Finalizing our plans for our trip this year and am still stumped on the GOR. We are flying out of Ca

Finalizing our plans for our trip this year and am still stumped mustang car rental on the GOR. We are flying mustang car rental out of Cairns June 9, 2014 and heading to Melbourne. We do not check into our apartment until the 11th of June. Check in time is flexible. I wanted to fly to Melbourne (which airport, mustang car rental I saw Songdocs comment about a second Melbourne airport) and get a rental car and head toward the GOR. I am thinking we could take the quick route south to GOR and then come back towards Melbourne the next two days. Do you think this is enough time? How much do you think we could see at this time of year?
If you get out of Cairns mustang car rental early on the 9th you could certainly get to the GOR that day. You could stop at Torquay or Lorne that night , drive the GOR to Warrnambool the next day, stay the 10th in Warrnambool mustang car rental ( or if you don't want to go that far just stop in Apollo Bay) and then take the inland route ( Mortlake, Lismore etc 3 1/2 hrs) back to Melbourne on the 11th.
From Tullamarine you head west for the GOR, but don't flee too quickly. Dawdle around Torquay and Bells and Winkie mustang car rental Pop, as some of the best surf swells through Bass Strait will be happening, and some of the best surfers will be having fun like they have been here at Merewether this weekend.
We spent 4 and a half days on the Great Ocean Road and enjoyed every minute of it.Too many people just do a quick drive to Lorne( which we found too touristy) mustang car rental and then turnaround.Do yourselves a favor and drive all the way to the end staying at several towns to savor the beauty of this area.
Thank you all for your replies. I will digest this information mustang car rental with a map. So, it looks like Tullamarine is our airport. I haven't booked mustang car rental flights in Australia so I have flexibility. Wanted to leave Cairns on the 9th and head straight to Torquay or Lorne that day. Long travel day, but that is okay. Yes, I know it will be cold and that is fine with us! Maree, the only set in stone is our flight back to the states from Sydney on the 18th. We do have an apartment rented in Melbourne beginning the 11th but that could be pushed back on night I think. I guess the question is 2 or three nights on GOR. I do want to explore the Melbourne area and all it has to offer. Should I book my hotels mustang car rental now? I would think being winter there would be vacancy.
Sunset is at 5.07 pm. Tullamarine to Lorne is about 150 kms / 2 hours. Unless you want to drive in the dark, the JQ flight at 10.35 am is the only choice. mustang car rental Any opportunity to move up the apartment mustang car rental rental by a couple of days and then put the GOR trip at the end of your Melbourne visit, rather than at the beginning?
tt7, thanks for that suggestion. I will make sure I book the 10:30 am flight. I need to get that done this weekend. I think I am sticking to the plan to head straight to GOR from Melbourne on the 9th. My head is alread swimming from making these plans. (oh, I hope I am not making a mistake not taking your advice). Thank you for the heads up about when it gets dark. We do not want to drive in the dark on the left hand side of the road! Again, I appreciate all the help from my fodors friends!