Great Ocean Road With Robyn - Week 3.

Pisces Holiday park from the lookout.

Apollo Bay from Mariners Lookout.

It is about 150 kms from Peterborough to Apollo Bay. The drive is mostly through rolling farm country. I didn't realise just how big dairy was in this part of Victoria, and it has been a great season, and the country is just beautiful, lush and green. We stopped for our morning coffee at a new and delightful little cafe called The Shoppe, at Lavers Hill. From here we wind our way through the hills along the perimeter of The Great Otway National Park, eventually making the long descent into Apollo Bay. The sight, as you first see the blue ocean from the heights of the Otway National Park,

It is called the Shipwreck Coast.

Koalas have destroyed their habitat.

is unforgettable. We slowly wandered through the town of Apollo Bay, finding our way to the Pisces Holiday Park on the eastern edge of town. It is a lovely park, terraced up the hillside looking out over the ocean. Our site and Robyn's cabin are spacious and good. This is a nice caravan park, and a perfect base for our 5 day stay to explore the wonders of this iconic stretch of the Great Ocean Road. Once set up, we wasted no time in getting all the travel information from the really helpful guys at the reception, and off we went to explore. First

From another angle!

Cape Otway Lightstation.

stop, on a beautiful, rare, warm and very sunny day, was nearby Mariners Lookout. It was quite a steep hike from the car park to the lookout, but boy was it worth it. The views were spectacular! There was a little calf happily grazing, so we went over to pat it. A couple of tourists gasped as we approached this wild beast! They were absolutely scared of it!! Thought we must have been cow whisperers or something! We headed down the hill, and explored town. Apollo Bay is a typical seaside holiday town anywhere in Australia. Lots of cafes and

Quite a view from the top!

takeaways, resort

At the Redwood Forest.

shops and surf shops. Saturday morning, the weather had changed for the worse, and we were back to cold again! Bloody sick of the cold!!! Our first stop for coffee and breakfast, was a recommendation, and it was average! Sorry Nautigals, we won't be back! We wandered around the market which was tiny. The girls got excited because they found fresh rhubarb. I guess when the most exciting thing at the market is rhubarb, it ain't much of a market! We walked back out to the caravan park, and decided to take a drive out to Cape Otway Lightstation, which is one of the most significant Lighthouses in Australia. The drive out to the National Park was lovely, through rain forest and out onto the coastal heath. We had been told to keep an eye out for koalas "in plague proportions", and there were a lot,

Boardwalk through the rain forest.

Giant trees.

but significantly outnumbered by the Asian tourists! You cannot believe the damage that the koalas have done to their habitat! They were re introduced to this area, and have thrived. There are hundreds of acres of dead and stripped trees. Have never seen anything like it!!
The Lighthouse area itself was good. No chance of sneaking a look at the lighthouse from a distance. You pay your money then walk up and over a hill or two before you can see anything! We stopped in at the old telegraph station, where a lady guide spoke about the

Stevenson's Falls.

Beautiful parrots.

world's first underwater telegraph line from Cape Otway to Tasmania, without taking a breath for 45 minutes!! With our ears still ringing, we climbed to the top of the lighthouse, and then enjoyed a hearty country lunch at the excellent cafe. On the way home, we first stopped at Maits Forest, where there is a great walk through the rain forest. We then took a drive along a fantastic forest road to Beech Forest. The rain forest scenery was just gorgeous. We stopped at a creek where a Redwood forest had been planted a long time ago. These giants

Steep steps to Erskine Falls.

Erskine Falls.

of the forest were magnificent. Next day we took a long loop drive, headed for the trendy tourist town of Lorne for a lazy Sunday lunch. First stop was Stevenson Falls. A great drive along a dirt track to a campground, then a pretty walk along the creek to the falls. After that walk, we needed coffee and found the ideal spot at the village of Forrest. The boutique brewery and cafe was excellent. From there it was on to Deans Marsh, driving through some wonderful pastoral land, then another forest road headed for Erskine Falls, where a steep path took the girls to the bottom of the falls, which John admired from a higher vantage point! Last stop before Lorne was Teddy's Lookout, where you get a great view of the coastline and Great Ocean Road. We parked and walked the main street which was bustling with weekend

Wonderful coastal scenery.

