Melbourne to Apollo Bay.
This morning we said good bye to Melbourne after a lovely week of varied activities . Still don't think I'm too keen on the Southbank but the apartment was very nice.
We left the city in brilliant sunshine, (it was due to be 35 degrees today!) and took the Great Ocean Road heading towards Adelaide.
The scenery was spectacular was we followed the coast with an almost perfect sea views all day. Our first stop was Torquey, a really lovely little town where life moved at a slow pace and people just sat enjoying their drinks and the sunshine. This is a surfing town and there were a few surfers about enjoying some quite leisurely waves. Having enjoyed our Morning tea we explored for a while and enjoyed the views. The beach was beautiful; lovey golden sand and sea so blue and clear it was amazing.
Time to move on and enjoy more spectacular views. We weren't to be disappointed,as the 'surf coast' rolled out before us. Bells Beach, another golden sandy beach with blue sea and today gentle waves. Point Addie with it's off shore haven for sea plants and animals. Anglesea, named after the one in North Wales by early settlers, where we learned about ship wrecks and saw memorabilia from the wrecks of the 'Inverlochy' and the 'Hereford' . There was also the Loveridge Lookout built in 1938 as a memorial to James Loveridge by his wife Bertha; apparently this was his favourite view out across the Bass Strait. It was pretty spectacular.
Further along the road the coast became more rocky and there was evidence of sea erosion and the formation of stacks near Victoria.
Our next stop was the Eagle Rock light house looking out to Split Point. The walk was lovely and the views across from the Airey Light were quite spectacular. After such a ' strenuous ' walk we were rewarded with some lovely local made fruit lollies and a lovely cafe garden in which to enjoy them.
Travelling on and our next stop was the Great Ocean Road Memorial and the beautiful Diggers Sculpture. This is a reminder that the Great Ocean Road commemorates 3000 Australian soldiers and sailers who returned from the Great War and built this road as a memorial to their fallen comrades.
Ever onward, enjoying spectacular views at Separation Creek and Wongarra before our destination for the night, Apollo Bay and the very original Captains at the Bay. Our accommodation is really lovely apartments with their own court yard. The only thing that was strange was there is a bath in our sitting area/bedroom!!! Not quite sure what that's all about. Still it's very nice and only a short walk from the Main Street where our evening meal was waiting for us- Australian pizza. Good too.
To walk off some of the calories we enjoyed a pleasant walk along the sea front to admire the sculptures and some window shopping. Everything closes a early in this area.
What an amazing day, the whole journey so far just as great as we remembered it.