                   |
Goodness Gracious... Great Ocean Road !This picturesque stretch of highway is also known as the Surfcoast Highway. It was constructed in the 1930s as a tribute to the soldiers of World War I. Today the Great Ocean Road is a main tourist attraction because of the beautiful setting, the quiet beach towns, great nature and the incredible Twelve Apostles. With the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other this two lane road, stretching for 160 miles, has speed limits of 80 to 100 miles an hour. The road winds and curves making this speed virtually impossible along most parts. How to get thereThe Great Ocean Road stretches between Torquay and Allansford where the Great Ocean Road joins the Princess Highway near Warrnambool. Torquay is about 90 minutes from Melbourne via the West Gate and Princess freeway. Parts of the road wind through the rain forest of Otway National Park.Port Campbell National Park is about a five hour drive from Melbourne if you take the Great Ocean Road and approximately three hours from Melbourne if you take the Princess Highway. This national park is known for the Twelve Apostles, stacks made of rock shaped by the sea eroding over time. These rocks are probably up to 20 million years old. The area is also known for the many shipwrecks that have occurred there. The Twelve Apostles are one of the most spectacular sights in the world. Otway National ParkOne of the most interesting parks, which part of the Great Ocean Road winds through, is Otway National Park. If the rainforests intrigue you, this is a must see. This area has some of the most beautiful waterfalls, one of which is Triplet Falls. This area has recently undergone a 2 million dollar renewal, which included putting in a loop walk, raised boardwalks, and a platform. These renovations have improved the scenic quality of the falls and opened up areas of the rainforest that had not previously been open.When you have got the time, you should include a visit to Otway National Park in your trip. Visiting the falls will take 1-2 hours out of your day, but bush camping overnight is the real way to discover this area ! I have camped there with my family. Getting to the camp site is best done in a 4WD; we nearly got stuck with our small regular car. The next day we hiked down (15 min walk) to wash ourselves in the ice cold ocean; a great way to wake up and nature living at its best ! Relax in LorneLorne is a seaside town that is one of the top beach towns to go if you plan to travel the Great Ocean Road. Settled in 1849 by a European named William Lindsay, a timber cutter, the area began growing and was visited in 1891 by Rudyard Kipling. He was so impressed with the area he wrote the poem Flowers, which included a line about Lorne. On New Years Eve Lorne is host to the Falls Festival, featuring the Lorne Pier to Pub Swim, the Lorne Mountain to Surf Run, and the Lorne Surf Race. These events are annually visited by approximately 20,000 people.Lorne's main strip along the beach is filled with restaurants, little shops and hotels. Lorne gets visited all year round, but is rather busy during the summer months. When you drive out of Lorne, in the direction of Otway National Park and the Twelve Apostles, make sure you pay attention to the trees the first 30-45 minutes. On both of our last trips there we were lucky enough to see koalas sitting in the trees by the side of the road ! There is simply something for everyone. Taking a trip to the Great Ocean Road is a definite must when you are visiting Melbourne. It is the most beautiful coastal road in Australia and probably the world. Wish to know more about the wonderful things to do close to Melbourne ? Subscribe to the Melbourne XPress or to the site blog. Go from Great Ocean Road Page to I Love Melbourne Homepage Great Ocean Road Twelve Apostles | Bellarine Peninsula | Building the Great Ocean Road Accommodation: Apollo Bay | Bellarine Peninsula | Geelong | Lorne | Port Campbell | Torquay | Warrnambool |
Subscribe now to the Melbourne Xpress |
|
|
|
|
