Port fairy to Torquay

Day 308

Wake up to a certain air of excitement this morning as we are meeting up with Carmen’s mum and auntie today. So pack up Polly and head just down the road to Warnambool where we organise a campsite for us and a cabin for the twins. Head off for a stroll along the foreshore and a look at the beach and arrive back just in time to meet the twins and Mary Lou (their car).

We all have a stroll along the beach amid much merriment and call in at the surf club for a slap up dinner, then it’s back to the cabin where the party really kicks off and continues into the early hours (about 9 pm).

Day 309

Wake to a gorgeous sunrise and after a breakfast of eggs and bacon we bid a fond farewell to the twins and head off to start one of the world’s great drives along of great ocean road.

The road hugs the coastline for 250km from Warnambool to Torquay and our first stop is in Peterborough (!) to look at the dramatic sandstone cliffs.

The day is a bit foggy and overcast but the scenery is no less spectacular and we continue along to a rocky outcrop known as London Bridge. Unfortunately the bridge fell down in 1990, stranding a group of Japanese tourists on the outcrop who then had to be rescued by helicopter!

Further along the road we stop at the information in Port Campbell and pick up a map before continuing to Loch Ard gorge and more dramatic sandstone cliffs.

Next is perhaps the most famous stop on the road at the Twelve Apostles. The place is literally heaving with tourists and we have to battle our way through the crowds to get a look at the apostles (we only counted 9).

It is pretty spectacular but after the deserted stops so far we feel like cattle being herded along the boardwalk and out to the viewing platforms.

Another short drive and we leave the Ocean road to a free campsite at Johanna beach which is a large grassy campsite nestled among the sand dunes and probably the nicest free camp we have stayed in so far.

We are treated to a beautiful sunset over the ocean and retire to the van for a good night’s sleep.

Day 310

Up nice and early and time to tackle a section of the Great ocean walk.

Like the Ocean Road the walk takes you right along the cliffs and stretches for 100km (odd) between the Twelve Apostles and Apollo bay. We are tackling a 7km section between Johanna beach and Castle cove and the walk takes you first right along Johanna beach before ascending the cliffs and continuing past deserted beaches and through forests before finally descending back down to Castle cove.

A spot of lunch and after saying hello to an inquisitive Echidna (much like a hedgehog) it’s time to turn around and walk all the way back again where, back at Johanna beach we are treated to another beautiful sunset and both fall asleep before our heads even touch the pillow.

Day 311

Continuing along the Ocean road this morning we take a slight detour to Cape Otway, where along the road we pull over to see hundreds of Koalas nesting in the trees!

They are not doing much (I don’t think they ever do too much) just sleeping and occasionally letting out a growl but it is amazing to see them in the wild, right there just above your head. Carry on to the end of the cape and the famous (?) lighthouse where after finding out it is $18.50 each to get in we  take a walk up to the lighthouse lookout (free) and just have a look from there instead.

Rejoin the Ocean Road and a short drive brings us to the lovely seaside town of Apollo bay. Set up for the night and take a walk through the picturesque town and down to the port where we look at all the fishing boats and think about getting some fresh fish from the market only to be disappointed with the fact that it is closed!

Day312

The final section of the Ocean Road today and this is by far the most amazing bit. The road twists and turns right along the beach and the view is spectacular as you go from sea level up into the cliffs and back down again.

It’s pretty slow going as the turns are tight and the road is narrow but it definitely lives up to the hype and when we stop in Lorne for a drink (God bless the flask) I feel like turning around and doing it all again.

Next stop is the famous Bells beach and the location of the Rip Curl Pro surf classic next weekend. The surf looks excellent but I don’t want to show up the locals (and the Pro’s) so the board stays in the van and instead we watch from the cliff top whilst having some lunch.

Continue into Torquay and pay a visit to the Surf museum where we learn all about the history of surfing in Australia and see some of the huge classic wooden boards that they used to ride, they are also playing a film about big wave surfers tackling some of the world’s biggest waves and believe me these waves are huge, in excess of 10m and I think even I would have second thoughts about going anywhere near these monsters! The exhibition on surf culture is interesting and they even have a life sized silver surfer.

Manage to avoid going into any of the surf shop factory outlets and instead check into the biggest campsite I have ever been to right on Torquay beach where we stroll up and down and watch all the people on paddle boards before settling in for the night