When I travel the world, I hope to find something unusual, something out of this world. It doesn’t matter if that’s going to be a natural phenomenon or a local designer, maybe even a hidden cafe or a restaurant. I love finding something new, whether or not it’s recognized all over the world. In this case, the twelve apostles were something I saw and discovered for myself about two years ago. That was the first time I visited Australia. Today is 2018, and it’s time to head back to the very same road “the Great Ocean Road.” I wanted to see if anything has changed over the last two-years if anything at all. What’s different about the natural wonders on this road? Has the highway changed? What can you expect when traveling to The Great Ocean Road?
What is the Great Ocean Road and what can you expect:
The Great Ocean Road is considered one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives. The highway stretches for 240 kilometers (150 miles), full of picturesque views, and famous landmarks such as the towering twelve apostles and the London bridge. Parts of the freeway run through a jungle, here you can spot kangaroos and the most adorable bear in the world, in my opinion, the Koala. Other parts of the road, run alongside the ocean with spectacular views and at times narrow and daring. From Lorne to Apollo Bay you’ll be zigzagging in your car for approximately 25 miles, at times being inches away from the ocean cliff. Other times you might hit a bit of traffic due to construction. Keep your eyes on the road!
What changed over the past two-year:
One thing is for sure the road wasn’t this packed with vehicles and not that many tourists were present. Nowadays it’s tough to take a good photo, with 100 or so other people are trying to take selfies next to you. Oh, man this is becoming the “Mona Lisa” of Australia. If you read my posts on the Rodin museum, you know what I mean. Nature is not about how many selfies you can take in one minute. Enjoy what you have in front of you, and travel the world. We are lucky to be alive and living on planet Earth.
The other significant change that I noticed is every little town on the road is not so little anymore. With the growing number of tourists coming and going the demand for places to stay and places to eat has dramatically increased. Therefore, finding a suitable place to dine or spend the night in a luxurious hotel or just a campground will not be a problem. Take your time exploring this road, and the major landmarks on it. Drive through the forest looking for the koalas, and I bet you’ll find five or six just chilling on the tree. After all, this is what “travel the world” really means.
To find a great for a pleasant stay go to Great Ocean Road Accommodation, they have over 800 homes and apartments waiting to be rented out for your perfect vacation. If you plan on booking a hotel, a room or a house, in high season, make reservations well in advance.
Where to stop on this road:
Many of your travel guides and other bloggers/photographers have already been here and have done their research. Follow the advice they give, and here are my favorite spots on this road.
First Stop Cape Otway Lighthouse:
The road leading to the lighthouse runs through a park full of eucalyptus trees, Koalas favorite dish. Make sure to look up, when driving down the road, you never know what you might find. Above on trees these furry grey bears, will be either sleeping or eating the leaves, a site to see. Once you reach the lighthouse be aware, the entrance fee is ridiculous in my opinion. However, I didn’t pay it and here is why. At the time of my visit, a delivery was taking place. All the gates open wide with nobody checking for tickets. Quickly thinking and walking, a few people, including my husband and I entered for free. The entrance fee is not worth it, although the lighthouse is beautiful.
The Twelve Apostles seem to be the most famous landmarks on this road:
The twelve apostles love them, but not from above. To enjoy them plan a well thought out hike to the bottom of the beach. From the car parking lot, you have a few route options. The first and most popular option, walk with everyone to view the apostles from above, great but impossible to take a photo. The second option, walk down to the beach but be ready for a small hike. At the beach you can get a closer look at the massive rocks, maybe even have a picnic.
No swimming near the Twelve Apostles states the sing, well not for a few dear devils. My husband and a few other serfs took on the waives, dangerous people. I don’t recommend swimming or surfing. It doesn’t matter how good of a swimmer you are, the ocean current in Australia can be deadly. As one of my favorite travel writes Bill Bryson wrote in his book In A Sunburned Country – “ 1967 the prime minister, Harold Holt, was strolling along a beach in Victoria when he plunged into the surf and vanished. No trace of the poor man was ever seen again”. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do the ocean takes no prisoners.
All the photos below are from 2016:
All the photos below are from 2018:
