Ocean So Blue

The memorial arch

Last weekend, Caylee and I met my friends Albert and Jack in Southbank and then we set off on our Great Ocean Road adventure. The Great Ocean Road is a beautiful 150-mile drive that features the breathtaking Victorian coastline. Prior to moving to Melbourne, I hadn't heard of this well-known scenic drive, but it's comparable to the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which, regrettably, I haven't done yet. Now it seems silly that I didn't take advantage of it while I was living in Los Angeles, but I'm determined to experience it one day.

This was my first time driving on the left-hand side of the road so naturally, I was slightly nervous; however, some of my passengers were apparently even more anxious as they attempted to revoke my driving privileges. Since the beginning section of our trip from Melbourne to the gateway to the Great Ocean Road in Torquay consisted mostly of highway driving, which was easier to maneuver around than the narrow and windy roads that would come later, we decided I would drive first.

At Kennett River

Our first official stop was at the Anglesea Surf Beach, where we waded in the cool water and took stunning pictures of the scenery. After that, we visited the Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet, which was an especially great idea since we ended up not viewing the Cape Otway Lighthouse due to the unexpected fees. Continuing along the Great Ocean Road, we made stops at Erskine Falls and Teddy's Lookout in Lorne and then Kennett River, my favourite stop of the trip since this is where we saw our first wild koalas. While we were at Kennett River, we also had the opportunity to feed colourful wild parrots of some sort, which I, of course, only photographed due to my slight fear of birds. Following Kennett River, we made it to Apollo Bay, which is where we stayed overnight. It was a quiet place, but the area by the water was worth seeing.

Twelve Apostles

On the next day, we continued on our route toward the Twelve Apostles, which is probably the most famous attraction along the Great Ocean Road. Before we arrived at that destination, we made other stops along the way, including one at Melba Gully, a tranquil sub-temperate rainforest that consisted of myrtle beech, blackwood, and tree ferns. We then made it to the Twelve Apostles, a collection of rock stacks close to the Port Campbell National Park that was formed by erosion. It's a stunning sight to see so it's no wonder why this attraction is so popular. After the Twelve Apostles, we visited Loch Ard Gorge and spent some time at the beach there before heading off to Port Campbell for lunch. Then we drove out past Peterborough to see The Arch, London Bridge, and The Grotto, all unique rock formations that were interesting to see.

It was hard to believe how rich of an aqua colour the ocean seemed to be from the beginning to the end. I can't say that I've ever seen anything quite like it, but it was absolutely gorgeous.