Australia, The Magic Of The “Great Ocean Road”
Topics:12 Apostles Apollo Bay Australia Car Adventure Blog Great Ocean Road Koala Loch Ard Gorge Look Out Nature Landscape Beaches Beach Road Top 10 Tour Travel Journey Wise Victoria
Here is another icon of Australia to mark on the list of wonders to see on a journey across the continent of Kangaroos. The Great Ocean Road is one of the destinations that best represent the journey as an end rather than a means to reach a goal. It is a multifaceted experience that has nature as its main theme and where you can admire unique landscapes in the world. Over all the famous one of the “12 apostles”, the imposing limestone stacks in the ocean.
General information
The Great Ocean road is located in the south of the Australian continent, in the state of Victoria, and winds for 244 km parallel to the rugged coast of this part of the continent. Rather short, compared to the vast Australian distances, it is traveled by thousands of travelers every year. Officially the “B100” state road, it borders the towns of Allansford (Warrnambool) to the west and Torquay to the east.
The road passes through villages and tourist resorts with some panoramic points that make it unique in the world. It also passes through the area that is home to one of Australia’s highest Koala densities and also has the characteristic of being the largest “War memorial” in the world because it was created to commemorate Australian war victims.
Not only that, in addition to the official borders of the two villages, the ideal ones extend much more. The classic journey to discover the Great Ocean road usually starts from Melbourne, the capital of Victoria which is a hundred kilometers away to the east and can even end (or begin) in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, which is about 600 kilometers from the west end of the road.
The Great Ocean road can be traveled by any means, but the best known are by a tour. You can sit back and relax as your guide will drive you and inform you of the enormous history and show you the best stops for your Pictures of a lifetime. You can even travel more than half on foot via a path, the Great Ocean Walk which starts from Apollo bay and reaches the mythical 12 apostles (104 km on foot).
Wise trip to the Great Ocean Road
There are so many things to see that it is difficult to explore everything if you have little time. This is, therefore, only a rough list of the stages along the great ocean road: the point of view taken from a truly lived travel experience. Starting from Melbourne by car the first stop is in Geelong, a rather common city in Victoria. The real Great Ocean Road starts in Torquay, a charming seaside town with a long beach.
Where to stop:
Torquay: Relax on the beach in search of surfers and early landscapes by the Road’s ocean.
Fairhaven: Visit to the “Split point lighthouse”, a stupendous lighthouse overlooking the ocean from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of the “Eagle Rock”, a rock that gives its name to the surrounding marine reserve (from which whales are seen).
Lorne:This town is known for the eponymous natural park that covers the broad stretch of road so far traveled by Torquay. Before arriving in the village it is a must to stop for a souvenir photo at the arch that marks the Great Ocean road. In the village there are several places and lodgings and even here you can relax on the beach.
Kennet River: Those who want to experience the thrill of seeing the Koalas free in their natural environment must stop at Kennet River. From the refreshment point, you can go on foot or by car along the uphill road in search of the Koalas who are half-hidden among the branches of Eucalyptus. In Kennet River there is a caravan park where you can stop for the night. The Koalas are there too, there are even in the gardens of the villas scattered throughout the surrounding hill.
Carisbrook Waterfall and rock Stacking :At Poca distance you reach the stream of Carisbrook. There is a small waterfall to see, but it is not the main attraction that, instead, is that made by man. The travelers, in fact, have begun to stack the flat stones that are found at the mouth of the stream, so as to form hundreds of small heaps placed side by side in disorder.
Apollo Bay
Apollo bay deserves a long stop to dive into the ocean and enjoy the mix of nature and fun. There is no shortage of accommodation and restaurants. Everything is set in the beautiful scenery of a small town overlooking a fantastic bay. I point out two incredible places where to sleep and eat: the “Kookaburra cottage”, a slightly extravagant accommodation with some rooms with spectacular ocean views, and the Fishermen’s cooperative: a resale of fish not to be missed for fresh frying with a view on the bay.
Cape otway: Here is located another lighthouse overlooking the sea that is worth visiting. It is enough to make a detour of about 12km from the Ocean Road which in this point passes rather inland than the coast.
Gellibrand river . At the crossing on this river starts the old Old Ocean road, a mule track (13km) that unlocks on the Great Ocean road. There is nothing special to see, one only goes about it to be able to say that he did it.
Twelve apostles
The twelve apostles are the main attraction of the Great Ocean road, so much so that a heritage center was built in the vantage point. The imposing stacks that emerge from the ocean can be admired in various ways. From the pedestrian path created around the information center, from the water with a tour aboard one of the tourist ships departing from Apollo bay, or by flying over them in a helicopter aboard one of the aircraft available in the small heliport of the heritage center. Do not miss the descent to the beach in front of some of the “apostles” along the “Gibson Steps”.
One “spot” after another
From this moment all the Great Ocean road is dotted with panoramic points from where you can admire some of the most beautiful rock formations in the world. Practically every car can be stopped every ten minutes on the road. The Razorback . One of the most beautiful spots is the Razorback, a long and narrow cliff about thirty meters high.
Loch ard gorge: Do you know the beach of “The Beach” (Leonardo di Caprio)? This part is similar, so that for many travelers Loch ard gorge is considered more beautiful than the twelve apostles.
The beach is in the middle of a gorge and is surrounded by rock walls 50 meters high. The ocean waves are blocked by the rock and the water that reaches the beach is calm. In short, a real paradise to be enjoyed especially in moments of lower influx of visitors.
Port Campell: It is a very small village around the homonymous stream. There is nothing special to see but the caravan park is a great base for exploring the area.
The arch: Literally: the arch is a rocky limestone formation famous for its particular shape.
London Bridge:” The London Bridge” was a huge stack connected to the mainland by a sort of double-arched rock bridge. Unfortunately, on January 15, 1990, the main arch collapsed leaving, among other things, two daring travelers who had ventured onto the bridge (Illes, were rescued by a helicopter) trapped on the cliff. Today the second arch remains, however spectacular.
The Grotto: Another Gorge, another vantage point, this time without a beach. Here too there is an arched rock formation.
Peterborough:In this village you stop to walk the “Cliff top walk” (2km along the coast). There are three viewpoints to stop at: Halladale point , Worm bay (with beach) and Bay of Martyrs .
Warrnambool:The Great Ocean Road ends in Allansford. A few kilometers away is Warrnambool, a town nestled on a large bay with a long beach to relax. There is also a vantage point from which to admire the passage of whales.