The view from Teddy's Lookout.

visitors. We decided on a classy looking Bistro called Marks for lunch and it didn't disappoint. Wonderful food, a cold glass of wine, just divine! After lunch we took that iconic drive along the coast from Lorne to Apollo Bay. Here the road is so close to the ocean, and there are dozens of turnouts from which to view the coastal scenery. One minute you are down next to the beach, then you are transported high up around a headland with amazing views in all

On the fly!

Ready to fly!

directions. How to top that day off? Well, we were off early to another of the big attractions of the Great Otway National Park, the Otway Fly. Along the way, we stopped and did the walk to Hopetoun Falls, another steep climb down to the base of the falls. This time John made the trek. It was a lovely walk. So many wonderful waterfalls! It was time to Head to the Otway Fly, which is the longest tree top walk in Australia. The girls have also signed up to do the Zip Line Tour, a Tarzan & Jane experience swinging through the trees. Unfortunately, John

Walking the Otway Fly.

Walking the rain forest.

exceeds the weight limit, so becomes a spectator. The girls had a ball, and there is no doubt this was a highlight of the whole trip. All kitted out in rigging and helmets, they looked quite the sight, and their were plenty of sounds as well!! After all the flying we were all back on the ground and heading for the treetop walk. There really is nothing like walking among the tree tops, and there are some giants here. The mountain Ash are the world's tallest hardwood trees, some

Coffee at the Shed.

It is in the tree tops!

reaching 90 metres plus. It is just so quiet and peaceful. A beautiful experience. Back in the car park it was fingers crossed, as we had needed a jump start at Hopetoun Falls! Thankfully the old girl started, albeit slowly.I knew the batteries were on the way out, so rather than take a risk, we Googled up the nearest battery shop, and were on our way to Colac for new batteries! On the way we found a great little shed, housing a museum and cafe. Just what the doctor ordered! With great efficiency at

Fresh produce.

At Triplett Falls.

 Tyrepower Colac, the girls didn't get much shopping time and we were on our way back to Apollo Bay. For our last day at Apollo Day, we decided to do something different, and went to see another waterfall! No shortage of water in the Otway!! This time it was Triplett Falls, not far from the Otway Fly. It was a lovely one hour walk through the rain forest and valley floor, and the falls were lovely. Along the road, we found a wonderful little roadside shop selling home

Under the famous arch.

The Fish Co-Op at Apollo Bay.

grown organic produce. We couldn't resist, and left loaded with carrots, eggs, asparagus and more. Next morning, we were on our way to our last stop on the Great Ocean, at Anglesea. We travelled that wonderful section of road again as we headed to Lorne, where we stopped for morning coffee, and then continued the drive, so close to the water and into Aireys Inlet, another very popular holiday destination for Melbournians. All these lazy little coastal

Now that's a holiday house!

Memorial to the Diggers who built it.

villages swell 10 fold at Christmas time, as the holiday makers arrive. Just out of Aireys Inlet is the famous Great Ocean Road Arch. The huge wooden arch is the "official" start of the Great Ocean Road, and there is a host of information about the history of the road, at the roadside stop. The old arch was destroyed by the terrible Ash Wednesday fires of 1983, so a new arch was built. The road is actually a War Memorial, built by Diggers returning from

Always someone surfing at Bells.

Mecca for Surfers.

the First World War. It was a job creation program, a very successful one! We arrived at Anglesea, where we are staying at the Anglesea Foreshore Caravan Park. It is huge, and very nice, and not very busy. From here we explore the sights of the Surf Coast, the most famous beach being Bells Beach. If you surf, this is Mecca, and a must do pilgrimage. The coast remains rugged and steep, with golden sandy beaches in between. Very spectacular. We

Split Point Lighthouse
Aireys Inlet.

