Geelong
20 km · about 25 minutes
Toll-free, per the airport.
Avalon Airport car hire
Yes, Avalon Airport has car hire: Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Turnbull's Hire and Kangaroo Rentals are in the arrivals hall. The airport says their counters are staffed only when a booking has been made online, so do not turn up without one. Avalon is the toll-free way into Geelong and the start of the Great Ocean Road.
Updated
Avalon Airport at a glance
- Airport code
- AVV
- Rental counters
- In the arrivals hall; staff present only when a booking has been made online
- To Geelong CBD
- About 25 minutes, 20 km, toll-free
- To Melbourne CBD
- About 50 minutes on a toll-free road; the airport says it is 55 km from the CBD
- To the Great Ocean Road
- About 35 minutes to the start
- Without a car
- SkyBus Avalon City Express runs to Southern Cross Station and meets each major flight
Compare cars at Avalon Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Before you book, open the offer and check where that company's desk or depot is, the bond, and what the agreement says about the roads you plan to drive.
Preparing live car hire search
Picking up at Avalon Airport
The airport lists these companies in its arrivals hall. It gives no opening hours, and says the rental company will direct you to the correct car park to collect your vehicle.
| Company | Where |
|---|---|
| Avis | Desk in the terminal |
| Budget | Desk in the terminal |
| Hertz | Desk in the terminal |
| Europcar | Desk in the terminal |
| Sixt | Desk in the terminal |
| Turnbull's Hire | Desk in the terminal |
| Kangaroo Rentals | Desk in the terminal |
Arrivals hall; staffed by booking
Collecting the car
- 1
Book online before you fly. The airport says rental employees are present only when a booking has been made and the counters are not manned all the time.
- 2
After you land, go to the rental counters in the arrivals hall and present your booking and licence.
- 3
Your rental company will direct you to the correct parking location to collect the vehicle.
- 4
If your flight is delayed, contact your rental company. Because staff attend by booking, confirm with them that someone will still be there.
Returning at Avalon Airport
- 1
The airport's car hire page publishes no return procedure, so use the return instructions in your booking confirmation.
- 2
Ask your rental company where the return bay is and whether a staff member will meet you. Counters are staffed by booking, so your flight time matters.
- 3
There is a 2-minute pick-up and drop-off zone close to the terminal for people dropping you off, but it is not a rental return.
Drives from Avalon Airport
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
Start of the Great Ocean Road
about 35 minutes
Avalon lists the start of the Great Ocean Road as about 35 minutes away.
Bellarine Peninsula
about 45 minutes
The airport lists the Bellarine Peninsula as about 45 minutes away.
Melbourne CBD
55 km · about 50 minutes
Toll-free, per the airport, via the Princes Freeway.
Guides for trips from Avalon Airport
Great Ocean Road self drive from MelbourneThe Great Ocean Road runs 243 km from Torquay to AllansfordMelbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean RoadMelbourne to Adelaide is 728 km direct in about 8 hours; the Great Ocean Road route is a 4 day, 989 km tripMelbourne to the snow: drives to Buller, Falls Creek and Baw BawMt Buller is 248 km and about 3 hours from MelbourneSnow chains and hire cars in VictoriaVictorian resorts require every vehicle, AWD and 4WD included, to carry diamond-pattern chains in snow season
Driving around Avalon Airport
Routes are toll-free
Avalon says its routes to Geelong and to Melbourne are toll-free. All times are approximate.
Great Ocean Road stops
Visit Great Ocean Road says stopping on the road itself is strictly prohibited; use designated parking areas and lookouts. It also warns that peak times are late December to January and around Easter.
Wildlife at dawn and dusk
Visit Great Ocean Road warns kangaroos and koalas often cross the road unexpectedly, especially at dawn and dusk.
Ferries
Searoad says hire cars are fine on the Queenscliff to Sorrento ferry, but the Spirit of Tasmania boarding page says nothing on hire cars, so confirm with your rental company for Bass Strait.
Avalon Airport car hire questions
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Is there car hire at Avalon Airport?
Yes. Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Turnbull's Hire and Kangaroo Rentals are in the arrivals hall.
What car hire companies are at Avalon Airport?
Seven: Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Turnbull's Hire and Kangaroo Rentals, per the airport's car hire page.
Are the rental counters at Avalon open all the time?
No. The airport says employees are present only when a booking has been made online and the counters are not manned all the time. No opening hours are published.
What is the closest airport to the Great Ocean Road?
Avalon lists the start of the Great Ocean Road as about 35 minutes away. From Melbourne you need just over an hour to reach Torquay.
How far is Avalon Airport from Geelong and Melbourne?
Geelong CBD is 20 km, about 25 minutes, and Melbourne CBD about 50 minutes (55 km). Neither drive uses a toll road. All times are approximate.
How do I get from Avalon Airport to Geelong without a car?
MyBus Geelong runs door-to-door transfers to Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast (book at least two business days ahead), and a public bus, Route 18, runs to Lara Station. SkyBus goes to Melbourne's Southern Cross Station and meets each major flight.
Nearby and often combined
GeelongSurf Coast and Great Ocean Road startMelbourne Airport (Tullamarine)Tullamarine desks and the CityLink run inMelbourne CBDCBD depots for day trips out of the cityAdelaide AirportGateway to the Hills, Barossa and FleurieuVictoria car hireEvery Victoria pickup, road rules and seasonsCar hire in AustraliaLicences, tolls and where to fly in, state by state
Compare Avalon Airport car hire
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.