Planning a trip from Perth to Adelaide and then on to the Great Ocean Road.
It would be over and back on the same route because that's all time permits but it is also a shakedown for a bigger trip in 2024.
I have been told that Vans aren't allowed on the Great Ocean Road but I cant find that info, can anyone of the lucky more widely travelled answer this please?
Also any suggestions for a scenic or different route back to Port Augusta from the end of the Ocean Road, wont be calling in to Adelaide on the way back but obviously have to do the Nullarbor again as much as I wish time allowed a much different journey.
Cheers,
Kazngaz
Possum3 said
06:05 PM Jan 4, 2023
Welcome to GN's Gary, Caravans are allowed on GOR but; you would have a better chance of finding diamonds than being able to camp on it - I've towed both ways E-W and W-E with no problems other than the occasional overseas driver on wrong side of road coming in from viewing points.
Kazngaz said
06:11 PM Jan 4, 2023
Thanks for that, the same applies in WA with Indian Ocean Drive, horrific accidents on a wide highway.
Cuppa said
06:15 PM Jan 4, 2023
Kazngaz wrote:
Thanks for that, the same applies in WA with Indian Ocean Drive, horrific accidents on a wide highway.
Except you wouldn't describe the GOR as a 'wide highway' - well not a lot of it.
yobarr said
10:44 PM Jan 4, 2023
Kazngaz wrote:
Hi All,
Planning a trip from Perth to Adelaide and then on to the Great Ocean Road.
It would be over and back on the same route because that's all time permits but it is also a shakedown for a bigger trip in 2024.
I have been told that Vans aren't allowed on the Great Ocean Road but I cant find that info, can anyone of the lucky more widely travelled answer this please?
Also any suggestions for a scenic or different route back to Port Augusta from the end of the Ocean Road, wont be calling in to Adelaide on the way back but obviously have to do the Nullarbor again as much as I wish time allowed a much different journey.
Cheers,
Kazngaz
As Possum says, there is little chance of camping on the GOR. Below you will see a screen shot from a member's post in 2019, pointing out the excessive prices in the area. Note that that was 4 years ago!
Way back I used to work felling trees in the Otway Ranges, and had to regularly travel that road.
Possum's warnings are warranted. There certainly is some stunning scenery, but having travelled the world I felt "No big deal"? Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 4th of January 2023 10:45:30 PM
Possum is right - caravans are allowed on the GOR. It is winding and undulating so is slow going. At the start of the road just past Anglesea there is an archway across the road with a reminder that vehicles drive on the left of the road in Australia!
He is also right about the scarcity of caravan camping. Most caravan parks are booked months in advance so it would be like winning lotto to arrive at the gates and find a vacancy. Of course, there is always the chance of somebody cancelling.
You could stay in a caravan park in Geelong and just do a day trip on the GOR. An easy trip up and back with a couple of stops for sight-seeing and food and drink.
On our last trip from Geelong to the West (Albany) we went through Murray Bridge and headed north through Mt Pleasant, Wiliamstown and Nuriootpa. From there a short run west on the Sturt Highway and took the turnoff to Freeling. Then a short distance along the Barrier Highway to the turnoff onto the Horrocks Highway and up through Clare. A little further north turned west onto the Goyder Highway to Crystal Brook. From there it is only a short drive to Highway One that goes to Port Augusta and all points west.
That way has very little traffic and goes through quite a number of small towns to stop and have a coffee, meal or something stronger. I might add that we left Tailem Bend about 8:30am in the morning and made it to Kimba about 5:00pm (daylight saving time). And that was with a number of stops and sitting on 90km/h! (The reason for the long drive was because we were put six days behind schedule due to an unplanned funeral!)
While we didn't stay at the Nuriootpa caravan park this time it is a nice park, situated alongside the town football oval. During football season you can join the spectators for a local match. Also it is only a five-minute walk to the town center so you don't have to drive anywhere.
If you haven't driven over the Nullarbor before it is one of the bucket list trips! Be aware though that there is no water to fill caravan tanks from Norseman to Ceduna!
