Great Ocean Road

In between Adelaide and Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road. Long stretches of beaches and limestone cliffs on one side, contrast with the very English looking green forested areas on the other side.

Although the weather was cold, wet and windy when we were there, it still had some pretty stunning views.

We started from Port Campbell National Park, the most photographed stretch of the road due to the limestone rock stacks, gorges, arches and blowholes. Loads of stops along this part of the road but the highlights have to be The Twelve Apostles. These are seven rock stacks abandoned to the ocean by the eroding mainland. No-one is too sure what happened to the other five- or if there ever were five others. Also the Arch and London Bridge were worth a stop. Apparently it used to be one rock platform linked to the mainland, but in 1990 it collapsed, stranding two tourists who were later rescued by helicopter.

The Twelve Apostles

Thunder Cave

Twins

Archway

London Bridge

Bay Of Islands

Otway National Park has relatively untouched rainforests which is what attracted us to do the Maits Rest Rainforest Boardwalk, a 20min walk through a rain-forest gully which was pretty amazing.

We planned to make it all the way to Melbourne in one day but after everything, we ended up treating ourselves. We spent the night in a sea-side cottage in Apollo Bay. Primarily a fishing village but popular with Melbourne weekenders due to the beaches and rolling green hills.

Our little cottage for the night

Onto Melbourne.