Best coffee in Anglesea Laneway 73.

drove a little further east to the town of Torquay, home to the Surf Museum and surf clothing company Rip Curl. We had a lovely lunch here at a beach side place called Growlers. There are so many places to eat in Torquay, and holiday accommodation for every budget. Back at Anglesea, the best coffee spot was Laneway 73. The owner, Tony was a real character, with a long family history of coffee and cafes. We had a really long chat, and left with a complimentary muffin for the sight seeing day ahead! We did the major sights at Point Addis, Point Roadknight, the lighthouse, the inlet and the beaches. We gawked at all the expensive holiday homes perched high on the headlands looking out over the coast. Tony had told us that Anglesea grew from 3,500 to 30,000 over the Christmas

At Werribee Zoo.

At Werribee Zoo.

holidays, and we could believe it. The caravan park was full of permanent holiday vans. Never seen anything like it. They take a brand new caravan, build a fixed living room, shower and toilet on the side, and sell them off as holiday homes! The park was full of them! Only a couple of days to go now. We left pretty early on Friday headed for Melbourne. We were now well off the Great Ocean Road and heading for suburbia. Our last stop along the way was at

Playful Giraffes.

Werribee. 

Up close with the lions.

Carolyn has long wanted to visit the Werribee Open Plains Zoo, so here we were. We found a car space long enough for car and caravan among the buses, and off we went. It is a great Zoo, and lives up to its open range name. You walk around a number of exhibits containing Lions, Wild Dogs, Hippos, Cheetahs, Gorillas and monkeys. The Meerkats are also very popular, and when you have seen enough on foot, it is onto the safari bus for a drive through the plains, to view Zebra, Giraffe, wild Mongolian Horses, lots of varieties of Antelope as well as

Sightseeing at Port Melbourne.

Last dinner at Donnini on Lygon St.

Rhinoceros. It was all very well done. We retrieved the car and caravan and were in Melbourne in no time. We checked in at the Ashley Gardens Big4 Caravan at Braybrook, in Melbourne's inner western suburbs. We have stayed here before and found it good. Robyn got her most luxurious cabin of the trip! Saved the best until last! Saturday, we just lazed around and did a little sightseeing out around St.Kilda and Port Melbourne. Found a great little French Patisserie called "Noisette", in Port Melbourne for lunch. Fantastic coffee! For

Bye Bye Robyn.

Delicious Italian dinner.

our last night, we had decided on a trip to Lygon Street for an Italian dinner. Carolyn trawled through the restaurants on the IPad, and came up with Donnini's. We absolutely love Lygon Street. It is a world class dining event! There is something special about these family run restaurants, all along Lygon Street, that have been serving great Italian food for decades. As you enter, it is as if you are being welcomed into their home,

Lots of wonderful memories.

Lots of wonderful memories.

and the food is sensational. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of fresh pasta, salads and wine, and of course finished with panacotta and tiramisu! We stepped back out onto Lygon Street, which was alive with people. A great way to finish a lovely three weeks. It had been raining, and continued all through the night. An early breakfast, then out to the packed airport, and in no time we were waving Robyn goodbye. We have had a wonderful holiday with Robyn. It has been non stop, and we have seen so much of a wonderful part of Australia. 

Great Ocean Road With Robyn - Week 2.

Great coffee spot.

Delightful Port Fairy.

Leaving Mt. Gambier in the cold and drizzle, we decided to take the slightly longer, but more scenic route to our next port of call, Warnambool. The road winds its way through rolling hills of wonderful grazing land and endless pine forests. Everything is just so green, the contrast to where we have been for the past 12 months is so striking. It isn't long before we cross the border into Victoria, and roll into the sleepy little holiday town of Nelson. No chance of morning coffee here, unless as

Robyn's log cabin at Warnambool.

Warnambool harbour.

Carolyn suggests, we stop at one of the lovely little farm houses, with smoke curling from the chimney, to see if there are fresh scones and tea to be had! We press on to Portland, where we find streets blocked, as they are holding a marathon. Portland is an industrial town and a large port. There is an Aluminium smelter and other related industries. It is a stark contrast to the forests and farmlands that surround the area. Our morning tea spotter

Among the poppies.

