Great Ocean Road Part 2

The Great Ocean Road was built at the end of world war I by the returning veterans as a tribute to their fallen comrades. I drove it in reverse so the bit furthest away from Melbourne was the least impressive. However, the stretch from Torquay to Apollo Bay was how you would expect a road to be . It clings to the side of the cliffs and hills and gives some amazing views as you round bends. Its also where many car or bike commercials are filmed in OZ as you impressively wizz around the corners with the wind in your hair.



However, for 'tourist in a reasonably priced car' the sweeping bends don't present that opportunity. Did I say I have Hyundai Accent hire car. Automatic. The steering is so light the slightest twitch makes it skate. And it doesn't seem to understand what gear it should be in. So when you go up a hill or want to go round a bend with a few revs - completely foxes it. It wamnts to change gewar every few seconds. Still at 300q for 3 weeks what can you expect.



So the Great Ocean Road gets a tick. Worth a visit and would be excellent to cycle or belt along on a bike.



However, its also the number 1 kids holiday hotspot of Victoria. So at this time of year its absolutely packed with families on holidays. Remember its school holidays so think Cornwall in August and you get the picture. I couldn't find a camp site on the coast with a spare space - or a decibal level less than 90db. So I went in to one of the forest parks inland to bush camp.



Found a nice secluded spot with a number of picnic tables and no one else around. Had an excellent sald from the cool box. But when it went dark - sounded like I was in a zoo. As many of Oz animals are nocturnal they all came out - tramping around the trees, crunching leaves. Of course its pitch black too so you can't see much - except I did see a couple of dingos and kangaroos sniffing around the site. Have to say I didn't get the best sleep I've ever had. When I woke up at 6 and decided to move on there was a bunch of kangaroos at the end of the lane (gravel track) watching me leave - and also saw at least half a dozen koalas clining on to the trees.



Thursday I spent in Torquay. Its the home of the Oz surf iindustry. It has the worlds first 'heritage protected surf beach' called Bells Beach where they have the annual Ripcurl surf masters. It is also the home to Ripcurl and Quiksilver as this is where they started. It is a lovely place and has been developed as a surf resort . Which means that it has 5 or 6 beaches. All of these have about 100m of land behing them - grassy praks with bbqs and play areas and then an esplanade - which has no cafes or shops along it. So it doesn't have the tacky seaside feel to it. I thought it was an excellent place to hang out (and feel old). Is it me or are all teenagers trying to look the same?



Last night arrived in Ballarat - where I intend to stay for 3 nights. Ballarat is the home of the Aussie Gold Ruash of the 1850s and as such has some fantastic buildings and museums =- and has a heritage driving trail . So thats what I will be doing until Sunday. Will tell you more then.