I always rise first, shower quickly and then wake John. By 7:30 A.M. we are driving towards Port Campbell in search of coffee and breakfast. The morning dawn is just breaking and I tell John to keep an eye out for wild life. We spot several kangaroos foraging for food along the roadside and then a large “mob” of them off in a distant field. We are giddy with delight and watch as they take off, bounding across the hillside. They stop at the crest of the hill, silhouetted against the ever brightening sky, watching us.
This Great Ocean Road drops down to the coast and the morning light casts a magical light on the golden cliffs and the indigo water. We arrive at the Twelve Apostle’s national park and walk along the scenic boardwalk taking photos of the freestanding rock stacks only partially lit by the morning sun. The coastline is breathtakingly beautiful and the day promises to be mostly sunny. We continue onto Port Campbell and are happy when we find an open breakfast café. The coffee is strong and the food good.
We continue the scenic drive up the coast towards Peterborough. The morning light is magical and we stop at most of the turn outs and hike short loops and pathways to viewpoints; Grotto, London Bridge, Arch Loch and Ard Gorge. I am most grateful for my new jacket and John and I bundle tightly for these chilly and windswept walks.
Grotto is as one might expect; a cave and archway hollowed away in the red sandy cliffs. Last night’s rain has coated slippery pathway with orange-red muck and it oozes into the cleats of John’s hiking boots and colors the hems of our jeans. A wooden staircase descends to the grotto and a roarshock reflection in a still pool of water, doubles our pleasure. Beyond the grotto, the surf swirls and crashes.
London Bridge is a rather new landmark, the bridge section of this tremendous arch having recently fallen into the sea, stranding a number of hikers out on the island archway. They were eventually rescued and gratefully, no one was on the connecting bridge way when it collapsed. London Bridge is reminiscent of our 4 mile beach in Santa Cruz, only more monumental. Some years down the line, this arch will collapse, adding two more “Apostles” to the Great Ocean Road.
Our final stop is at Ard Gorge and we have many loop trails to choose from. We walk the upper windswept loop with vast view expanses of the sea beyond; the boggy terrain alongside the pathway a varied pallet of green, purple and orange foliage. A trail descends some distance to the beach beyond and John chooses that fork. It is a long hike but well worth the time and effort. Instead of simply admiring the striking golden cliffs and crashing ocean; the pathway deposits us upon the cliffs just above the beach. This section of the coastline is described as “Shipwreck Coast” and for good reason. The powerful surf is frightening and I call to John to stay back from the edges of the rocks, but my voice is drowned out by the fury of the waves as he scurries over the rocks and disappears from sight. I walk along the low rock cliff, safely back from the pounding surf, saying a quiet prayer, that John will take caution and reappear shortly. I am alone and awed by the beauty and power of this impressive coastline.
We must turn back for our return drive to Melbourne but we make a second stop at the 12 Apostles to view the rock stacks in full light. I search for gas in Lavers Hill and fill my near empty tank and we eat a mediocre hamburger at a roadside bar. I am told that we will find koalas if we take the turn off onto Light House Road and drive to the tip of Cape Otway. It is 2:30 P.M. when we reach the turn off and we drive slowly down a well maintained gravel road through a lush eucalyptus forests. It is 12 kilometers to the light house but as we get near I spot a grove of eucalyptus with sparse foliage. I was instructed to look for this and I pull over and turn off the engine. Across the road and high up in a tree, I see a telltale bump resting in a forked branch. We are delighted when the bump morphs into a leaf munching koala. I point out another bump in the next tree over. Not to be outdone, John takes up the search and we walk deep into the grove and are rewarded by multitudes of koalas. Soon the sightings seem common place and we return to our car satisfied. As I pull out, a branch hangs low across the road, weighted with yet another koala. I pull over again and take close up and photos of this delightful marsupial. We drive down to the lighthouse, but the entry fee is $15.00 each and lighthouses are not our priority so we retrace our route through the eucalyptus groves and continue onto the Great Ocean Road.
20 minutes further on, we stop at Maites Rest and take the boardwalk loop trail through an ancient rain forest, lush with giant tree ferns, gnarled tree roots and hanging vines. We feel very much alone in this primordial forest in the fading light.
Our final stop is at Kennett River where I expect to find platypus at dusk, but we have been misinformed. Instead, I buy bird seed and we drive up another gravel road through eucalyptus forest trying to attract the parrots. We hear them, but are unable to entice them to fly down and eat our offerings of seed. Disappointed, we drive the final 45 minutes in the dark to Lorne in search of a room for the night. I inquire at the Lorne Resort on the outskirts fringe of town; and they offer me a severely discounted room with spa and view for $135. We don’t need luxuries tonight and I check on rates at two other motels down the street and opt for the Comfort Inn, just above the Lorne resort for $100. (All rates within Australia include both taxes and service.)The room is spacious with a picture window view into the black of the night. I make up the folding couch with fresh linens for John and we walk 3 minutes down the hill to enjoy dinner at the stylish bistro of the resort. John has fish and chips and I enjoy a warm chicken and feta salad.
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