Great Ocean Road EV Route Planner: Melbourne to Warrnambool Charging Guide

The Great Ocean Road is one of the best drives in Australia, and it makes for a genuinely good EV trip. Melbourne to Warrnambool via the scenic route is around 340 km. The winding coastal road means you're rarely doing highway speeds, which actually works in your favour for range. Two days is the right pace for this one. Not because the charging demands it, but because the scenery does.

Charging stops along the route

The Great Ocean Road isn't served by fast DC chargers at every stop, but the distances between towns are short enough that it doesn't matter. The main charging areas are:

• Geelong (~75 km from Melbourne): The last major city before the Great Ocean Road begins. Good fast DC charging here if you want to top up before the coast.
• Torquay (~100 km from Melbourne): The official start of the Great Ocean Road. Destination chargers and some faster options in town. A good first stop to check in and browse the surf shops.
• Lorne (~140 km from Melbourne): A popular holiday town with charger options at the foreshore and some accommodation. Slower AC charging, but the town is worth an hour of your time regardless.
• Apollo Bay (~185 km from Melbourne): The halfway point and a natural overnight stop. Destination chargers at the foreshore and at accommodation. Charge overnight here if you're doing two days.
• Warrnambool (~340 km from Melbourne): The end of the scenic stretch and the first real fast DC charging option after Geelong. Essential if you're continuing west toward Portland or the South Australian border.

Use the journey planner to verify current charger availability along the route. Charger access at smaller towns can change, and some accommodation chargers require booking ahead.

One day or two?

You can drive Melbourne to Warrnambool in a day. The driving time is around 5 hours without stops. But the Great Ocean Road is best taken slowly. The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, the Cape Otway lighthouse and rainforest, and the surf town atmosphere of Lorne and Apollo Bay are the whole point of the trip. Rushing through them to reach Warrnambool by dinner misses the appeal entirely.

Two days works well: Melbourne to Apollo Bay on Day 1, charging overnight at accommodation, then Apollo Bay to Warrnambool (or back toward Melbourne via the inland route) on Day 2. This turns the charging stops into town visits rather than delays.

Why the winding road helps your range

Unlike open highway driving, the Great Ocean Road rarely sees sustained speeds above 80 km/h. The winding cliff-edge road, lookout stops, and town speed limits mean your actual average speed is significantly lower than an interstate highway run. Lower speeds mean better efficiency. Many drivers find they arrive at each town with more battery than expected compared to a highway trip of the same distance. The elevation changes through the Otway Ranges add some variation, but nothing dramatic.

Continuing west from Warrnambool

If you're pushing on to Portland (~450 km from Melbourne) or beyond toward Mount Gambier and the South Australian border, charge fully at Warrnambool before leaving. The stretch west of Warrnambool along the Princes Highway has thinner charger coverage than the Great Ocean Road itself. Portland has charger options; Mount Gambier has good coverage. Use the journey planner to check the specific legs if you're extending the trip further west.