An almost perfect day greeted us on our chosen day to make the trip up the Great Ocean Road (GOR). This famous road is reportedly is one of the best drives on the planet. Rob has always wanted to drive and see it. Now we have the opportunity, it's too good to miss.
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| Map includes the rough location of our 2 free camping spots |
Free Camp
We left our
base camp at Lake Colac. It was a beautifully warm day with virtually no wind. We went via the Otaway Ranges to Lorne.
The Great Ocean Road is actually a route registered in the
Australian National Heritage list. It is a road 243km long, or 151 miles, that starts in Torquay and ends in Allansford. We thought we'd go first quickly up to Torquay and then cruise the GOR from east to west, keeping the ocean on the left which also makes it easy to pull into anything if we so desired to stop whether it be for a photo shoot or a break.
Bell's Beach
Though not a part of the GOR, Bell's Beach is Victoria’s surfing capital. With 2 sons that love surfing and snorkeling, we just had to stop at Point Addis and post a photo for the boys.
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| The iconic surfing capital, Bells Beach |
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Memorial Arch
Of course one must stop at the grand Memorial Arch to the Great Ocean Road here. Did you know that this is the world’s biggest war memorial? It was built by the returning soldiers, between 1918 and 1932, and is dedicated to the many soldiers killed during the WWI. It is between Lorne and Aireys Inlet.
Aireys Inlet
A lovely inlet and picnic area with a cute hamlet town.
Port Campbell National Park
Gibson Steps are a part of the sprawling expanse of Port Campbell National Park. The steps were carved into the cliff face, where decades of years of rain and wind have sculpted and honed them to perfection. We elected not to go down the steps however you can see the two stacks in the ocean known as Gog and Magog, from the viewing platform at the top of the steps.
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| Gog and Magog |
In places there was some haze in the sky in places due to controlled back burning south west of Apollo Bay. This affected the view and little and certainly the photos but hey, it can't be perfect 100% of
the time.
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| The haze did detract a little but the magnificence was still there. |
The 12 Apostles
The 12 Apostles is the Great Ocean Road’s most popular stop. Though they are called the 12 Apostles, there are only 8 pillars left standing, with the 9th, and tallest, having collapsed in early July 2005. The Apostles and the nearby cliff faces are eroding at a rate of 2cm each year as they are buffeted by wind and waves all year round. If you take a closer look at the sandstone pillars, you will notice the many different layers of limestone.
There are so many beautiful spots to stop and take a variety of photos. I can't remember the various names of them all. Just enjoy the photos.
Conclusion
Yes it is absolutely wonderful. The first part of the drive from Torquay to around Apollo Bay reminds us very much of the magnificent
Grand Pacific Drive back home in Wollongong. So we were just a little spoilt, but after this, the rest of the drive there is no comparisons.
There's really not much more that I can say. Just go for a drive and see it for yourself. It is a gently undulating road offering stunning views, sheer cliff
scenery, cool rainforests, and an abundance of natural landmarks. You wont regret it.
