The Great Ocean Road


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Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Apollo Bay
November 21st 2010
Published: November 21st 2010
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Left Mt Gambier early on Saturday morning and before we knew it we were in Victoria. Roads became pot-holed and windy, but that might be more as a result of the suddenly hilly landscape. Lots of pine and eucalyptus plantations, sheep and cattle in feed up to their bellies and dairies everywhere. Devondale seems to be here. Travelled through to Heywood then took the C191 inland instead of the supposedly more superior A1. There are no superior roads here!

Port Fairy was a beautiful little town with bluestone buildings, huge churches. Very undulating right to the sea, with lots of heath covered paddocks (heath so we're told) and very few trees. We think it must be windy here! Warrnambool was also a real surprise for us. It is a city but with some fantastic views. Check out the presbyterian church!!

The Great Ocean road is spoken of as one of the great 'roads' in the world. It certainly is attracting the tourists as we have not been anywhere else with the same number of coaches pulling in one after the other. Travelling from the west is possibly the best way to do it as it means you start with the 'Bay of Islands' and end with the grand finale - 'The 12 Apostles'. The road does follow the coastline but it is quite difficult to see any ocean unless you stop at the designated lookouts. It is certainly a fabulous natural site and quite beautiful, but I feel we have been spoilt for natural wonders and we couldn't help but compare it with the Great Australian Bight and Uluru. In terms of over powering "awesomeness" it didn't grab us, I wonder if we are getting tired or just over being 'awestruck'? The colours are not as vibrant and arresting as in WA and NT, which honestly hypnotize.

Xavier felt the, "Islands were very far apart with seaweed everywhere."
Lachlan, " Eventually they will all fall down."

Lachlan is right when he says he worries about the great limestone monoliths all falling down, which in geological terms, this is the first natural wonder we have visited which is moving at warp speed. 'London Bridge' used to have two arches but twenty years ago the first arch collapsed into the sea. There are no longer 12 apostles. So in terms of the workings of nature, the Great Ocean Road is fascinating as it shows the power of the sea.

We travelled on to Apollo Bay which is a little town of approximately 2000 people. We are camped with our annexe looking over the bay and sat last night drinking our McLaren Vale and WA wines watching the waves come in as the sun set and the full moon rose. The reality is this is what the holiday is all about and we certainly could not have predicted we would get a camp like this. We actually share our view with the occupants of the paddock next door - about 20 fat and content cows.

We have lengthened our stay here an extra day, just to let our heads catch up with where we have been. The caravan acts like the tardis in that you could be forgiven for not knowing where you are when you open the door. (It is not like the tardis in the sense of size!!)



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London BridgeLondon Bridge
London Bridge

First arch fell in 1990


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