The Great Ocean Road

Port Fairy

After leaving Mt Gambier we headed east into Victoria and somehow missed the border crossing sign, i.e., if there was one, and continued along the Great Ocean Road to Portland on the Discovery Coast. Portland is documented as Victoria's birthplace, the site of the first settlement in the state in 1834 by the Henty Brothers who arrived in the Ladybird from Tasmania. We had a quick look see around town and decided to travel further for the day and return another time.

Our destination was Port Fairy, a most delightful seaside village on the Moyne River with a sheltered harbour filled with fishing boats, wide tree lined streets, stately Norfolk pines along the highways and byways, and like most towns on the Shipwreck Coast has a history centered around whaling, fishing, and agriculture. The old world character of the town is enhanced by the imposing dark grey bluestone of the historic buildings which contrast with the timber cottages many perfectly preserved from the 19th century. We took a run along the coastal reserves east of town which are significant in their Aboriginal heritage and rich in native wildlife.
Warrnambool Maritime Museum
A twenty minute drive to the east took us to Warrnambool, the largest city in the region situated on beautiful Lady Bay and on the day we visited the weather was true to form of late, ordinary. The breakwater which interestingly was constructed way back in 1890 to protect the Port was awash with spectacular waves due to the high winds and rain squalls. Nearby is Logan Beach known as Victoria's Southern Right Whale Nursery where every year the whales return to calve between June and September. The heritage listed lighthouse located in the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village has been keeping Lady Bay safe for over 150 years. We ventured into the hinterland between the two towns to check out the extinct volcano at Tower Hill where we had fantastic views along the coastline.

Bay of Islands

The morning we left we had a text from eldest daughter to say baby on its way and sure enough some 3 hours later Siena Rose arrived in this world - the whole 9lbs 2oz, phew, good job Mum. Number 6 grandchild and another little girl to love. Tempted to keep driving into Melbourne to check out her credentials but decided to hang out at Apollo Bay for a few days instead. The drive took us past the Bay of Islands, The Twelve Apostles Marine National Park (and now there are only eight, I think, as the force of the ocean swallowed them), Cape Otway and its famous lighthouse on the most southern point and a winding mountain road through the Great Otway National Park.

The Long and Windy Road

We stayed at Marengo a couple of kilometres west of town and 30 metres from thundering surf and it felt like the wind was blowing directly from the Antarctic with the chill factor when we arrived. Rough seas and huge waves pounding the rocky shoreline, nothing knew here but the sun was shining - yeah! It was time for us to simply stop for a few days, catch our breath and enjoy the warmest days we have experienced since Port Vincent in SA.

Marengo Coastline

The Marengo holiday park is also on the Great Ocean Walk and as I am up at daybreak with the four legged people we had long treks checking out the awesome early morning views of this rocky coast. The other half, alias snoring beauty missed out on this. Just as well I didn't see the sign "beware of snakes in this area" until the last day or I may have curbed my walks through the undergrowth to the beach.

We left Marengo early morning in a pea soup fog and it was the slowest 70 kilometre run on the whole trip travelling on one of the windiest section of road in the country. The day cleared to spectacular sunshine and around every corner we had amazing view of rugged cliffs, beautiful bays and the awesome southern ocean as we passed by the well known holiday destinations of Lorne and Aireys Inlet. The caravan park at Anglesea was the only one in the area to accept dogs so that became our base for few days and we enjoyed catching up with our friends Jeanette and Glynn from Torquay where the Great Ocean Road comes to an end.
Point Lonsdale Lighthouse
Torquay, and nearby Bells Beach the iconic surf beach home to the Rip Curl Pro surfing contest held over Easter every year, is also where the surf brands of Rip Curl, Quicksilver and Billabong are headquartered. The Bellarine Peninsula on Port Phillip Bay was close by for us to revisit the delightful seaside towns of Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse on the rocks at the western entrance to Port Phillip Bay overlooks "the Rip" where the water surges through and the bay fills and empties with the tides.

