Twelve Apostles - Day 8

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Got back in after a night out in the Collingwood bars, getting the tram from outside Southern Cross station on Spencer St.
They were not that busy, busy the music was good.
We got chatting to a guy from St Helens and family in NW England and Wales of all places.
Just enough drink to fuel the pleasant walk back through town getting back for 02:30ish.
Raisen bread and tea then bed for 03:30ish.

Woke at 07:15 and got up at 8 for more tea and raisen bread.
Wasn't sure whether we'd have enough time for the anticipated 2 hour plus trip but packed cossie despite it being a cooler 19 degrees and overcast / broken high cloud.

Started across West Gate Bridge to the M1 at 11:00, but instead of diverting to Torquay, carried on.
There were several road works after this.
I don't know why they're extending the road into a dual carriageway as there was not much traffic at all.
But the existing road has some deep bumps in it, so maybe needs upgrading.
The road to the Torquay had some steep hills covered with short dried grass or the remains of summer cereal crops.
Huge fields shielded by high road-side rusted metal panel wind breaks, with the occasional group of panels containing coloured perspex - pretty.
Changing to flat expanses of cattle and sheep farms of dried grass with the occasional road side white barked eucalytus tree.

Turned off the M1 to pick up the B100 (Great Ocean Road) towards Apollo Bay.
Went through the one street Birregura with green single storey tin roofed houses typical of Australian villages.
Then was guided through the Great Otway national park forest.

This has a winding road flanked by mountains and deep valleys.
Everything is a lush green covered in a mixture of wide trunked deep green fir trees (at least 30 metres), naturally growing tree ferns and red barked eucalytus trees.
The latter must be at least 70 metres, and whose bark litters the road side, centre and slow vehicle cut ins.
This is what must form the typically red coloured earth that is associated with that around Uluru (Ayre's Rock).

We came out on the Ocean Road near Sneydes (?) Creek and followed a tour bus through hills and mountains and flat marshy areas with scottish names (e.g. Glencaire).
Finally arrived at 15:10 of continuous driving at the Twelves Apostles visitors centre - only 4 hours of continuous driving.

It was a cool 15 degrees, windy but sunny.
The walk ways were full as expected, but I managed to get some good pics and video.
I drove back, leaving at 15:50 and arriving at 20:05.

Brian thought it was a waste of a day, but I beg to differ.
Punishing driving, yes, but worth it.
I thought I managed pretty well and glad I had the confidence to drive that far.
If I'd suggested it the other day to continue knowing we'd arrive home late, despite the earlier start and better weather,
I would have still got the response to delay for another day - probably.
All a bit academic as we didn't go out that night anyway.
I am determined to see what I'd planned to see coming this far across the world!
You have to do things while you can.

We showered, had boiled egg, cheese and crackers and was in bed for 21:15.

Some of the mental pictures I didn't get.
- The road edge growing tree ferns with the red eucalyptus trees towering over them
whose ribbons and strips of bark littered the winding road and hung down in 20 metre lengths to almost touch the top of the car
- The light and dark green row of tall (Lleylandii?) trees reflected in the still water at the mouth of the river / bay at Anglesea with a single fisherman at the water's edge
- The road bridge spanning the mouth of the St George's Creek that cuts a deep valley through the towering green bush / fir tree covered mountains before coming out to a little sandy beach.

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