Combine world-class golf, tennis, iconic coastlines, and Australia’s most spectacular multi-day hike.
Victoria is one of the only places in the world where you can combine:
- A Grand Slam tennis tournament
- World-famous golf courses
- A legendary coastal road trip
- A pack-free, self-guided Great Ocean Walk adventure
Whether you’re visiting for the Australian Open 2026, planning a golf escape, or dreaming of a multi-day hike along the Great Ocean Walk, this itinerary brings together the best of Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road.
At Walk91, located in Apollo Bay at the start of the Great Ocean Walk, we help travellers craft seamless holidays that blend world-class sport with breathtaking coastal wilderness. From a 3 Day to 4, 5, 7 or 10 Day Great Ocean Walk self-guided tour, to luggage transfers, accommodation, safety briefings and local support — we make the walk simple, safe and unforgettable.
Below is your complete, fully updated 2026 guide.
🎾 Australian Open 2026: The Best Way to Start Your Grand Slam Holiday
The Australian Open 2026 runs from Monday 12 January to Sunday 1 February, delivering three weeks of elite tennis, summer sunshine and entertainment at Melbourne Park. After the excitement of the tournament, many visitors continue their holiday by exploring the Great Ocean Road and beginning the Great Ocean Walk.
🎾 Opening Week: 12–17 January 2026
Opening Week is an affordable and fun way to experience Melbourne Park, offering:
- AO qualifying rounds
- Open practice sessions
- Kids’ Tennis Day (free entry for kids on day one)
- Live music each night
- The Million Dollar 1 Point Slam
- Festival zones & food markets
It’s the perfect warm-up to the Main Draw.
🎾 Main Draw: 18 Jan – 1 Feb 2026
Once the Main Draw begins, some of the world’s greatest players compete across:
- Rod Laver Arena
- John Cain Arena
- Margaret Court Arena
- Kia Arena & 1573 Arena
- Outdoor show courts
You can watch matches from premium seating, festival zones, or via big screens throughout Melbourne Park.
🎫 Ticket Tips for AO 2026
- Tickets on sale now via Ticketmaster
- Ground Passes start from $10 adults / $5 kids (Opening Week)
- Day sessions begin around 11:00am
- Night sessions usually start at 7:00pm
- You can re-enter the venue by scanning out
- Ground Passes allow access to practice courts, music stages and many matches
After you’ve soaked up the energy of the AO, it’s time to head toward the coast.
⛳ Begin Your Journey: Melbourne’s Famous Sandbelt Golf Region
Before travelling to the Great Ocean Road, many golfers start their holiday in the legendary Melbourne Sandbelt — a region famous for its exceptional sandy loam soil, naturally contoured fairways and iconic bunkering.
⭐ Why the Sandbelt Is World-Famous
The region’s unique soil was deposited thousands of years ago by ancient floods, creating natural drainage and firm surfaces that golfers adore. This has resulted in some of the most celebrated golf course architecture in the world.
⭐ The “Jewels of the Sandbelt”
- Royal Melbourne (West & East) – Consistently ranked Top 10 in the world
- Kingston Heath – World-class bunkering, immaculate greens
- Metropolitan Golf Club – Host of global tournaments
- Victoria Golf Club – Host of the Australian Open
- Yarra Yarra Golf Club
- Commonwealth Golf Club
- Huntingdale Golf Club
- Peninsula Kingswood (North & South) – Stunning recent redevelopment
Whether you play one course or several, the Sandbelt sets a spectacular tone for your holiday — and it’s only a short drive from the Great Ocean Road.
🚗 Drive the Great Ocean Road: Scenic Coastal Golf & Lookouts
After Melbourne, follow the Great Ocean Road toward Apollo Bay. This winding coastal drive is one of the world’s most iconic routes, offering beaches, cliffs, rainforest and wildlife.
Along the way are excellent coastal golf courses:
⛳ Torquay Golf Club — A Scenic Introduction to Coastal Golf
A par-71 links-inspired layout redesigned by Ogilvy Clayton, Torquay Golf Club offers ocean views, rolling fairways and friendly facilities.
