The Great Ocean Road, Victoria Australia April 20, 2003
The
Great Ocean Road, along Bass Straight and the Southern Ocean is one of
Austrailia's most famous trips. It's several hundred kilometers long,
meandering along the coastal bluffs and sandy beaches, around the bays, and
through the eucalyptus forests and ferns. Three highlights of the
drive are the Cape
Otway Lightstation, the 12 Apostles (a group of colorful sandstone
formations near Port Campbell) and Griffith Island in Port Fairy.
Several tragic shipwrecks lead to the 1848 construction of the lightstation at Cape Otway, the oldest lighthouse on mainland Australia. Before (and after) the lighthouse was in place, the treacherous shores of the southern coast were the final resting place for more than a dozen ships. Many had successfully traversed the great ocean circle route from England to Melbourne, only to founder so very near their journey's end.
Since 1994 the lighthouse shines no
more. Now solar-powered electronic beacons signal ships
to stay clear of the nearby reefs and rocks.
But you can still take a tour 
of
the old historical site, climb to the top of the picturesque, white-washed
lighthouse, and catch a glimpse of the historic Fresnel lens.
Further west are the 12 Apostles, one of the most photographed sights in Australia. The scene can be magic, although finding the full complement of 12 is problematical (even if you glance back over your shoulder and count a couple of formations behind you). This morning, a Thai film crew was shooting a commercial at the main "overlook" site. They had a pretty girl in front of this scene, but she surely was superfluous.
The
Aussie's seem to have spent their money on building things in their parks --
numerous parking areas, an ample supply of wooden walkways and paths -- all seemingly new and
well-maintained -- benches and plaques along the pathways, and an
attractively-designed, bright, modern visitor center. But, at least here they've
ignored the service aspect. The visitor center has little in it besides bathrooms and an exhibit room housing a few posters and
poems -- no video, no rangers, no handouts, no gift shop, no seats!
Still, a short walk to the coast
and you can feast your eyes on these colorful, sandstone rock s.
Further west still is historic Port Fairy, home to sandy beaches strewn with black lava rock and a small lighthouse. Port Fairy has a great golf course, and the walk around Griffith Island will likely lead to an encounter with some birds (black swans or, dueing the summer, thousands of
We drove back to Melbourne along the northern leg of the Great Southern Touring Route. The road goes through the Grampian Mountains (where kangaroos do roam wild) and through several of Victoria's wine growing regions. Nice enough, but next time we'll likely take the drive back along the coast and check out more of the high-quality golf courses.