The Great Ocean Road, a 150-mile (240-km) road along the south coast of Victoria, is most easily accessible from Melbourne. But, despite Australia's vast size, it's also easy to reach from Sydney, 600 miles (970 km) north-east. Here's how to get from Sydney to the Great Ocean Road.
By Air and Road
Duration: 1.5 hour flight, plus 1.5 hour drive
There are many flights every day connecting Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities. From Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road—or, the eastern starting point of it, Torquay—is 64 miles (103 km) away, and takes about 75-90 minutes to drive to. The Freeway Extension bypasses Geelong, so you don't have to slow your journey down by going through that city.
Alternatively, if you want to get a bit closer to the Great Ocean Road, Avalon Airport is just outside Geelong. This small airport receives flights from Sydney (as well as a few other cities), and is about a half-hour drive from Torquay.
By Private Car
Duration: 10+ hours
If you want to extend the road trip, it's possible to get all the way from Sydney to the Great Ocean Road by car. Doing the 600 mile (970 km) trip in one go would take about 10 hours, but it's more comfortable spread out over at least a couple of days.
As some of Australia's largest mountains sit between Sydney and Melbourne, in the Kosciuszko National Park and Alpine National Park, the quickest overland route skirts them to the north. It also bypasses Wollongong, taking a more inland road, through Goulburn, Albury on the New South Wales-Victoria border, and Wangaratta, before reaching Melbourne. It makes sense to stop for several days in Melbourne, if nowhere else.