Melbourne in 7 Days: Budget + Day Trips
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Melbourne in 7 Days: Budget + Day Trips
A full week is what the Great Ocean Road actually deserves: a proper 2 days/1 night instead of the rushed single-day version in the shorter itineraries. This plan gives you two city days, the Great Ocean Road done right, then Yarra Valley, Phillip Island and the Dandenong Ranges on the days that follow. Shorter trip? See the 2-day , 3-day , 4-day or 5-day versions.
Book these before you go:
- Your ETA (subclass 601, ~$20 via the app) or eVisitor (subclass 651, free for EU/UK) - required before you fly
- A coastal town room for Day 3’s overnight, plus a rental car via Discover Cars or a 2-day Great Ocean Road tour on GetYourGuide
- Phillip Island Penguin Parade tickets for Day 6 (~$33) - these sell out, book ahead
- Melbourne accommodation for Days 1-2 and 7 - compare rates on Booking.com
Day 1: Laneways, both NGVs and the Yarra
The CBD laneway circuit (Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Degraves Street, Centre Place, the 1892 Block Arcade and 1870 Royal Arcade), all free. Federation Square’s free Ian Potter Centre/NGV Australia and ACMI, then NGV International on St Kilda Road, also free. Finish along the Yarra at Southbank.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Laneways, both NGV buildings, ACMI | Free |
| Yarra River, Southbank | Free |
Day 2: MCG, Queen Victoria Market and St Kilda
Walk the MCG for free, or add the tour and Australian Sports Museum for around $38. Queen Victoria Market (since 1878) is free to browse. Tram to St Kilda for the beach, pier and Luna Park’s exterior. Save the dedicated penguin viewing for Phillip Island later this week.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| MCG self-guided walk, Queen Victoria Market | Free |
| MCG tour + Sports Museum | ~$38 (optional) |
Day 3: Great Ocean Road, the coast out
Roughly 3 hours inland or 4 hours along the coast to reach the region, self-drive or a 2-day bus tour. Stop at Kennett River for wild koalas, then continue along the coast toward Apollo Bay, overnighting in a coastal town rather than pushing on to the Twelve Apostles the same day.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Self-drive fuel (split across group) | Varies, check current fuel prices |
| 2-day bus tour (includes overnight stop) | Varies, check current tour pricing |
| Overnight accommodation | Varies, check current rates |
Day 4: Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles and the return
Continue to the Twelve Apostles limestone stacks and Loch Ard Gorge, the two signature stops, then drive or ride back to Melbourne. Doing this over two days rather than one means you actually get time at each stop instead of a photo and back in the car.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge viewing | Free |
Day 5: Yarra Valley
About 1h15 from the city by car or tour, and a true day trip. Wine cellar-door tastings sit alongside Healesville Sanctuary’s native wildlife. Self-driving costs only fuel; a guided tour takes the driving off your hands.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Self-drive fuel (split across group) | Varies, check current fuel prices |
| Guided day tour | Varies, check current tour pricing |
| Wine tastings, Healesville Sanctuary entry | Varies by venue |
Day 6: Phillip Island
About 1.5-2 hours from the city, car or guided tour only - no bus service reaches the Penguin Parade. The little penguins come ashore at dusk, meaning a late return. Tickets run around $33 and sell out, so book ahead.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Self-drive fuel (split across group) | Varies, check current fuel prices |
| Guided tour | Varies, check current tour pricing |
| Penguin Parade tickets | ~$33 |
Day 7: Dandenong Ranges and Puffing Billy
About an hour out, and the easiest day of the whole week: Metro train to Belgrave, no car or tour needed, then the heritage Puffing Billy steam train through the Dandenong Ranges - a relaxed, car-free close to a week built mostly around driving.
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Metro train to Belgrave | Cost varies, check current Myki fares |
| Puffing Billy steam train | Check the official site for current ticket prices |
Is 7 days enough for Melbourne and Victoria?
Seven days is enough for the city core, a properly-paced Great Ocean Road with its own overnight, and three more day trips (Yarra Valley, Phillip Island, the Dandenongs) without needing to rush any of them. It’s still not enough for the Grampians, which really wants its own overnight on top of everything here, or Mornington Peninsula and Ballarat, which would each need to replace something else on this list.
Do you need a car for this itinerary?
Days 1-2 and Day 7 need none. Days 3-6 each need either your own car or booked tours - the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley and Phillip Island have no practical public-transport option.
For the full Victoria-base picture, see Melbourne, Australia: Budget Day-Trip Base and check Melbourne’s essential facts .
One real cost-saver: if you’re self-driving, rent the car for Days 3-6 as one continuous booking rather than separate day rentals - a multi-day rate covers the Great Ocean Road overnight, Yarra Valley and Phillip Island in a single, cheaper block.