✔ Visitor-friendly
✔ Hire clubs available
✔ Perfect first stop after Melbourne
⛳ Anglesea Golf Club — Play with Kangaroos
Anglesea is famous for its resident kangaroos grazing beside the fairways — a uniquely Australian experience.
✔ Kangaroo tours
✔ Relaxed pace
✔ Great family option
⛳ Lorne Golf Club — Ocean & Rainforest Views
This peaceful nine-hole course overlooks Louttit Bay and is surrounded by forest. It’s ideal for a relaxed round between scenic stops.
✔ Stunning views
✔ Gentle pace
✔ Excellent mid-drive break
⛳ Apollo Bay Golf Club — At the Start of the Great Ocean Walk
At the trailhead of the Great Ocean Walk, Apollo Bay Golf Club combines ocean frontage with a friendly community feel. It’s a beautiful nine-hole course perfect for a pre-walk warm-up or post-walk celebration.
✔ Over 100 years old
✔ Beachfront
✔ Welcoming atmosphere
⛳ Peterborough Golf Club — Coastal Dunes Near the Twelve Apostles
Dramatic dunes, rugged scenery and shorter holes make this a great post-sightseeing round.
✔ Quiet
✔ Wild scenery
✔ Close to iconic attractions
⛳ Warrnambool Golf Club — A Regional Favourite
This popular seaside course offers rolling fairways, ocean breezes and excellent value.
✔ Public course
✔ Great coastal views
✔ Strong local reputation
🌊 Begin Your Adventure: The Great Ocean Walk
After enjoying tennis and golf, it’s time to reconnect with nature along the Great Ocean Walk — a 104 km coastal hike from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles.
You can choose from:
- 3-day highlights walk
- 6-day half-trail itineraries
- 10-day full trail
- custom self-guided Great Ocean Walk tours
Walk91 offers both self-guided and pack-free options, supported by luggage transfers so you only carry a daypack.
🥾 Is the Great Ocean Walk Hard?
The Great Ocean Walk difficulty varies by section. Some days are gentle and scenic, while others involve hills, steps and sandy trails. That said, thousands of people complete it each year — including many who start as golfers or tennis fans adding the walk to their Victorian holiday.
In warmer months, the trail is usually dry, and you can comfortably walk in good-quality running shoes or trainers rather than heavy boots.
🎒 Great Ocean Walk Packing Tips & Essentials
If you’re already bringing golf or tennis gear, you’ll be relieved to know that Great Ocean Walk packing is very light during the summer months. January is warm, dry and ideal for walking, so you won’t need heavy boots or bulky cold-weather clothing. Walk91 provides a full packing list, but in summer the essentials are simple:
- comfortable running shoes or trainers (the trail is drier in January)
- breathable light clothing
- a sunhat and sunscreen
- sunglasses
- a lightweight weatherproof jacket
- A container for at least 2 litres of water
- snacks
- a small first-aid kit
- your phone or camera
Because Walk91 offers pack-free Great Ocean Walk tours with luggage transfers, you only carry a light daypack—perfect if your suitcase already includes golf attire or tennis clothing from the Australian Open. pack-free with Walk91 thanks to Great Ocean Walk luggage transfers, you only carry a small daypack.
⭐ Why Combine Tennis, Golf & the Great Ocean Walk?
This itinerary offers the perfect balance of energy, sport and nature.
You get:
- the excitement of the Australian Open,
- the prestige of Sandbelt golf,
- the beauty of Great Ocean Road coastal golf,
- and the serenity of the Great Ocean Walk.
No other destination offers this combination quite like Victoria.
Step Into Nature: Begin the Great Ocean Walk
After days on the fairway, it’s time to lace up your walking shoes.
The Great Ocean Walk—a 104 km coastal trail from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles—is one of Australia’s iconic long-distance hikes. You can walk:
- 3 Days (Short highlights)
- 6 Days (Complete walk in two halves)
- 10 Days (Leisurely full version)
- Or fully customised itineraries
With vehicle access points, lookouts, wildlife hotspots, rainforest, sandy beaches, and rugged cliffs, it’s one of the world’s most beautiful hiking experiences.
