12 Best Local Tours in Melbourne

Had the absolute best time on this tour! Our group of friends were tossing up between driving the Great Ocean Road ourselves or doing a tour, and we're so glad we did the tour. First of all, it's a hell of a lot of driving to do yourself, so if you're tossing up, take it easy and go on the tour. Especially if you're trying to do a day trip. The tour is perfectly timed and spaced out. Never did we feel rushed to jump out, grab a photo and get back on the bus. They allow basically a hour or more at each of the big sites to roam around, get your pictures and just chill. When it's chilly out, you've eager to get back on the nice warm bus.

I've been on lots of tours and this was by far the best because of the guide. There was a warm welcome from Leonie when she picked us up at our hotel stop. She got our names, chatted for a bit to find out about where we were from and what we were looking forward to seeing. She really made the tour personal and wonderful. Her jokes and use of music along the tour were clever and definitely didn't come off as cheesy like other tours. She told us lots of interesting information about the sites and when we'd stop, she'd come around and tell us all the cool spots to go to and chat to us like she was a long time friend. There were a few people on the tour that seemed to be by themselves and she never hesitated to go over and make them feel welcome and enjoy the sites. So sweet to see :)

This tour was full of animals too! When we stopped for lunch at the Koala Kafe we saw 3 koalas, one of which was about 2 metres away munching on leaves. The cockatoos and other birds fly around and landing on everyones hands and heads made for a fun time. At the Gibson Steps we saw wild Echidnas, but the cherry on top was seeing a fox hanging around the bus after our last stop at the 12 Apostles.

I will definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanted to do the Great Ocean Road. Every stop is breathtaking and the 12 Apostles at sunset were unreal! Below are the stops from what I can remember.

Anglesea
Lorne
Kennet River (lunch and make sure to look for Koalas!)
Apollo Bay (get the ice cream at the little shop the guide tells you about. The chocolate is heaven!)
Gibson Steps (first glimpse at the Apostles an saw some Echidnas)
Loch Ard Gorge (Stunning views and great history)
12 Apostles (The best sunset

Went on the Great Ocean Road tour in early November 2018 with a group of friends and we had Leonie as our tour guide, who was totally awesome at her job because she was approachable, knowledgeable, and a good driver - thanks Leonie!

We got picked up in the Melbourne CBD area (close to where our Airbnb was) because there was multiple pick-up options available and made our way to our first stop for some morning tea/coffee/cakes in Torquay, before continuing on to multiple other stops. We saw and learned about some previous bush fires, got pictures with the Great Ocean Road arc sign and saw some wild (but sleeping!) koalas. We had lunch in Apollo Bay at a Thai cuisine restaurant and there was also a gelato shop near there with vegemite flavoured gelato which one of my friends ended up getting! There was a quick nature hike at the Maits Rest Rainforest area, which was beautiful and so refreshing.
But my favourite was by far the Loch Ard Gorge, which was one of the last stops we made. A little bit better than the more famed Twelve Apostles Park even! (Partly because the Twelve Apostles Park was also much more crowded than the Loch Ard Gorge lol) but Leonie also shared lots of interesting facts and was good at keeping the tour on time. We ended the day with a stop in Colac for dinner, before continuing on to drive back to Melbourne.

I would definitely recommend this tour, but do keep in mind that part of the reason it's a full day tour is because there is a decent amount of travelling time involved. In the beginning of the day, it's not as noticeable because there are more stops, so it doesn't feel like too much. But at the same time, there does need to be time at the end of the day to drive all the way back. Although this wasn't really a problem for our group, as we had enough bathroom breaks in between the driving and we were actually able to sleep during the drive.

The day started with a warm welcome from our amazing tour guide Bryce. He has a great sense of humour and a funny taste of music. He has a track for right about every occasion. The rain, the road, kangaroos, and many more. He also has a wide knowledge about Melbourne and the Grampians itself. First we had morning tea in Ballarat where we can have a sip of hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and some bread to start of the day. After that we got a little insight on the history of Melbourne on the way to Halls Gap. After the two hour journey we took a quick walk to see a small but beautiful waterfall. After the walk we got back to Halls Gap to take a quick bite. After lunch we made our way to what Bryce called "The Grand Canyon". Not exactly the Grand Canyon itself but the view with their rock formations were jaw-droppingly spectacular. After the Canyon we went to a lookout spot then to the McKenzie Waterfalls. The white curtain of water was like a view from the heavens. Although the weather was not on our side that time, we still had an amazing experience there. After that we went to another lookout spot. With all the fog and mist we could not see much but i could imagine the view on top of the mountain. Trees stretching out into the valleys and the light blue sky highlighting the bright green tree tops. From there we then went back down to Halls Gap to look for some hopping friends. There were some but not a lot. One still can get their pictures though. That was our day in the Grampians before heading back to Melbourne. I personally enjoyed the tour, how the tour guide lead us. Even though we had to battle some showers and downpours Bryce made this tour enjoyable.

The tour is Brighton beach + Moonlit sanctuary + beaches on Phillip Island + penguin parade

Pickup was on time, everything by the book.
Little box houses on Brighton beach are nice.
Moonlit sanctuary is great, the tour comes in for the great show with the animals, you can hand feed wallabies and kangaroos. If you are ready to eat your lunch on the bus, you can even meet the dingos up close and personal (I did it, had just enough time).
Another beach, IMHO as a beach better than Brighton.
Penguin parade is great, the tour guide gave great suggestions. The coming of penguins over the beach is somewhat dull, but them running along boardwalk is an experience.

