The Great Ocean Road is probably Australia's most infamous stretch of highway. It isn't very long, but the dramatic coastline is often breathtaking. The GOR is a true testament to the power of water over time. A magnificent feature called the Twelve Apostles (now beaten down to either six or eight, depending on the guide book you consult) is the most famous along the popular drive. There is also a feature called the London Bridge (now also called the London Arch), which, in a fitting twist of fate, actually fell down. The bit that connected the bridge to land toppled several years ago, leaving a group of tourists stranded for a few hours. 
As with all of the soft limestone cliffs along the Great Ocean Road, the water is largely winning the battle against formations like the apostles and the bridge. These rock formations were certainly awesome, but we found this famous stretch of coast most impressive when we just stood back to watch and listen to the ocean batter the sheer cliff faces of worn rock. There was one area in particular, The Grotto, that we stayed at for at least 45 minutes. We marveled at the power of the waves as they filled holes and crashed up and over imposing shards of rock. At another we watched a seal colony with pups from time to time, but were always brought back to the sounds and force of the clash between the ocean and the coast. 
Although the coast held its marvels, Annette's favorite part of driving the Southern Coast was most definitely Cape Otway. The cape is known for its historic and tall lighthouse at the end of the road. But we didn't pay the outrageous fee to go up it. Instead, the highlight was the drive out there. First we saw one koala high up in the eucalyptus trees. Then we saw another. Pretty soon we were seeing five or six or seven every time we looked up. The only way our koala experience could have been better would be if one of the koalas actually fell out of a tree and landed in Annette's arms. We saw big ones, small ones, and even a baby. There was one point where we found a koala so low in a tree that Annette could have taken a few steps off the road and touched it.
Cape Otway will always be known to us as THE koala wonderland, but we also had our most amazing kangaroo experience there too. We were driving in light rain, chatting about the amazing amount of koalas
(we lost track of the numbers early on), when we rounded a corner to find a kangaroo hopping down the road. We followed it for a good 45 seconds, driving slowly. Several times the roo bounded toward the woods like it was going to make the right decision and get out of the road. But then, each time, it would bound back toward the middle and just keep bouncing down the windy two-lane road. Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, a second roo came leaping out in-front of us, joining the first in the dangerous and delightful act of bouncing down the road in front of our car. The two hopped in unison for a few moments, then both broke left into the trees and brush. The whole thing was amazing, and we were grateful for the chance to see Australia's favorite marsupial up close, doing its thing! |
| Robe |
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| Robe, again |
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| Even more Robe |
The fourth most excellent thing about our Southern Coast drive was learning about the Shipwreck Coast, a particularly hazardous stretch that decimated ship after ship. The most famous shipwreck had a hero story that we saw repeated (with mostly the same details) in every museum and information center we visited. A young mate named Tom on the Loch Ard saved an upper class woman named Eva after the vessel had sunk. They were the only two survivors. Tom had washed ashore and drank nearly a bottle of whiskey (from a case that washed up with him) when he heard Eva calling from the sea. He then swam for over an hour and retrieved her, bringing her back to the beach and keeping her warm with whiskey. He then climbed up the steep cliffs for help in the morning and both were rescued. The media wanted to add a love story, but Eva went back to Ireland and nothing sexy ever developed. The story of Tom and Eva is just one of many (Jeff's personal favorite being the one where case after case of whiskey washed ashore in one town and an old, dying man was brought down and had whiskey poured over him). The stubborn manner in which people kept coming to Australia was almost as impressive to us as the huge number of wrecked vessels, lost investments, and human casualties. The Flagstaff Hill Maritime museum was a fascinating blend of history, kitsch, and entertainment. They had some beautiful displays and the most in-depth retelling of the Loch Ard story, but the recreated village, complete with costumed actors, may have been the highlight. It was as entertaining as it was cheesy, which is a difficult line to walk successfully!
Our second road trip ended in Melbourne just a day after our ice cream beach walk, and we found ourselves missing the open road pretty quickly. We've found that there really is no substitute when traveling for the mobility and ease of a good camper van. Some days we made amazing meals from scratch, and others we just ate pastries from some astounding small town bakery for dinner. But every day along the Southern Coast and Great Ocean Road, superb food day or no, held some moments of wonder and amusement!Notes
Annette saw her first ever sinkhole along our Southern Coast road trip. This hole was more like some fancy
sink garden. It has been maintained as a sight for something like 100 years . It is an interesting geologic oddity on its own, but the maintenance and landscaping of this sinkhole make it probably the most attractive in the world. (We have no evidence to back this last claim up, but how many manicured sinkholes can there be?)There is great article about the trip from Adelaide to Melbourne here. Well worth the read and 95% of the reason why we took the second road trip!
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