6-Day Western Victoria Harley Road Trip
Blue Sky Riding has designed this one so it feels like a genuine motorcycle adventure, rather than simply a trip from one destination to another. It takes in Ballarat, the Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, the 12 Apostles, Port Fairy, the Grampians and Daylesford before returning to Pakenham. The route draws on the established Great Southern Touring Route, which combines the Great Ocean Road, Grampians and Victorian Goldfields.
Starting point: Pakenham, Victoria
Finish: Pakenham, Victoria
Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Direction: West from Pakenham
Best for: Harley-Davidson riders, motorcycle touring and weekend adventure riders
🗺️ The Route at a Glance
Day 1: Pakenham → Ballarat
Overnight: Ballarat
Day 2: Ballarat → Geelong → Torquay → Lorne → Apollo Bay
Overnight: Apollo Bay
Day 3: Apollo Bay → Otways → 12 Apostles → Port Campbell → Port Fairy
Overnight: Port Fairy
Day 4: Port Fairy → Warrnambool → Dunkeld → Halls Gap
Overnight: Halls Gap
Day 5: Halls Gap → Grampians → Ararat → Ballarat → Daylesford
Overnight: Daylesford
Day 6: Daylesford → Trentham → Woodend/Macedon → Yarra Valley → Pakenham
This gives riders a great mixture of coastal roads, mountain roads, country highways, rainforest, historic towns and scenic lookouts.
DAY 1 – Pakenham → Ballarat
Suggested route
Pakenham → Lilydale → Whittlesey → Gisborne → Bacchus Marsh → Ballarat
For a motorcycle trip, I’d take the more interesting country roads rather than simply jumping on the freeway for the whole journey.
🌳 Scenic stops
Lilydale
A great early stop for coffee and a leg stretch. The surrounding forest makes this a very different start to the trip compared with the Melbourne suburbs.
Gisborne
A good place for Lunch.
Ballarat
Arrive in the afternoon and explore Ballarat’s historic centre.
Ballarat is particularly well suited to the beginning of the trip because of its gold-rush history, heritage architecture and motorcycle-friendly country-town atmosphere. Visit Victoria describes Ballarat as Victoria’s largest inland city and a major destination on the Great Southern Touring Route.
📸 Ballarat highlights
- Ballarat Heritage Precinct
- Lake Wendouree
- Sovereign Hill
- Ballarat Botanical Gardens
- Historic Main Road
🛏️ Overnight – Ballarat
Sovereign Park Motor Inn
Web: Ballarat Accommodation | Sovereign Park Motor Inn
Phone: 03 5331 3955
Address: 223 Main Road, Ballarat VIC 3350
Email: reservations@sovpark.com
The property has motel rooms and self-contained accommodation, and is conveniently located for exploring Ballarat.
DAY 2 – Ballarat → Torquay → Lorne → Apollo Bay
This is where the trip really starts to feel like a Great Ocean Road motorcycle adventure.
Suggested route
Ballarat → Meredith → Geelong → Torquay → Bells Beach → Anglesea → Aireys Inlet → Lorne → Kennett River → Apollo Bay
🏄 Torquay
Torquay is the official eastern gateway to the Great Ocean Road.
Stop for coffee and take in the surf culture before heading towards the coast.
🌊 Bells Beach
One of Australia’s most famous surfing locations.
A great photography stop before continuing towards Anglesea.
🌊 Great Ocean Road
From here, the riding gets even better.
The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is regarded as one of the most picturesque parts of the Great Ocean Road, with cliffs, beaches, rainforest and spectacular coastal views.
☕ Lorne
Perfect for lunch.
Take a break overlooking the ocean before continuing west.
🐨 Kennett River
Keep an eye out for koalas and native wildlife.
🏍️ Apollo Bay
Arrive late afternoon and enjoy the waterfront.
🛏️ Overnight – Apollo Bay
Waterfront Motor Inn
Web: Home | Waterfront Motel Innhttps://www.apollobaywaterfront.com.au/
Phone: 03 5237 7333
Address: 173 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay VIC 3233
Email: info@apollobaywaterfront.com.au
The motel is directly on the Great Ocean Road and is surrounded by the coastal ranges of the Otway National Park.
DAY 3 – Apollo Bay → Otways → 12 Apostles → Port Fairy ........Total: 186 KM
This is arguably the biggest sightseeing day of the trip.
Suggested route: Apollo Bay → Great Otway National Park → Cape Otway → Port Campbell → 12 Apostles → Gibson Steps → Loch Ard Gorge → London Bridge → Bay of Islands → Port Fairy Total: 186KM
Great Otway National Park
The road through the Otways provides a fantastic contrast to the coastal riding.
If time allows, consider a detour towards:
Cape Otway Lightstation or Triplet Falls
The Great Ocean Road touring route specifically highlights the Otways, Triplet Falls and Cape Otway as major attractions.
12 Apostles
This is the major photographic stop of the day.
Allow plenty of time here—don’t simply ride past.
Gibson Steps
Where conditions and access allow, descend towards the beach and experience the enormous limestone cliffs from below.
Loch Ard Gorge
Another must-stop section of the Shipwreck Coast.
London Bridge
Continue west and stop at the coastal lookouts.
Bay of Islands
A spectacular way to finish the Shipwreck Coast section.
Port Fairy
Continue to Port Fairy for the evening.
Port Fairy is one of Victoria’s most picturesque coastal towns, with historic buildings, fishing heritage and beautiful beaches.
