Day 4: Sunday 13th February
Sunday was a much warmer and sunnier day but, also, much windier. Mark did get out for a bike ride and I did get out for a walk but it was so windy I couldn’t walk out along the harbour breakwater.
We packed up and got away from the house at about 930 and our first stop was at the California Redwoods in the great Otway National Park. This stand of redwoods is located about 40 minutes out of Apollo Bay but with the last 25 minutes being along a winding gravel, albeit beautifully forested, road. The forest was planted back in the thirties to offer some soft wood alternatives to hardwood for the timber industry.
We were one of only two couples walking through the forest but, as we left several large groups arrived and so we were lucky to be able to experience this beautiful area in the relative peace and quiet. (click on photos to enlarge the view).
After leaving the Redwoods we got back on to the Great Ocean Road and headed towards Port Campbell. The iconic 12 Apostles were along this route and we were looking forward to viewing them.
The first stop on the Apostles section was at Gibson Steps. The name given to the 86 steep steps from the cliff top down to the beach at the start of the 12 Apostles National park where there are some majestic limestone stacks on display. We both ventured down to the beach but Mark took an extra long walk to do some photography.
It was them back on the road next stop looking to turn off to our left for the 12 apostles but didn’t find one so headed onto the Loch Ard Gorge so named as it was the site of a infamous 1878 shipwreck of the clipper named Loch Ard..
We left Loch Ard Gorge on the way to find the 12 Apostles and, before we knew it, we were in Port Campbell. So, clearly, we had missed the turn-off. We had seen a turn off, on our right, but I had assumed this was for accommodation or something as that there was surely no way the 12 apostles could’ve been located there, on our right hand side, away from the coast, so we gave it a miss. But, yes, I’ve was subsequently advised that it was the turn off. So, keep this in mind, if you’re heading south along the highway the turn off is, indeed, off to the right. Apparently you pull in there and then walk back under the road for the viewing of the 12 apostles.
So after settling in to our apartment, at Sea Foam Villas (apartment 11) and having a bite to eat, we set back off up the road for the 10 min drive back to see the 12 Apostles; and ….. they were spectacular!
We were both rather tired after a fairly full day and so headed back to the apartment for a bit of a rest before venturing out to the Sow and Piglet micro-Brewery and then on to the Port Campbell Hotel for dinner. The latter being a rather quirky place that had me feeling like I was in an episode of Sea Change.
We’d had a big day and so then headed home to have a glass of red on our balcony overlooking the beach..
