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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
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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.