Take Your Time on the Great Ocean Road
by Kathrin_E
The Great Ocean Road can be 'done' as a day trip from Melbourne to see the Twelve Apostles. However, it would be a shame to race through in one day and back and miss most of it.
The spectacular coastline west of Cape Otway cannot be enjoyed from the car. The road is too far inland to offer any view of the cliffs. You have to stop at the viewpoints and walk a bit to see something, and there are many worthwhile viewpoints. This takes time. Slow down. Loch Ard Gorge alone deserves half a day.
I'd recommend a minimum of three days from Melbourne/Geelong to Warrnambool or Port Fairy. Even then you'll have to make some choices what to see and what to miss.
The Great Ocean Road sign
by Alphons
The Great Ocean Road is build as a mi=onument for the soldiers who have served in the first worldwar. The start was in 1910 and it was finished in 1934, many of the 3000 men who has worked on the road has been veterans of the worldwar1.
The 3 hard-to-reachs at the Lord Ard Gorge stop
by xuessium
Tours don't make long stops so while everyone rushes around to soak up the magic of Lord Ard Gorge, the tight time meant abandoning some of the other attractions around the spot.
I was fortunate to be given the chance to visit some of these spots: The Blowhole, Thunder Cave and Sherbrooke River.
All situated on the right from Lord Ard Gorge, driving meant a less than 5 minutes journey from the Gorge. From the starting point, The Blowhole is about 250m away on foot, Thunder Cave about 500m and the mouth of Sherbrooke River, about 1km away. (There is another attraction: Broken Head, which I did not try for) Give yourself an hour at least.
The Blowhole, as it names accurately indicated, is simply a place where the waves were channelled inwards from the narrow entrance of Thunder Cave to generate a loud boom.
Sherbrooke River's mouth is a popular spot for anglers and provides you with perhaps, the closest proximity to the turbulent waters of the Southern Ocean.
LOCH ARD GORGE
by aussiejen
The Loch Ard Gorge is one of the Great Ocean Road's most intriguing attractions. It is named after the ship "Loch Ard". In 1878 it was shipwrecked just off the coast. Of the 54 people aboard, only 2 survived. One was an 18 year old cabin boy, the other an 18 year female passenger.
Some of the victims are buried in the small cemetery on the cliffs overlooking the gorge.
There are steps down to the beach, although steep it's fun going down there and exploring the caves.
Loch Ard Gorge
by Myndo
This Coast is not called Shipwreck Coast without a reason!
Right in front of this Coast the ship "Loch Ard" did sink once and only two from the 54 people on board survived. They were washed on the shore here at Lord Ard Gorge. One of them was a young officer, the other a young irish woman who wanted to live in Australia. Since she has lost consciousness, he brought her (half conscious) in a cave in the cliffs wall, revived her with some Brandy and went for help.
Actually I wondered. This surrounding, two young people, he heroicly saves her ... and NO romance? But that´s how it was.
Pity.
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Two of the rock formations
Ferns
Wedding photos at London Bridge...
London Bridge...