Overnight – Port Fairy
Central Motel Port Fairy
Web: www.portfairymotel.com.au
Phone: 03 5568 1800
Address: 56 Sackville Street, Port Fairy VIC 3284
Email: stay@portfairymotel.com.au
The motel is centrally located and offers on-site parking and BBQ facilities.
DAY 4 – Port Fairy → Warrnambool → Dunkeld → Halls Gap ......Total: 165 KM
Today you leave the coast and head towards the mountains.
Suggested route: Port Fairy → Warrnambool → Koroit → Mortlake → Penshurst → Dunkeld → Halls Gap Total 165 KM
🌊 Warrnambool
Have breakfast and take a ride along the waterfront.
If travelling during whale season, Logans Beach is worth checking out, as southern right whales can be seen from the viewing platform during winter.
🏔️ Dunkeld
Dunkeld is the southern gateway to the Grampians.
Stop for lunch and admire the views towards Mount Sturgeon and Mount Abrupt.
🏔️ Halls Gap
Continue into the Grampians/Gariwerd.
Halls Gap is an excellent base for motorcycle riders because you’re surrounded by mountains, wildlife and some spectacular roads.
🛏️ Overnight – Halls Gap
Halls Gap Motel
Phone: 03 5356 4209
Address: 153 Grampians Road, Halls Gap VIC 3381
Email: enquiries@hallsgapmotel.com.au
The motel has free onsite parking, BBQ facilities and is approximately 300 metres from the centre of Halls Gap.
DAY 5 – Explore the Grampians → Ararat → Ballarat → Daylesford ......Total: 176 KM
I’d make Day 5 a mountain and scenic-road day rather than rushing straight to Daylesford.
Morning – Grampians
Start early.
📸 Boroka Lookout
One of the best views in the Grampians, looking across Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield.
📸 Reed Lookout & The Balconies
Continue through the mountains for views across Victoria Valley, Lake Wartook and the surrounding ranges.
💦 MacKenzie Falls
Important: Check current access conditions before travelling. Visit Victoria currently notes closures associated with revitalisation works from February 2026 into later 2026.
🏍️ Afternoon route
Halls Gap → Stawell → Ararat → Beaufort → Ballarat → Creswick → Daylesford
Ararat provides another good fuel and coffee stop.
The Ararat–Ballarat section also gives you views back towards the Grampians and Pyrenees ranges.
🌿 Creswick
A worthwhile country-town stop before heading towards Daylesford.
♨️ Daylesford
Finish the day in Victoria’s famous spa country.
Walk around Lake Daylesford or explore Vincent Street before dinner.
🛏️ Overnight – Daylesford
Daylesford Central Motor Inn
Web: Home | Daylesford
Phone: 03 5348 2029
Address: 54 Albert Street, Daylesford VIC 3460
Email: stay@daylesfordcentralmotorinn.com
The motel is centrally located within walking distance of Daylesford’s shops, cafes, restaurants and Lake House.
DAY 6 Daylesford → Trentham → Macedon → Yarra Valley → Pakenham Total: 176k
Don’t make the final day a boring ride home!
Suggested route
Daylesford → Trentham → Blackwood → Macedon → Mount Macedon → Yarra Valley → Healesville → Yarra Glen → Yarra Junction → Launching Place → Pakenham Total: 176KM
This gives you one final day of country roads before arriving back in Pakenham.
🌳 Trentham
A great morning coffee stop.
🌲 Blackwood
Ride through the forested country around the Wombat State Forest.
🏔️ Mount Macedon
Take the scenic roads around Mount Macedon and stop at one of the lookouts.
🍷 Yarra Valley
Continue towards the Yarra Valley.
Stop for lunch or coffee before heading towards Healesville.
🏍️ Final stretch
Healesville → Yarra Glen → Yarra Junction → Launching Place → Pakenham
And just like that, you’ve completed your six-day Western Victoria motorcycle adventure.
🗺️ Six-Day Route Summary
Day | Route | Overnight |
1 | Pakenham → Gisborne → Ballarat | 🛏️ Ballarat |
2 | Ballarat → Torquay → Bells Beach → Lorne → Apollo Bay | 🛏️ Apollo Bay |
3 | Apollo Bay → Otways → 12 Apostles → Shipwreck Coast → Port Fairy | 🛏️ Port Fairy |
4 | Port Fairy → Warrnambool → Dunkeld → Halls Gap | 🛏️ Halls Gap |
5 | Halls Gap → Grampians → Ararat → Ballarat → Creswick → Daylesford | 🛏️ Daylesford |
6 | Daylesford → Trentham → Macedon → Yarra Valley → Pakenham | 🏠 Home |
🔥 Blue Sky Riding – Trip Highlights
🏍️ Best motorcycle road: Great Ocean Road – Lorne to Apollo Bay
🌊 Best coastal scenery: 12 Apostles and Shipwreck Coast
🏔️ Best mountain riding: Grampians/Gariwerd
📸 Best photography: Boroka Lookout
🌿 Best rainforest: Great Otway National Park
🏘️ Best historic town: Ballarat
🌅 Best coastal town: Port Fairy
♨️ Best relaxing overnight: Daylesford
🔥 Best overall day: Day 3 – Apollo Bay to Port Fairy
Blue Sky Riding final point:
Accommodation and road conditions can change, so riders should confirm availability directly with the accommodation provider and check current road conditions before departure. The Grampians in particular currently has access changes around MacKenzie’s Falls.
