Originally Posted by aztimm

Yes, we drove the inland route out and back, but it wasn't exactly the same route the whole way. On the outbound we popped onto the GOR around the steps that go to the beach. We parked at Twelve Apostles, walked out there for a bit, then walked to the stairs and down to the beach. The parking area near those stairs looked to be about 20 spaces with people waiting to park.
If Twelve Apostles is that busy non-season, I can't imagine what it is like in Dec or Jan!
The drive from Melbourne to that area was somewhere between 2-1/2 and 3 hours each way (closer to 3 hours on the way back when we ran into traffic).

And yes, we drove mostly along the GOR up to Bay of Islands, and stopped at most of the lookouts along the way. After that, we went back, stopped in a town for (an overpriced) lunch, then back.

We've done similar drives in the past (PCH and Cabot Trail, probably others), so we really just wanted the, "best of the best," for a one day trip from Melbourne. Most of the small towns earlier on the GOR sound very similar to what we encountered along the Cabot Trail and along the drive from Halifax to Peggy's Cove (if anyone is ever up in that area I highly recommend it). Probably not what locals prefer, but it worked for us. When I lived in Arizona, I'd cringe when I heard of people driving from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon and back on the same day...but it is possible (and I've done it).