Tour has a great concept and pace, good for all ages and fitness. Just don't expect to have an option of buying snacks and sodas as some places have none, and in others there are long queues. Moonlit is the only with a good balance.

Tour guide Yazmin was an energetic lady, with good DJ skills and open to conversation. Gives good tips what to do on various places during the tour.

Would take another tour with GoWest, and (unless you lack energy and or sense of humour) can definitely recommend Yazmin.

Was in Melbourne for a work-related trip and wanted to squeeze a visit to the Great Ocean Road amidst the busy schedule and the tour was perfect. Booking was hassle free and everything else was organised for you. Let the guide take you through the history and scenic places along the Great Ocean Road which included stops in Anglesea, the Memorial Arc, Apollo Bay, Gibson Steps, Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles at sunset. We were fortunate to have Leonie as our guide who was extremely professional, knowledgeable and thoughtful. She went above and beyond to ensure that everyone enjoyed the trip which truly enhanced the experience. The pick up started at 0900 and began making our way back to Melbourne at about 2000, finally reaching Melbourne approximately 2330. There were ample restroom stops during the trip and 2 stops for lunch and dinner (costs not included). Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who would like to spend a day exploring the Great Ocean Road without having the hassle to plan and drive (especially the return trip!).

I would like to say thank you so much for the wonderful tour that my husband and I were a part of on Wednesday 21/11/2018 to the Yarra Valley. Our bus driver Scott was great very well mannered and had great knowledge of Melbourne's and Yarra Valley's history which gave me a greater understanding of how both Melbourne and the Yarra Valley were instrumental in shaping our wonderful city.
I would not change any part of the tour it was wonderful with the right amount of stops and not to mention all the great food and wine that we enjoyed along the way and meet some wonderful people from all parts of the world.

Started our first full day in Melbourne on a wonderful note. Due to my motion sickness, I dreaded bus tours even after popping some medicine but this tour had multiple stops which kept my motion sickness in check. Also, Yazmin was our guide for our Great Ocean Road tour and I can say she's the best guide I have ever met! Yazmin made the journey enjoyable with her cheerful personality, rousing us up from our naps with her cute songs. She's a good DJ too.

Our tour started off with a lively and warm greeting from the guide , Mel. She has a lot of energy and provided us with information and history on the place we visit. Its a great experience walking at the Grampians and we also had a few spectacular scenic stops for lookouts. We especially enjoyed the outdoor lunch in the vicinity of Grampians and being up close and personal with the wild kangaroos and cockatoos nearby.

Thoroughly enjoyable day out with Go West Tours. Jordan and Beth really looked after us and made the day. We visited three wineries, a farm shop and a cheese maker and a chocolatier. At the second winery we had a meal. Jordan recommended the blade of beef and it didn’t disappoint. It was delicious! I would definitely recommend this tour to any wine lover. Great way to see the Yarra Valley also!

We booked a Go West Tour that included Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island from Melbourne. The tour guide Ricky was very entertaining and did a great job pointing out interesting things and keeping us on time. We booked the 'Ranger Guided Tour' at the Penguin Parade, which was definitely worth the extra cost. This is once in a lifetime "bucket list" activity, so do it right!

It's a well-arranged tour along the GOR and to see the sunset at the twelve apostles. It was a small group of ppl from all around the world. Very good experience with our guide Yazmin who has a lot of knowledge and stories to back this trip up. The on-road music choices make a good trip atmosphere. 10/10 for the scene, 11/10 for our guide.

Jordan from Go West was our guide and driver for the day trip out to Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade. He was very attentive to detail and ensured that everyone had an amazing time. The penguin parade is definitely a must if you’re in Melbourne! Thanks Jordan for the great time and yes, I’m a convert to team Wombat! :)

Just returned from a wonderful day in the Grampians with Jordan.
He is a very knowledgeable and friendly guide and I would recommend this trip to anyone.
The weather and scenery were brilliant (maybe a little too hot!) and we got to see Emus and Kangaroos during the trip.
It's an exhausting day but well worth it.

It’s a great tour with great spectacular view of Grampian, great lookout point at Boroka, amazing MacKenzies falls, really beautiful... a lot of kangaroos jumping around...a great nature trip...our guide - Joel is very humorous and knowledgeable , he is lovely and take care of everyone throughout the trip.

We went for a Yarra Valley Gourmet Tour on 18th December 2018. Our guide Scott was fantastic, humorous and knowledgeable. Our favourite part of the day tour was the lunch at Rochford Wineries :-)

Definitely a must-go if you're in Melbourne and while you're at it, ask for Scott!!!

From the hospitality, to the introduction to Melbourne, to the music that goes along with the scenary, everything is perfect. Love the fact that she disinfects her vehicle and provides hand santisers to us as well. Must try!

Just completed the Great Ocean Road tour with Go West, glad that I chose Go West and our guide Tassie is really great. It was a very long day but Tassie, was knowledgeable and made our trip enjoyable. Thanks to Tassie!