Warrnambool weather: When is the best time to drive the Great Ocean Road?
Warrnambool weather data suggests the best time to drive the Great Ocean Road is January or February. The Great Ocean Road climate is warmer and drier in the summer months.
Warrnambool is the largest town on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria – the Warrnambool population is just over 35,000. It also marks the end of the Great Ocean Road, where the tour buses turn back for Melbourne.
There are a few good things to do in Warrnambool. The star attractions are the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, the Tower Hill Reserve in Koroit and whale-watching from Logans Beach. But perhaps most of interest for anyone planning to drive the Great Ocean Road is the weather station. The Warrnambool weather gives a good idea of what conditions are like on the rest of the Great Ocean Road.
Great Ocean Road climate
The one thing tourism marketing types don’t really want to tell you is that the Great Ocean Road weather brings an awful lot of rain. And a Great Ocean Road holiday in the wet is a vastly different experience to tackling it in the sunshine. The likes of Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles are really no fun in the howling rain.
The Warrnambool weather is at its warmest in the summer months. Historical climate data from the Bureau of Meteorology has the mean maximum daily temperature in January and February as 24.6°C. The Great Ocean Road weather, therefore, is a little cooler than the summer weather in Melbourne.
Pick the right Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne
- For wildlife and nature focus: One day tour with koalas and guided forest walk.
- To beat the crowds: Reverse direction Great Ocean Road day tour.
- For adventure: Two day camping and surfing trip.
- For backpackers: One day highlights tour aimed at younger travellers.
- For exclusivity and flexibility: Private tour where you can pick the sights you want to see.
- For an extended trip: Three day Melbourne to Adelaide tour.
Winters in Warrnambool are ostensibly mild. The mean maximum temperature in July is 13.5°C, with a mean minimum temperature of 5.5°C. What matters, however, is the rainfall.
August is the wettest month on the Great Ocean Road, with 94.1mm falling on Warrnambool. February is the driest month, with 31.2mm.
Top Warrnambool experiences to book before arriving
- Take a geologist-led tour of Budj Bim National Park – discover the Aboriginal cultural connections to the ancient volcano.
- Relax in the rockpools – at the geothermally-fed Deep Blue Hot Springs.
- Tandem skydive near the 12 Apostles – jump from a plane over the Shipwreck Coast.
Warrnambool weather in winter
There are far more rainy days in the winter months, with an average of 15 rainy days in July and August. That compares to under five rainy days in January and February.
Therefore, it’s pretty clear cut. As far as the Warrnambool weather goes, January and February are the best time to drive the Great Ocean Road. The problem is, of course, that everyone has the same idea. Expect the road to be much busier, and accommodation in the likes of Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell to be more expensive.
The best Warrnambool accommodation options
The top places to stay in Warrnambool are:
- For a family-friendly holiday park with a kids’ club: Discovery Parks Warrnambool.
- For luxury with a full service spa: Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs.
- For waterfront location: Lady Bay Resort.
- For high quality apartments with a pool: Gallery Apartments.
- For a good value motel: Mid City Motel.
7 fantastic Great Ocean Road experiences
1. Crowd-beating reverse direction tour. 2. Surfing lessons in Anglesea. 3. Split Point Lighthouse climb. 4. Shockwave Zip-Coaster. 5. Guided wildlife walk. 6. Budj Bim National Park tour. 7. Great Ocean Road by motorbike.
More weather in Australia
Climate stats for: Airlie Beach | Albury | Hobart | Melbourne | Mildura | Rottnest Island | Sydney | Toowoomba | Uluru.