Back to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road

The next day we visited Rohan's sister in Warrnambool. Warrnambool is a lovely small town on the water. It is situated on the south-west coast of Victoria, near the western end of the Great Ocean Road. It is known for whale watching from June to September. Southern Right whales swim only a hundred meters from the beach. You can also see seals and dolphins. We went for a walk to see the beautiful coastline.

We drove through the Great Ocean Road quite quickly and didn't stop to see everything this time. The road was as winding as I remembered. The first stop was the Bay of Islands that really takes your breath away. Pictures don't really do justice, and that is why I have a video for you people (below)!

Loch Ard Gorge is my favourite place on the Great Ocean Road. It was named after one of the most infamous shipwrecks in the area. 52 people were killed and only two miraculously survived. Tom was washed into the Loch Ard Gorge and saved Eva, who couldn't swim. The story is tragic but really fascinating.

The 12 Apostles was as packed with tourists as usual. 

The Great Ocean Road is one of the things you shouldn't miss when you travel to Melbourne. But one or two days on the road is not enough. I've been there twice now but still there are places that I haven't seen and would like to go back to. Rainforests, beaches, holiday towns, wildlife, not to mention the stunning coastline. 

The same day we were back in Melbourne. After two months on the road it felt really strange to be home, although I did enjoy the relative warmth of my apartment. Melbourne was getting ready for winter and I had to start preparing for leaving Australia, my second home.

You are here for one small moment in time...

GREAT OCEAN ROAD
...Begins about 100 km from Melbourne and goes almost all the way to Adelaide, South Australia. It's one of the most scenic coastlines in the world with top-class surf beaches and striking and dramatic limestone and sandstone formations created by erosion from waves and rain.

At the famous Bells Beach...

Surf beaches along the GOR make for some of the best and most consistent surf wave opportunities in the world.

Surf beach in Torquay

Torquay is a beautiful surf town with nice beaches, packed with tourists in the summer. The big surf brands Rip Curl and Quiksilver have their roots in Torquay. The Great Ocean Road starts here.

Road passes many holiday towns (Victoria's earliest settlements) where mountains meet the sea. We stayed at Port Fairy, at a nice 4 star apartment with a spa and a fireplace. It was a nice change after sleeping in cheap hotels and campervans :)

It took us 7 hours to get to Port Fairy, and because the weather was cold and cloudy, we decided to go and see the cliffs the next day on the way back.

 

Bay of Islands

... But, the next day the weather was even worse :( When we got to the Bay of Islands, the weather was so rainy and windy, that we just  had to quickly take a couple of snaps and run back to the car.

Chillin' at the Grotto... 

I'm wearing Anthony's clothes because (surprisingly) I hadn't packed enough warm clothes. 

 

The London Bridge, or the London Arch actually, after it fell in half in 1990.

The sun came out for a bit before it started raining again :)

'The razorback' 

 

'The blowhole'

Thundercave

the Loch Ard Gorge:

 

 

 

 

Around 180 historic shipwrecks pepper the coast, and there are as many stories describing the treachery of this notorious route. Read the tragedy of the Loch Ard:

 

And the last but not the least, the Twelve Apostles, a signature Victorian landscape. Along with Ayers Rock one of the most photographed sites in Australia:

The Great Ocean Road is also a good place to spot wildife. Whales are often seen along the coast, as well as seals, and koalas in the national parks. We managed to get really close to a seal in Torquay, and saw 4 koalas! I didn't expect to see wild koalas during my stay in Australia, so I was very happy :)

Looks like he's really stoned, doesn't he? Must have been munching on those leaves all day...

Because we didn't have enough time (2 days not enough!) and the weather being crappy, I want to go there again soon. 

 

You are here for one small moment in time... Make the most of it :) Life is short and the world is wide...

GOR Over and out.