The Great Ocean Road region is more than just a drive, it’s a journey worth experiencing in one’s lifetime. There is a list of must-dos but it might be the many secrets you can discover if you slow down and take a few days, that makes this journey a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The dramatic coastal scenery, the ancient rainforests, the volcanic plains and of course, the iconic surf beaches, are just some of what this region has to offer. We decided to create our own journey of discovery in early November over a long weekend.
Our adventure started in our own backyard. Torquay is the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. Our first stop was the legendary Bells Beach. Bells Beach is the home of the Rip Curl Pro, a surfing competition where hopefuls travel from near and far.
Our next stop was Aireys Inlet. This small coastal town is home to the Split Point Lighthouse. Built in 1891, this lighthouse was built to guide ships through the Bass Strait on their way to and from Port Philip Bay to access Melbourne. Although we were unable to tour the lighthouse, we enjoyed to beautiful coastal views as well as the stunning white lighthouse itself.
We enjoyed the stunning coastline as we continued to drive along the Great Ocean Road, passing through the charming town of Lorne where we stopped for a picnic lunch. It was here that we discovered an ancient rainforest, complete with waterfalls, massive ferns and even the threat of snakes. We hiked a short distance to Erskine Falls to admire the stunning 30 metre waterfall.
We continued driving along the Great Ocean Road, enjoying all its many twists and turns, until we reached Wye River. Although the kids were sleeping, I wanted to stop in the very picturesque town of Wye River, nestled between two cliffs. The charming café served delicious coffee and offered outstanding views.
By late afternoon, we passed through the town of Apollo Bay and reached our destination of Bimbi Park, who’s slogan is ‘camping under koalas.’ Bimbi Park is a campground, located in Cape Otway, sheltered by Manna gum trees and full of wildlife such as possums, kangaroos, echidnas and most exciting, koalas. We stayed the night in a cabin, and went looking for koalas in the trees above us. Oddly enough, Reid was the one who located most of the koalas we saw. These cute and cuddly koala bears are not part of the bear family at all, but their closest relative is the wombat. They carry their young in their pouch for the first six or seven months. Koalas are the laziest animals around, sleeping up to 20 hours a day! We saw several koalas in the trees but the most exciting sighting was where we saw one mother with two young ones. It was an amazing experience, one we will remember and the kids will talk about for a long time.
The next day, we got up and the kids played on the swings as a koala sat eating some leaves in the tree above them. Soon after, we left to drive up into the rainforest and visit the Otway Fly. The Otway Fly is a rainforest walk which features a steel structure that takes you to the top of the trees in the rainforest. It was a fantastic learning experience for us but perhaps the highlight was having a toast with the girls at Amy and Frank’s wedding via FaceTime.
Next stop: The Twelve Apostles. This was probably the highlight of the Great Ocean Road. To access the Twelve Apostles, there is a path that takes you from the parking lot, underneath the highway and then right to the coast where there are viewing platforms. As we approached the end of the path to reach the platforms, there was a moment when these majestic ocean-bound rock stacks came into view…and it took our breath away. It is something to been seen…the photos can’t capture the beauty of this jaw-dropping coastal architecture. Alexis was quick to question why it is called the Twelve Apostles when she could only see 8 stacks…it was a good lesson on erosion for her.
After leaving the Twelve Apostles, the kids quickly fell asleep and we traveled to Warrnambool, our home for the rest of the weekend. Warrnambool is home to a colony of little penguins that live on Middle Island. The evening we arrived in Warrnambool, the tide was so low that we could almost walk out to Middle Island. It was fun to explore the rock caves that were not filled with water at the moment as well as the tide pools. We also enjoyed viewing the dramatic coastline as well as the stunning beaches in Warrnambool. However, in true Alexis and Reid fashion, their highlight of Warrnambool was probably the playground that featured an old school merry-go-round.