Great Ocean ‘Road trip’ continued…

Wednesday

Left Lorne with a real sense of regret, Paul and I had loved this quaint seaside town, with its historic pier, quirky shops and wonderful beaches/walks, seemingly untouched by the tourists pouring along the Ocean Road above it.

A flat tyre brought us to an abrupt stop earlier than planned, just as the rain fell, poor Paul donned his Mac and his mechanical skills, whilst I found the shipwreck plaques and wrecks which litter the road/beach and read about the many lost at sea along this coast…..

The drive continued along the winding, twisting cliff top road through valleys, rainforest, stunning views opening up over crashing surf and calm golden bays, until we turned in to the Kennet river to see the koalas, so cute and so tame, I wanted to take one (or two) home! Luckily there were few people around and many koalas, sleeping high in the gum trees or feeding at eye level in the hedges…one even tried to reach out and feed from me, she was so close, (do I look like a eucalyptus??).

More koalas lay in wait along the off-road turn to Cape Today, watching us as we drove past, down to the lighthouse and back –with comers shoot breaks enroute!

The splendour of the Twelve Apostles (now 8) rock formations took us both by surprise, after the relatively gentle stretch along farmsteads and rolling hills beforehand. The mid afternoon sun was right behind them, and not even the many people on the well trodden tourist lookout dimmed their glory.

But no people just round the corner at Loch Aird Gorge, and the fabulous Thunder Cave, where the sheer power of the water rushing into the cave is intimidating to watch (and deafening to listen to). Then a moving cemetery to those lost in the steamer shipwreck from the 1800s hidden in the bushes, and the sudden sight of stalagmites under the cliff just around the corner.

The setting sun over the Bay of Marty’s and the Bay of Islands was beautiful, the diverse colours of the rocks rising out of the white waters and the yellowing/orange and red cliffs behind.

And one final pleasure-a spa bath at the motel at Warrnambool, bliss!!

Thursday.

The beach with its miles of sand and surf kept us quiet for a few hours this morning whilst a garage ‘pit stop’re tyre limited our excursions, and then, post lunch we found the terrific Tower Hill reserve. Around every corner were Emus, Wallabies, Kangaroos, Koalas, and birds of every shape, colour and size, Enchiladas (which I’d seen in Taz and thought were big hedgehogs!)…the cameras have been put to good use, but just watching the wildlife in their natural habit was an experience I’ll never forget.

No one else was around, just miles of sacred tribal lands, forest, lakes, woodland-the reserve is in the land rimmed by an ancient volcano so even the rocks were spectacular, reds and blacks, and especially as the light drew in, there were so many kangaroos….we sat watching them graze as koalas watched us from the trees and emus crept in waiting for crumbs, magical.

A detour to Port Fairy to walk across to Griffith Island (had to be done) and see the mutton birds in the colony, and the small bush wallabies in the heathers-with the calm rivers framing one side, and then as you turn past the lighthouse, the superb surf for miles crashing from the ocean on the other.

Today I’ve seen the wildlife which defines Australia’s image, and they live up to their reputation.