Great Ocean Road and Barossa
 

We are going to fly into Melbourne and then take the Great Ocean Road with stops in Apollo Bay and Port Fairy.

We are trying to decide whether to drive to Barossa from Port Fairy or go back to Melbourne and fly to Adelaide. It seems like a long drive.

Questions. Would it be a one day drive? How long? Is there anything to do/see along the way?

It depends on what your interests are? ....wineries or coastal scenery. I wasn't fussed about the Barossa.
Personally I would continue the drive through Adelaide. I have driven the route, and enjoyed it thoroughly. If you decide to continue the drive, check out Mt.Gambier, Robe (which I loved), then onto the Coorong, then to Murray Bridge, and if time permits go south to Victor Harbour, Rapid Bay etc, then into Adelaide.
If time permits Kangaroo Island is well worth visiting, more so than Barossa.

It's about 600k .. takes 8 hours or so. (I just Angaston as an example)
This is a useful link for working out distances & times.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps
Use the "get directions" facility.

Short answer: You could do it in a day- but you wouldn't have time to see much on the way. Why not go a bit further than Port Fairy, stay the night & go on the next day. (Millicent, maybe). That way you're not doubling back on your tracks, and in the time that would take you'd be well on the way and could just take an easy 4 or 5 hours into the Barossa.

Like Troppo, I loved Robe - there's a charming B & B "Grey Masts".

Interests are coastal scenery, walks, and wineries. Most important we like to stop and be active and not just drive. We have been to KI several times so this time we will try for some different activities.

I can hearing Robe is a good place to stop. We also plan to visit Coorong National Park.

Have not found any thing on Grey Masts B&B yet. Ann's Place keeps coming up as a B&B in Robe.

Still undecided about Barossa vice McLaren Vale or other area.

Here's the link for Grey Masts
http://www.greymasts.com.au/home.html
Personally, I prefer the Clare Valley to the Barossa.

To be fair, it's a while since I've been to the Barossa, but it just seemed to me that the Clare is a little less commercial. OTOH, the Barossa has lots of v.interesting links to its German heritage and some very fine old wineries.

I would drive to Adelaide, don't go back to Melbourne, by the time you do that, get to the airport, take your flight, you may as well have driven to Adelaide.

Robe is really worth going to.

I also prefer the Clare Valley to the Barossa but it's a personal thing.

Clare wineries tend to be moreso in natural and bush settings. The towns are smaller. Sevenhills winery was started by monks. Skillogalee winery has a great cafe/restaurant. If you are lucky, you might get a table on the verandah overlooking the vineyards. Grosset is a small boutique winery which is only open on weekends in August until the wine sales run out. If you happen to be there in August, you would be crazy not to check out their really good, multi award winning wines.

Barossa is closer to Adelaide, plenty of wineries, cafes etc. If you have a day or two to spare, why not do both. Try Charles Melton, Turkey Flat and Rockford wineries. All are small but produce great wines.

You should consider Port Campbell as your first overnight stop. While it is a very small town, it is about 4 and a half hours from Melbourne and with stops at perhaps Lorne (lunch) and then the 12 Apostles (very close), it makes for a better day. I know Apollo Bay has more accomodation options, but really not much else.
Robe is a nice little place and by all means make it your next stop especially if you intend visiting the Coorong National Park. Otherwise you should consider driving on to Mclaren Vale (a good motel) and then definitely tour the Barossa after that.

G'day,
to add to all that has been said already,
about 20km west of Warrnambool ist Tower Hill Nature Conservation Park.
Great place to get close up to Koalas and Emus.

If you get as far as the Clare Valley
then you should visit the Seven Hill Winery and a good overnight stop is at the Rising Sun Hotel, Auburn, Ph: (08) 8849 2015.
Enjoy,
Mike

I agree with the others, Clare Valley is a wonderful wine region to visit. The picnic area at Seven Hills Winery are perfect for a picnic lunch. The best Riesling wines in Australia come from this wine region.

You could also drive through the Coonawarra wine region, which is between Mt Gambier and Adelaide.

Some websites that may be useful:

http://www.coonawarra.org/maps.asp

http://www.southaustralia.com/

http://www.barossa.com/site/page.cfm

A smaller alternative to Robe (which is becoming quite busy and 'trendy') is Beachport. Fantastic beach, lovely hotel called Bompas Boutique Hotel which has great budget accommodation and meals out on the lawn facing the sea.
http://www.postcards.sa.com.au/featu...beachport.html
You will of course, only be a short drive from the Coonawarra wine region as you drive up past Beachport and Robe as well. Think red!
Have a great time.