Murray
Whenarewethere said
11:03 PM Jan 4, 2023
2018 we did the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty ordinary to be generous, if you have done Italy's Amalfi Coast as a comparison, & the food is better & alcohol is cheaper & fauna is stunning.
As far as camping along the GOR, forget it & they police it. Camp before the start, start early, then camp after the finish, inland there is free camping.
Kazngaz said
11:38 PM Jan 4, 2023
Appreciate everyones replies and help. Thanks Long Weekend that sounds interesting getting back to port Augusta via your suggested route.
86GTS said
05:25 AM Jan 5, 2023
I agree with what other folks have posted on this thread but there is one cheapish camping alternative to be had on the GOR at Princetown Recreation Reserve, $20 un-powered, $25 powered site. Its a delightful less formal experience situated in a perfect location to explore the GOR. Flat large grassed sites some with shade. Nearby, to the West are all of the famous coastal rock formations with a car-park at each point of interest. Immediately to the East are the beautiful Otway Beech forests with walking tracks, Cape Otway lighthouse & Moonlight Head. I wouldn't bother doing day trips any further East than Lorne as it gets very busy. Don't miss Wreck Beach near Moonlight Head at low tide, its an energetic walk down & up the cliffs but its well worth it. Timboon is a nice town, we have relatives there as well as at Warrnambool, Simpson, Port Fairy & Koroit. Enjoy, I'd spend a week exploring, there's lots to see!
-- Edited by 86GTS on Thursday 5th of January 2023 12:51:18 PM
Mariner30 said
09:35 AM Jan 5, 2023
Kazngaz wrote:
Hi All,
Planning a trip from Perth to Adelaide and then on to the Great Ocean Road.
I have been told that Vans aren't allowed on the Great Ocean Road but I cant find that info, can anyone of the lucky more widely travelled answer this please?
Kazngaz
How would all the holiday makers/ caravan owners get their home away from home to the caravan parks all along the GOR if they can't drive there?
Including our previous Vic van and those of nearly every other direct family member,
It's poppy****.
hufnpuf said
09:51 AM Jan 5, 2023
Long Weekend wrote:
we went through Murray Bridge
and made it to Kimba
I stayed at the Murray Bridge Tourist Park over and back. It's a really nice park, the owners are really nice people. I got a drive through site so it was really convenient to get going. They are doing a lot of work, they've planted hedgerows between the sites which will be fabulous when they've grown in. Location-wise, Murray Bridge is just next to a big freeway/highway where you continue on. Very quiet location, but not far from the artery to continue west.
As for Kimba, the people at the roadhouse make the most marvellous curries. If you like curry, get some. There's a caravan park next to the roadhouse. Again, easy drivethrough.
Again on the subject of food (can you sense a theme?) if you go to a place called Nhill try the Dine Inn takeaway. Really good parmas and everything fresh cooked and delicious. Very good.
Plain Truth said
09:53 AM Jan 5, 2023
Whenarewethere wrote:
2018 we did the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty ordinary to be generous, if you have done Italy's Amalfi Coast as a comparison, & the food is better & alcohol is cheaper & fauna is stunning.
As far as camping along the GOR, forget it & they police it. Camp before the start, start early, then camp after the finish, inland there is free camping.
So the scenery is pretty ordinary. Did you get out of your car?
Long Weekend said
12:39 PM Jan 5, 2023
Yes, Hufnpuf, I second that about the curries at the Kimba service station and caravan park. I enjoyed a nice Vindaloo for our dinner that night. The caravan park is adjacent to and run by the service station, so after settling in walk out the gate into the dining room and enjoy a nice meal.
(Note that the entrance to the CP is from the service station forecourt - there is a track along the western boundary that looks like it is the entrance but isn't. I won't tell you how I found that out!)
Kimba also has a free camping area in the town but we stayed at the caravan park. Although when we left we drove to that place and emptied our cassette before continuing west.
Murray
Mike Harding said
12:55 PM Jan 5, 2023
Plain Truth wrote:
Whenarewethere wrote:
2018 we did the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty ordinary to be generous, if you have done Italy's Amalfi Coast as a comparison, & the food is better & alcohol is cheaper & fauna is stunning.
So the scenery is pretty ordinary. Did you get out of your car?