Warnambool War Memorial.

yells STOP, and we are soon sitting in a lovely little place called "The Pickled Pelican" eating delicious home baked goodies with excellent coffee. Refreshed, we set course for the next town of Port Fairy. What a lovely little town. We will be back to explore! It was one of Victoria's busiest ports back in the 1850's and 60's. A short drive and we are at Warnambool, a large and prosperous rural community serving the south west of Victoria. It

At the Providore Port Fairy.

Melbourne Cup Day Warnambool.

is a lovely town set around the shores of Lady Bay. We have chosen the Discovery Holiday Park, which is situated in the Lake Pertobe area of Warnambool, a wonderful parkland and recreation spot nestled around the lake, just in behind the main beach and harbour. We quickly got settled in and headed out to the Visitor Centre at nearby Flagstaff Hill to get all the necessary information to help us explore the region. Flagstaff Hill itself, is an attraction

Rebecca's wicked layered cake!

At Rebecca's Cafe Port Fairy.

that recreates the old seaside maritime history of the region from the 19th century, along similar lines to the Sovereign Hill Goldfields at Ballarat. We decided to devote a day to go back and visit Port fairy. This was a lovely day, as we wandered the streets which were packed with holiday makers. It seems not everyone wants to be involved with the Melbourne Cup! Thousands of Melbournians take the Monday off, and make a 4 day weekend and escape the city to flock to this part of Victoria. It felt like school

View from Tower Hill.

holiday time,

Koroit Irish Pub.

as we explored the wonderful scenery around town. Of course there was no shortage of choices for morning coffee. We settled on Rebecca's, and it was jumping. Great food and coffee, crammed into a tight corner! There was no shortage of shops to explore. We got lost in the Providore's shop for some time, tasting cheeses and wine and anything else on offer! We lunched at the oldest continuously licensed pub in Victoria, then set off inland to explore the quaint little Irish Village of Koroit, with its grand Irish Pub, and lots of other things Irish. Heaps of Irish

At Tower Hill.

Security was tight!

settled here in the 19th century, and believe it or not, they grow lots of taties around these parts! Next morning we went for a walk down to the beach and harbour to check out the waterfront and enjoy a coffee. There was a long table overlooking the harbour with only one man sitting at it, so we plonked ourselves at the other end. One minute was all we needed to know why the biggest & best table in the joint had only one person at it! It started, " Hi I'm Michael, and I just had a knee replacement operation and when I came out of the anaesthetic I found out that my wife

Lunch at the oldest pub.

Lots of emus at Tower Hill.

had left me and was living with another woman, yes woman, who she had met on the Internet, in Bristol England. How low is that? Didn't even tell me, just waited until I was out to it!" I was already on his wife's side!! It was the longest morning tea of my life. He told us that he had backed the last 8 winners of the Melbourne Cup. He knew every jockey and trainer personally. I did suggest that given his current luck status, he might do better getting the $2,000 he had on Admire Rakti back! I warned him!!

I want that one!

Dinner at the caravan.

Came last and died!! We staggered out, badly battered and bruised, and decided to head out to Cheese World for one of their famous Ploughman's lunches and milk shakes. It was a bit underwhelming, and very touristy. The cheese tasting was a bit of a free for all, with dozens of grubby little kiddy fingers after everything on a plate. The milk shakes were good, but the cheese ordinary, so we headed back to camp to make our own platter of food and watch the Melbourne Cup. The girls got dressed up, we all had a bet. The girls favoured the local Warnambool horse, called Sign Off, we had seen swimming at the harbour the day before. 

Fletcher Jones Gardens.

An Icon of Warnambool.

He came a gallant 4th. Next day we were off to Tower Hill, a nearby spot which is a an extinct volcano, and now another fantastic recreation area full of lakes and wetland and wildlife. The views from around the perimeter of the volcano are breathtaking. That afternoon, we visited another thing that was famous in Warnambool, the woollen mills and Fletcher Jones & Staff factory. Remember those woolly checked blankets from the 1950's and 60's, that had a satin edging? They were all made here, and I remember well my first new suit, when mum took me into town, to Fletcher Jones

Our home in Peterborough.

Warnambool's whale watching area.

