Today was my first official excursion in Australia. This was a day-long trip along the Great Ocean Road. I was picked up by the (small) coach outside my hotel at about 0730. By the time we collected everyone in our group we had about 15-ish people in the group.
It takes a while to get from the city out to the start of the GOR, and that is before we could actually see the ocean. Here are a couple of pictures from the 'official' starting place or the GOR. In total, the road runs for 240-km (that's ~150 miles for most of my American friends) along the south-eastern coast of Victoria, between Torquay and Allansford. It is and Australian National Heritage listed site. We didn't actually do the entire length of the road, going part-way and then taking a more inland route on the way back.
I found it fascinating that, in a way, it is the largest war memorial of all time - built by soldiers returning from WWI between 1919 and 1932, and dedicated to the soldiers killed during the way. Near the end of the war, some officials asked the State War Council for funds to use to provide work for returned soldiers to build roads in sparsely populated areas in the area that were isolated (in many cases accessible only by rough bush track or by sea).
We stopped many places along the way for photo ops...
...and had lunch in Lorne - Apollo Bay (one of guide's favorite places). He suggested lunch at the Apollo Bay Bakery, famous for their scallop pie ... which was absolutely delicious!
After Lorne, we headed to Port Campbell, which is famous for it natural limestone and sandstone rock formations, most notably The Twelve Apostles (although there were apparently never twelve, starting with nine and now down to eight - or maybe seven and a half) are a collection limestone stacks in the traditional lands of the Eastern Maar people. They are formed by erosion, both from weather and from water, which erodes the limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then turn to arches which eventually collapse, leaving the rocks stacks.
After the Twelve Apostles, we headed a little further along the GOR to the site of famous story. Tom Pearce (apprentice) and Eva Carmichael (18 year old member of a family of eight immigrants, were the only two survivors after the Loch Ard went down. Tom held on under an overturned lifeboat and after hours was swept onto hidden beach in a gorge. Once there, exhausted, he soon heard cries from the ocean and saw someone clinging to a spar. He swam out to help, and it took hours to bring the young woman to shore. Ultimately, he realized that the only way out to find help was by climbing the wall of the cliff. He struggled up to the top, and although there was no help nearby, came still found two stockman riding. They brought help and Eva was also rescued.
At that point in our journey, we turned more inland and headed back toward Melbourne.
We did come across some kangaroos on the way back. My first sighting since arriving in Australia yesterday!
Oh, and I almost forgot. My first sighting on a koala, and some magpies and cockatoos, and a crimson rosella, who decided to perch on my arm for a few moments. Maybe she liked me because we were wearing, as it happened, the same colors! (this is our tour guide, Fred, with the cockatoo)
I arrived back at my hotel at about 2030 (8:30pm) due to the fact that I was the last to be dropped off and there was a change in vehicle right before I was dropped on my temporary doorstep. Quite a long, full, and amazing day!
Sounds like an amazing journey along the coast!