I agree PT and I have spent a lot of time in Italy including the Amalfi coast.
To the OP: May I suggest you park your van somewhere (Geelong?) and do a coach trip of the GOR? It is a beautiful road to drive but the poor old driver, especially with a caravan, hardly gets to see anything.
TimTim said
01:25 PM Jan 5, 2023
As you drive along and the wife looks out the window and says look at that it. Dont look .
At least the road is a bit wider than driving the Ring of Kerry .
Whenarewethere said
03:56 PM Jan 5, 2023
Plain Truth wrote:
Whenarewethere wrote:
2018 we did the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty ordinary to be generous, if you have done Italy's Amalfi Coast as a comparison, & the food is better & alcohol is cheaper & fauna is stunning.
As far as camping along the GOR, forget it & they police it. Camp before the start, start early, then camp after the finish, inland there is free camping.
So the scenery is pretty ordinary. Did you get out of your car?
Got out of the car along GOR & Amalfi, got photos of both.
I suppose the only disadvantage with Amalfi is I put on weight with all the good food!
Thanks all for the input it really is appreciated and as our travels begin we will use this forum more, reading through lots of old posts there is some great info here from experienced caravaners. Also agree with whenarewethere re Amalfi coastline, also been there and its amazing but it would be a brave soul who towed a caravan on those roads lol.
Tony Bev said
05:56 PM Jan 5, 2023
Welcome to the forum, Kazngaz
As others have already said, yes you can take a caravan, and/or any other type of RV, along the Great Ocean Road
If you had been told, that you can not take a caravan along that road, then you had been told a porkie
There are designated car park viewing sites, I last went along that road, the year before Covid
At that time, the only car park viewing sites, which had toilets was the one at Apollo Bay
Gaylehere said
11:01 PM Jan 5, 2023
When doing your extended trip in 2024 take time to visit the Eyre Peninsular. When we were at Kimba in 2017 there were three free camps in Kimba. Drive up to the lookout to see the sculptures of Eyre and ....... (name just escapes me at the moment). Cheers.
Gaylehere said
11:07 PM Jan 5, 2023
Eyre and Wylie.
Kazngaz said
03:04 PM Jan 6, 2023
Thanks Tony Bev and Gaylehere, we might even be able to fit that in on this trip.
Cheers
Hi All,
Planning a trip from Perth to Adelaide and then on to the Great Ocean Road.
It would be over and back on the same route because that's all time permits but it is also a shakedown for a bigger trip in 2024.
I have been told that Vans aren't allowed on the Great Ocean Road but I cant find that info, can anyone of the lucky more widely travelled answer this please?
Also any suggestions for a scenic or different route back to Port Augusta from the end of the Ocean Road, wont be calling in to Adelaide on the way back but obviously have to do the Nullarbor again as much as I wish time allowed a much different journey.
Cheers,
Kazngaz
Except you wouldn't describe the GOR as a 'wide highway' - well not a lot of it.
As Possum says, there is little chance of camping on the GOR. Below you will see a screen shot from a member's post in 2019, pointing out the excessive prices in the area. Note that that was 4 years ago!
Way back I used to work felling trees in the Otway Ranges, and had to regularly travel that road.
Possum's warnings are warranted. There certainly is some stunning scenery, but having travelled the world I felt "No big deal"? Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 4th of January 2023 10:45:30 PM
Possum is right - caravans are allowed on the GOR. It is winding and undulating so is slow going. At the start of the road just past Anglesea there is an archway across the road with a reminder that vehicles drive on the left of the road in Australia!
He is also right about the scarcity of caravan camping. Most caravan parks are booked months in advance so it would be like winning lotto to arrive at the gates and find a vacancy. Of course, there is always the chance of somebody cancelling.
You could stay in a caravan park in Geelong and just do a day trip on the GOR. An easy trip up and back with a couple of stops for sight-seeing and food and drink.
On our last trip from Geelong to the West (Albany) we went through Murray Bridge and headed north through Mt Pleasant, Wiliamstown and Nuriootpa. From there a short run west on the Sturt Highway and took the turnoff to Freeling. Then a short distance along the Barrier Highway to the turnoff onto the Horrocks Highway and up through Clare. A little further north turned west onto the Goyder Highway to Crystal Brook. From there it is only a short drive to Highway One that goes to Port Augusta and all points west.