& Staff, to be measured and fitted. The factory was here at Warnambool, and still stands as a full time market venue, huge and full of bric a brac and other assorted junk! The gardens though are still lovely. We drove out along the beaches and walked out onto the headlands. In such a short stay we had seen most of the major sights Warnambool had to offer. Next morning we were off to start the official section of the Great Ocean Road. Our destination for the next couple

At the Arch.

Bay of Islands.

of nights is Peterborough, and the Great Ocean Road Tourist Park, just over 100kms away. A huge sign heralds the western end of the famous road, and it isn't long before we are at Peterborough, having driven through some of the lushest dairy country we have ever seen. The farmers were making hay everywhere. The caravan park was lovely, as were the managers, and our site and Robyn's cabin were good. The western end of the Great Ocean Road

At the Grotto.

In Loch Ard Gorge.

is where you find all the famous big rocky attractions. Right near Peterborough is the Bay of Islands and Bay of Martyrs, The Grotto, London Bridge and The Arch. All are easy walks and spectacuar sights, in cool but sunny weather. The famous London Bridge collapsed in 1990, stranding two tourists! Bet the first thing they helicoptered in was toilet paper! Last time we were here was in the 1980's and we remember walking out across the natural bridge. These days, there are excellent paths and viewing platforms, and all the actual sights are pretty well off limits. About 20 kms up the

The Razorback.

London Bridge has fallen down!

road is Port Campbell, with its cosy little harbour, and plenty of accommodation options. There are also some smart little cafes for us to try. Nice, but nothing outstanding. We set the bar pretty high these days!! Further east of Port Campbell is Loch Ard Gorge, and the most famous of all, The Twelve Apostles, plus the lesser known Gibson's Steps. At Loch Ard Gorge, there are a number of walks and things to see. Named after a famous shipwreck, where all

At the fancy Visitor Centre.

The twelve Apostles.

but two people perished on the rocks, there are numerous walks out onto the various headlands and down to the beach below. We spent a lot of time here, exploring all of the walks and sights. Arriving at the Twelve Apostles Visitors Centre, is like arriving at the transit lounge of a big International airport! It is full of every nationality, and shows just how big a world wide attraction the Great Ocean Road has become. At the back of the centre, 4 helicopters are

Never turn your back on the sea!!

At the bottom of Gibson's Steps.

running a shuttle service up and down the coast. If you haven't been here for a long time, you will notice the difference, necessary to handle the large numbers of people. There is a large carpark, and you walk under the road, along a series of paths and boardwalks, to view the iconic Twelve Apostles, or the 8 or so that remain! A little further along the road to the east is Gibson's Steps, a tortuous stairway down to the beach below. I took one look and decided I had been on lots of beaches so didn't need to subject the old knees to that kind of

A sense of humour at
Apostle Whey Cheese.

Good cheese.

punishment! The girls were off, and I could soon see them on the golden sand below. I watched as they took photos and could see it coming. Never turn your back on the sea! Carolyn turned and ran, but the warning to Robyn was too late and Robyn was soon up to her knees in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean! We found a nice lunch spot at the nearby village of Princetown, as the fare on offer at the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre, was ordinary! Inland from the Great Ocean Road is a hinterland full of quaint little

Great foods and coffee.

More Whey Cheese humour!

villages, and some amazing foodie things. The 12 Apostles Gourmet Trail was a wonderful experience. Delicious chocolates at Gorge Chocolates, fantastic cheeses at The Mouse Trap Cafe, and even better cheeses at Apostle Whey Cheese. This was a lovely stop. The ladies in the shop were a delight, the views were incredible, and it was obvious that these were farmers with a sense of humour! A little further up the road is Timboon, a

Wonderful rock formations.

Timboon coffee & cake. Yum!

fun little village full of friendly people. The Timboon Railway Shed Distillery is a great place to visit, with fine food, wine and spirit tastings and really good food and coffee. You can also buy the produce of most of the locals. There is no doubt that this is a lovely part of Victoria. For our last night in Peterborough, we walked across the road to the local pub for a very good pub feed. It has been a great initiation to the delights and natural wonders of The Great Ocean Road. The weather has been much colder than we anticipated, but at least we have had minimal rain. Bright and early the next morning, we are hitched up and ready to head for our next stop at Apollo Bay.