Food note to finish: Victoria's "Best Pie Award for 2010" at the Queenscliff Pie Shop. A clear winner in our 'delicious awards', and even though we have further to go it will take a a lot to better this one!

Limestone Coast

Ship Ahoy!



On our journey from Victor Harbor to Robe on the Limestone Coast we once again passed the Langhorne Creek area and then boarded the car ferry at Wellington to cross the Murray River, only a five minute journey. The Murray River actually flows into Lake Alexandrina at Wellington and then the road took us down the eastern side of the lake and along the coast line of the Coorong National Park. The national park is largely made up of a string of saltwater lagoons sheltered from the effects of the Southern Ocean by the sand dunes. Its an important waterbird habitat and hundreds of species of plants, birds and native wildlife inhabit this 140klm stretch of fragile ecosystem. There is also cultural and historical significance to the Ngarrindjeri people who have 6,000 years of history in the Coorong.

Lakeside Manor

Robe is a seaside town on Guichen Bay where we stayed for three nights. I was fascinated by the heritage listed Lakeside Manor, a grand 1880's sandstone mansion which is next to the Caravan Park and in fact the original stables have been converted to the office for the Park. The manor is currently used as youth hostel accommodation and inside there are 17 rooms, the largest 30' x 12'; a 40' long hallway; the grand library has bookshelves measuring 18' long by 12' high of blackwood and mahogany; ceilings are 12 to 15 feet high and it has 8 Italian marble fireplaces, etc. The large "for sale" sign out the front was tempting and there was a definite drool factor imagining the potential of renovating this grand old building and its gardens. Its probably a tad to big for us anyway!

Robe is a delightful town of heritage buildings, trendy pubs, restaurants, lovely beaches, known for its prized rock lobster and recreational fishing. On Lacepede Bay north of Robe is the town of Kingston where one store claims the title of Australia's best fish and chip shop and on two separate occasions no less (we had already eaten), and nearby Cape Jaffa which has a newly developed marina and housing estate and is home to a fleet of twenty cray boats. The Mt. Benson cellar doors are just down the road with a fine selection of cab savs and shiraz to sample from this newly established wine region.

We moved on to Mt Gambier driving through pine forest country, the town of Millicent and nearby Snuggery which is home to the Kimberley Clark Wood Pulp Mill, which manufactures much of Australia's household tissue paper. We stayed a couple of nights in Mt Gambier which allowed us time to have a couple of minor repairs completed on the van.

Wynns Cellar Door

A day trip took us on the Riddoch Highway to the town of Penola, the heart of the Coonawarra district, with more of those gorgeous heritage cottages and rose gardens and where they also make great meat pies (terrific pastry) and scrumptious ginger slice that complement the fantastic wines. Its always a great experience to drive through the vineyards and to arrive at the magnificent sandstone building of Wynns Estate was like the icing on cake. We have been so good protecting our temptation to sample! Guess what, we fell off the wagon!



Blue Lake

Mt Gambier is set amidst a unique and ancient landscape of volcanic craters, lakes, caves and sinkholes according to the tourist info. Blue Lake which is the city's water catchment holds 30,000 million litres and the colour changes from a steel grey in winter to a brilliant turquoise in summer. The lookouts gave us panoramic views over the city, lakes and hinterland.

A short drive to the coast and the historic Port MacDonnell and Cape Northumberland where the remains of South Australia's first mainland lighthouse is still visible.. Originally a trading port the lighthouse commenced operation in January 1859 and was of great importance to the ships navigating this treacherous coastline. It was abandoned and replaced in 1881 to the east when the pounding seas made inroads under the foundations and gale force winds caused tremors. Today rock lobster fishing fleets operate from here and it's popular for sport fishing with record size tuna fish being caught in these icy waters.

Cape Northumberland Western View

We were looking forward to the next stage of our journey the "Great Ocean Road" across the border in Victoria.