours change: check before you drive.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/apollo-bay). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.