great ocean road auto tours - private day tours

We had the most wonderful private auto tour of the Great Ocean Road, run by Great Ocean Road Auto Tours, including extras tailored to us such as a rainforest walk and visiting a eucalyptus forest to see some koalas - great fun learning to spot them! And of course, the beauty of the scenery along the Great Ocean Road itself, especially the Apostles - fabulous!Michael was a knowledgeable and entertaining guide, the car very comfortable and we had a super day. Although doing it in one day is quite long, it suited our available time. Michael and Jenny can plan a longer tour if that suits you. Definitely a great way to see the Great Ocean Road!

I would highly recommend booking with Michael to explore the magnificent Great Ocean Road. He was very flexible in accommodating our requests, very passionate in sharing his local knowledge of the area and ensured that we had a comfortable, relaxing and memorable day.

We were on a short family holiday in Apollo Bay and went on a one day tour with Michael.We first did the Maits Rest Rainforest trail, followed by sightseeing at the 12 Apostles, London Bridge and the Loch Ard Gorge. After a nice lunch break and a little more sightseeing in Port Campbell, we made our way back to Apollo Bay and stopped for koala spotting on the way.Michael was a very friendly person- Talkative, friendly, experienced and very insightful. The service was very professional and the tour was extremely flexible- One of us was carsick on the way and Michael offered to stop the car a few times along with some advice. He planned the tour around us, our interest and how much time we had available. Transport was rather comfortable- a BMW X5. Michael was also a very good driver, even on the curvy and unpredictable Great Ocean Road.We were supposed to go on a second tour the following day to the Otway Flys, but unfortunately the weather did not allows us to follow through. Michael phoned us earlier that morning to inform us, and we were very appreciative of his honesty.Overall: An absolutely brilliant tour and we would definitely recommend it 100% to anyone else!

I've used this private transfer from the Melbourne airport to the Otway National Park for a conservation experience at the Otway Ecolodge. Met Michael at the airport who is a very reliable and knowledgeable driver and guide. He knows the places and people well and is able to engage you at every level. Other than the world famous 12 Apostles, the Koalas and the Kangaroos, the little known Tiger Quoll is worth exploring for a visit at the Ecolodge.

Great day out exploring Great Ocean Road with Michael , who made our day tour a fulfilling one. Frankly I was really looking forward to this Day Tour and it was indeed worth paying for as Michael is very experienced in this area , comfortable transport was provided, and everything went on as planned smoothly. Thanks Michael for making it possible. Look for Michael, a reliable and experienced guide for Great Ocean Road.

Simon Greenland is the right choice for a private guide in Melbourne – very informative and cool. Close encounter with a lot of kangaroos, koalas in their natural habitat and feeding colorful and big birds was the highlight of our trip along the way to Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles and the London Bridge. Lunch at The Bay Leaf and a taste of their local beer was great. It was a long whole day drive but worth it!

We had a fantastic time on or two-day Great Ocean Road tour with Great Ocean Road Auto Tours. Michael provided everything that was promised and more:- We were picked up on time by Michael in his black BMW X5 as promised- The car was in immaculate condition throughout the tour- Michael accommodated a last-minute itinerary change which saw us dropped off in Melbourne rather than in Port Fairy. This was greatly appreciated as we would have been in a bit of a bind otherwise. He didn't charge much for the change despite the additional km's and time required- He was a very informative and pleasant tour guide, pointing out the famous and local highlights and making pleasant conversation throughout- Michael also acted as our own personal photographer and took many pictures of us together along the GOR. Without him, we probably wouldn't have as many great photos together- He was also very accommodating along the way, stopping as frequently as we wanted for bathroom breaks and to stretch our legsThis tour was definitely worth the premium over a bus tour - we got to see everything we wanted to, at our own pace, without having to fight with crowds and lineups that often come along with tour groups. I don't think we could have fit as many sights in if we had done it any other way.These were priceless memories for us, thanks again Michael!!