Walk91 provides:
✔ Luggage transfers
✔ Accommodation booking (standard + premium)
✔ Local transport
✔ Personal walk briefing
✔ Safety gear (EPIRB, Telstra phone if needed)
✔ Tide charts, decision-point guidance, maps
✔ 20+ years of local expertise
We are based right at the start of the trail — no one is closer.
Highlights You Can’t Miss Along the Great Ocean Walk
- Cape Otway Lightstation — Australia’s oldest mainland lighthouse
- Wreck Beach — Shipwreck anchors from the Fiji & Marie Gabrielle
- Koala-rich forests around Cape Otway
- Twelve Apostles — Arrive on foot for the quietest, most magical views
- Shelly Beach, Johanna Beach, and Station Beach
- Wildlife including kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, sea eagles & more
While snakes are occasionally seen, they avoid people — and Walk91’s briefing ensures you know how to stay safe.
Great Ocean Walk FAQs:
Yes. Many visitors play coastal courses such as Apollo Bay, Torquay, Lorne, Peterborough or Warrnambool and then hike highlight sections of the Great Ocean Walk on the same trip.
Apollo Bay Golf Club sits right at the start of the Great Ocean Walk, making it easy to enjoy a round before or after your hiking itinerary.
Not necessarily. Walk91 can tailor shorter Great Ocean Walk sections of 6–12 km per day so golfers can enjoy both the fairways and the coastal trail without over-doing it.
Yes. You can hire clubs as well as golf carts at the Apollo Bay Golf Club.
Popular coastal golf courses include Torquay Golf Club, Anglesea Golf Club (famous for kangaroos), Lorne Golf Club, Apollo Bay Golf Club, Peterborough Golf Club and Warrnambool Golf Club.
Melbourne’s Sandbelt is known worldwide for its unique sandy loam soil, creating naturally firm fairways, steep bunkers and beautifully contoured greens. Courses like Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan and Victoria GC are considered some of the best in the world.
Yes — many travellers pair the Australian Open with a Great Ocean Road escape and then complete a Walk91 self-guided Great Ocean Walk itinerary. It’s a popular Victorian summer holiday combination.
It normally takes around 2.5–3 hours to drive from Melbourne to Apollo Bay. Many tennis fans stay one night in Melbourne before heading to the coast.
Favourite stops include Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Kennett River (for koalas), Wye River, Cape Patton Lookout and Apollo Bay. Some travellers also visit Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale beforehand.
Most visitors choose a 1–3 day sampler walk after the tennis or coastal golf. Walk91 also offers 6-day and 10-day itineraries, plus fully custom Great Ocean Walk self-guided tours.
Yes — Walk91 provides daily Great Ocean Walk luggage transfers so you only carry a light daypack. This is ideal if you’re already travelling with golf or tennis gear.
Absolutely. Many couples and groups combine the excitement of the Australian Open with a relaxing coastal getaway. Walk91 can customise itineraries for couples, families or private groups.
Yes — Apollo Bay has public tennis courts at the Apollo Bay Recreation Reserve. Visitors can play casually for $5 per person, using the honesty box system. The courts sit beside the Barham River, and you can even stay at the nearby glamping tents at the Recreation Reserve.
The Great Ocean Walk difficulty ranges from easy to moderate, depending on your chosen itinerary. In summer months the trail is usually drier, and many hikers comfortably walk in good-quality trainers rather than heavy boots.
Summer walking requires minimal equipment. Essentials include:
good-quality trainers or running shoes
breathable light layers
sunhat, sunscreen & sunglasses
lightweight waterproof jacket
1–2 litres of water
snacks
small first-aid kit
Walk91 provides a full Great Ocean Walk packing list, plus safety gear such as an EPIRB and a Telstra phone if needed.
Ready to Plan Your Great Ocean Road Golf + Walk Adventure?
Whether you want to:
- Watch Rory McIlroy in Melbourne
- Play the best coastal golf courses
- Complete a 3 Day –10 Day Great Ocean Walk
- Or combine everything into one seamless itinerary…
Walk91 is here to help.
👉 Call us: +61 3 5237 1189
👉 Send us a message
👉 Explore tours: https://walk91.com.au/self-guided-tours/
👉 Book a call: We’ll plan it with you step-by-step
