Back to the Mainland

Jumped on board the Spirit of Tasmania II for the voyage home. 15 knot winds and a one metre swell, I have been to rougher birthday parties. It didn't really seem like we were on the water at all. I drove off the ship at 6.55am (my god that's early) and headed for Geelong, where I had breakfast, filled the car up (only $1.41.9 a litre) and gave the old Vectra a bit of a wash (she didn't look so good covered in Tasmanian bird droppings). While Queenscliff is the actual start to the Great Ocean Road most Melbournites pick it up at Geelong. It was time to cross the next thing from my bucket and drive the Great Ocean Road.

To get out of Melbourne I had to cross the West Gate Bridge, scene of another famous bridge disaster. In 1970, while still being constructed, a span of the bridge collapsed killing 35 people. These were mainly workers who were either on the span at the time or tragically were under it on a morning tea break when it all came crashing down. 

Having made it across I headed to Geelong then on to Torquay where the ocean part of the road's name begins to appear. From there it was on to Lorne. Lorne was clearly in the process of being massively over developed. What once must have been a sleepy coastal village was now covered in shiny new chrome and glass apartment buildings that rose from up the town's surrounding hills like some post modernist giant's staircase. 

From Lorne it was on to Apollo Bay where the process was over development was also in full flight. Both towns were full of Asian tourists dutifully propping up another sector of the Australian economy. It makes perfect sense really, once the mining boom is over and we no longer own the country it will be important for the new owners to know the best places to live. 

Apollo Bay

From Apollo Bay it was on to Port Campbell but first I had to pay a visit to the Twelve Apostles. Apparently they were originally called the "Sow and Her Piglets" and that there were never 12 of them only 9. The name was changed to give them a more tourist friendly image back in the 1920's. In this secular age and the fact that I could only count 7 of them maybe they should change the name again to something like the seven dwarves (but that wouldn't work on so many levels).

Now this is a massive tourist location, despite the relative difficulty in getting there and having seen hardly any cars on most of the Great Ocean Road (apart from in the towns) to pull into a car park that contained well over 100 vehicles was a bit weird. Where did they all come from? Are they lost? Do they know the way home?   Is there enough food? 

There are a number of other natural features that are available for viewing within a few kilometres of the apostles. The most famous of these being London Bridge (it should now be more correctly known as London Island). In January of 1990 one of the spans collapsed stranding two people on Australia's newest island getaway. Fortunately no one was hurt and they were rescued by helicopter a few hours later. It does give you a greater respect for the power of nature. 

Before

After

From the apostles it was on to Port Campbell and then Warrnambool. The Great Ocean Road becomes the Great Forest Road as you wind your way through the luscious green dairy country of the Aire Valley. It's all so hopelessly picturesque with letter boxes made from old milk pales and the Friesian cows grazing happily in the paddocks. I am sure the Upper Hunter looked a bit like this at one time. In a way its still the same, instead of Friesian cows we have yellow caterpillars and instead of grazing in paddocks they graze on rock. The imagery isn't quite as romantic though. 

I spent the night in Warrnambool and will check out it's virtues after a dull night of washing and a good nights sleep.