Where do I begin about the fantastic tour with Great Ocean Road Auto Tours? For starters, Michael was most accommodating to our request for a private tour when my friend and I made the very last minute (a week prior to trip) decision to not drive along Great Ocean Road ourselves. The other bigger tour companies have either turned us down or have never gotten back to us so you can imagine our state of panic at securing a tour. Michael's accommodating reply was almost a godsend. He was very prompt with his email replies and also tried his best to answer all of our queries. He was also very accommodating to our schedule and requests for pickup at the airport and drop-off at our accommodation in the city.Our 3 day 2 nights trip along Great Ocean Road with Michael was nothing short of wonderful. He tailored the trip according to the places we are interested to visit, starting off with a stay at Apollo Bay and wild koalas spotting and a refreshing nature walk at Maits Rest Nature Walk on the first day; visiting the 12 Apostles and Port Campbell on the second day before stopping at Warrnambool for our second night stay; exploring Warrnambool and whale spotting at Logan Beachs on our third day before heading back to the city.Michael was the perfect guide, always pointing out interesting things to look out for along the drive and making it a point to stop at scenic points for us to soak in everything. Perhaps the thing we appreciated most about Michael was that he was took a very laid-back approach to the whole tour and we never once felt hurried along, which was not something we could have gotten with a more commercialised tour. Michael also made it a point to make sure that our accommodations at the various stops are quality stays and we thoroughly felt at home at each place he put us up. Conversations with Michael came easily and we were plenty entertained by him on the long drives between each town.I would definitely recommend Michael if you are looking for an amazing introductory tour around Great Ocean Road. Looking forward to your future farm stay, Michael! :)

Barb and Ray, thank you for your kind words. It was a pleasure to show you the different aspects of the Great Ocean Road. We got to see a good cross section of what is available and I am glad you were happy with the service. Enjoy the rest of your tour in Australia.

Thank you Michael for a fun filled day along the Great Ocean Road!!Michael offers tailored tours based on what you would like to do and see along the beautiful Great Ocean Rd. he can accommodate up to 4 people in their BMW X5 vehicles. He picks up at Melbourne Airport, Melbourne city center, and Geelong station.Great seeing Bells Beach (being a bodyboarder) and walking in rainforests. The highlights of our group were the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge! So beautiful. Weather cooperated making for a perfect day! And spotting quite a few koalas was a bonus!!Highly recommend this personalized, private tour where you go at your own pace and beat the throngs of tourist bus crowds in and out of sites!

We went on a wonderful one day trip along the Great Ocean Road from Appollo bay. Michael asked us before what we wanted to see and so our tailored trip started off by spotting a few wild koalas at Cape Otway, before visiting the lighthouse. We then saw all the impressive rock formations, not just the 12 Apostles but also some less famous ones, which had less tourists and were therefore even more breathtaking. Our favourite was the Loch Ard gorge (see picture). This picture also highlights how helpful and well-prepared Michael was: the weather was worse than expected, but he provided us with raincoats which was really really helpful. Michael has lived in the region for more than 20 years so he knows the region inside out, and he is also a friendly, nice and relaxed guy. Even though we saw so much, we never felt hurried and could always take our time. Staying in Appollo Bay is also a good idea because it wins you a lot of time to spend at the sights. This was one of the highlights of our Australia trip and you should take it as well!

From the Moment I landed at Melbourne airport and was picked up by Michael, I had a fantastic and relaxing trip. The coastline was amazing and Michael's knowledge of the local area was extensive. I found Michael very easy to talk to and the Loch Ard was the highlight of my trip. I recommend anyone wanting to have a personalised tour in comfort along the Great Ocean Road. Thanks Michael!

The trip from Lorne to Apollo Bay was breathtaking and the 12 Apostles were awesome. The highlight of the trip was the Koalas at Cape Otway!! My driver Michael was very knowledgeable and flexible with the itinerary which made my trip very enjoyable and i had an amazing time. I recommend this tour for anyone who wants to travel in a comfortable and relaxed manner.

It was a pleasure to be Michaels first guest on his very individual tour around the Great Ocean Road. We spend a full day from 9 am to 6 pm exploring the area and he made it in a varied way of seeing the impressive "must sees" like Twelve Apostles, London Bridge or Loch Ard but also some hidden gems like rain forests, Koalas or a beautiful lighthouse. Michael lived more than twenty years in this area and was a Policeman so I truly enjoyed his safe driving skills on the hilly road but also his down to earth way of explaining the background information. It was a well timed way of doing things like driving, walking & sightseeing and having a good coffee in between. For me traveling on my own it was a beautiful and relaxed day of exploring the Great Ocean Road - of course you can do it on your own but you we'll never hear the real side of life at this area of the world! Thanks again for the great day out and I wish Michael a very successful further business!

Breathtaking experience the views were amazing. The tour guide was very experienced in the area, making it so much more enjoyable. Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a more personalised tour.