That way has very little traffic and goes through quite a number of small towns to stop and have a coffee, meal or something stronger. I might add that we left Tailem Bend about 8:30am in the morning and made it to Kimba about 5:00pm (daylight saving time). And that was with a number of stops and sitting on 90km/h! (The reason for the long drive was because we were put six days behind schedule due to an unplanned funeral!)
While we didn't stay at the Nuriootpa caravan park this time it is a nice park, situated alongside the town football oval. During football season you can join the spectators for a local match. Also it is only a five-minute walk to the town center so you don't have to drive anywhere.
If you haven't driven over the Nullarbor before it is one of the bucket list trips! Be aware though that there is no water to fill caravan tanks from Norseman to Ceduna!
Murray
2018 we did the Great Ocean Road, it's pretty ordinary to be generous, if you have done Italy's Amalfi Coast as a comparison, & the food is better & alcohol is cheaper & fauna is stunning.
As far as camping along the GOR, forget it & they police it. Camp before the start, start early, then camp after the finish, inland there is free camping.
I agree with what other folks have posted on this thread but there is one cheapish camping alternative to be had on the GOR at Princetown Recreation Reserve, $20 un-powered, $25 powered site.
Its a delightful less formal experience situated in a perfect location to explore the GOR. Flat large grassed sites some with shade.
Nearby, to the West are all of the famous coastal rock formations with a car-park at each point of interest. Immediately to the East are the beautiful Otway Beech forests with walking tracks, Cape Otway lighthouse & Moonlight Head.
I wouldn't bother doing day trips any further East than Lorne as it gets very busy.
Don't miss Wreck Beach near Moonlight Head at low tide, its an energetic walk down & up the cliffs but its well worth it.
Timboon is a nice town, we have relatives there as well as at Warrnambool, Simpson, Port Fairy & Koroit. Enjoy, I'd spend a week exploring, there's lots to see!
-- Edited by 86GTS on Thursday 5th of January 2023 12:51:18 PM
I stayed at the Murray Bridge Tourist Park over and back. It's a really nice park, the owners are really nice people. I got a drive through site so it was really convenient to get going. They are doing a lot of work, they've planted hedgerows between the sites which will be fabulous when they've grown in. Location-wise, Murray Bridge is just next to a big freeway/highway where you continue on. Very quiet location, but not far from the artery to continue west.
As for Kimba, the people at the roadhouse make the most marvellous curries. If you like curry, get some. There's a caravan park next to the roadhouse. Again, easy drivethrough.
Again on the subject of food (can you sense a theme?) if you go to a place called Nhill try the Dine Inn takeaway. Really good parmas and everything fresh cooked and delicious. Very good.
So the scenery is pretty ordinary. Did you get out of your car?
(Note that the entrance to the CP is from the service station forecourt - there is a track along the western boundary that looks like it is the entrance but isn't. I won't tell you how I found that out!)
Kimba also has a free camping area in the town but we stayed at the caravan park. Although when we left we drove to that place and emptied our cassette before continuing west.
Murray
I agree PT and I have spent a lot of time in Italy including the Amalfi coast.
To the OP: May I suggest you park your van somewhere (Geelong?) and do a coach trip of the GOR? It is a beautiful road to drive but the poor old driver, especially with a caravan, hardly gets to see anything.
As you drive along and the wife looks out the window and says look at that it. Dont look
.
At least the road is a bit wider than driving the Ring of Kerry
.
Got out of the car along GOR & Amalfi, got photos of both.
I suppose the only disadvantage with Amalfi is I put on weight with all the good food!
Along the GOR:
You stopped at the wrong spot
Did them as well.
Here is the carpark:
As others have already said, yes you can take a caravan, and/or any other type of RV, along the Great Ocean Road
If you had been told, that you can not take a caravan along that road, then you had been told a porkie
There are designated car park viewing sites, I last went along that road, the year before Covid
At that time, the only car park viewing sites, which had toilets was the one at Apollo Bay