Australia · road trip
Melbourne to Adelaide by car: where to stop on the way
≈ 726 km / 451 mi · ~8 h driving · 7 stops
Melbourne to Adelaide is ≈ 726 km (451 miles), about 8 hours of driving direct. The best places to stop on the way: Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Port Fairy and Mount Gambier — with them it makes a relaxed 6-day road trip.
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Eight hours inland on the Western Highway — or the Great Ocean Road and the Limestone Coast, the long way that most people who've done it would choose again.
Where to stop between Melbourne and Adelaide
- 1
Melbourne
South-west to Torquay, where the Great Ocean Road begins.
- 2
Apollo Bay
A fishing town under the Otways rainforest, after the most dramatic cliff-hugging stretch of the road.
- 3
Port Campbell
Base for the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge — go at sunset, after the tour buses.
- 4
Port Fairy
A pretty nineteenth-century fishing village of bluestone cottages and a lighthouse on Griffiths Island.
- 5
Mount Gambier
A town built on volcanoes — the Blue Lake turns vivid blue from about November to March.
- 6
Robe
A seaside town on the Limestone Coast with an obelisk on the cliffs and crayfish on the menu.
- 7
Adelaide
Along the Coorong and into the city — the Barossa and McLaren Vale are an hour beyond.
Good to know
The Great Ocean Road is slow and winding; allow five or six days for the coastal way. South Australia restricts bringing fresh fruit and vegetables in from other states — check the rules before you cross.
Melbourne to Adelaide — FAQ
- Where should I stop between Melbourne and Adelaide?
- The best stops are Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Port Fairy, Mount Gambier and Robe. To make a trip of it, spend a night in Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Port Fairy and Robe. Open the drive on the map to see each stop and the drive time between them.
- How far is Adelaide from Melbourne?
- Melbourne to Adelaide is about 726 km (451 miles) by road.
- How long does it take to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide?
- Roughly 8 hours of driving direct, before any stops.
- Is Melbourne to Adelaide a good road trip?
- Yes — with the stops above it makes a 6-day trip. Stopful maps the whole route, drive times, where to stay, and what the trip will cost before you book.
More drives
Or start from a blank map and plan any drive — Stopful shows drive times and distance for every leg, finds hotels and EV chargers along the route, and estimates what the trip will cost — stays, food, fuel and tolls — before you book any of it.