Great Ocean Road – Torquay to Allansford
Nature and wildlife photo galleries for the scenic drive along The Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It is one of Australia’s most picturesque routes and is on Australia’s National Heritage List (Ref 1). Furthermore, the road is a 243-kilometre road between Torquay and Allansford, near Warrnambool. Moreover, the road from Torquay to Lorne follows a themed coastline: The Surf Coast. Also, the road after Princetown is another themed coastline: The Shipwreck Coast.
So, after flying into Melbourne, we drove our rental car to join The Great Ocean Road at Bellbrae, near Torquay. Before reaching Apollo Bay for an overnight stay, we made two scenic detours in the Great Otway National Park. Also, a stop at Kennett River to view Koala.
We continued the scenic drive to Allansford on the second day, making stops in The Great Otway National Park. And in the Port Campbell National Park at The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard George. Also, The Arch, London Bridge, The Grotto, and the Bay of Islands Coastal Park.
Great Ocean Road at Castle Cove in Victoria
Great Ocean Road Tour – Torquay to Apollo Bay
The gallery features nature and wildlife images between Torquay and Apollo Bay. These include late morning and early afternoon photos at Point Addis, Erskine Falls, and Koala at Kennett River.
Point Addis, Erskine Falls and Kennett River
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Point Addis
After joining the Great Ocean Road at Bellbrae, we drove a few kilometres before detouring to Point Addis. Further, the point is on the Surf Coast in the Great Otway National Park. Seascapes of orange-red sandstone with great cormorants on the cliffs. In the late morning, although it was sunny, it was not the best lighting on the sandstone.
Erskine falls and Kennett River
Next, Erskine falls, with a thirty-metre drop, in the Great Otway National Park. Just a short detour from Lorne, at the end of the Surf Coast. After photographing the falls, we drove to Wye River for lunch. I only mention this because of poor service, indifferent staff, terrible food, and overpriced. A better option would have been Kafe Koala five kilometres down the road at Kennett River. We planned to stop at Kennett River to see the foraging Koala along Grey River Road.
Apollo Bay
We reached Apollo Bay late afternoon checked into our hotel before going to a Chinese Restaurant for a delicious meal. It had been a tiring few days; the flight from London to Melbourne and then the drive to Apollo Bay.
Great Ocean Road Tour – Apollo Bay to Princetown
After an overnight stop in Apollo Bay, we set off early to photograph nature in Maits Rest Rainforest. Then a detour to Cape Otway and Manna Gum Drive to view Koala. Our final stop on the Bellbrae to Princetown leg was at Castle Cove Lookout.
Maits Rest Rainforest, Cape Otway, and Castle Cove
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Maits Rest Rainforest
The following day we made an early start for the drive to Warrnambool. First, we stopped at Maits Rest Rainforest, fifteen minutes from Apollo Bay. For an easy thirty-minute scenic circular walk starting and finishing at the car park with some boardwalk sections. The early morning mist made the forest feel eerie. However, on the downside, the low light levels made photography challenging, especially for ancient myrtle-beech trees (Nothofagus cunninghamii). However, images feature tree ferns and mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans).
Cape Otway
Next, we made the short fifteen-minute detour drive to Cape Otway Lighthouse. Several walks start from the car park, including a short one to the Lighthouse lookout. Unfortunately, overgrown shrubs obscured the view, and we were too early for it to be open. However, I got a photo of the Cape Otway Lighthouse Telegraph Station, built-in 1854. Backtracking to the highway, we stopped at Manna Gum Drive, where Koalas feed and sleep in the trees. Koalas are only active for about four hours per day, spending most of that time eating eucalyptus leaves. Unsurprisingly, most individuals were asleep.
Castle Cove Lookout
Our final stop in the Great Otway National Park was Castle Cove Lookout. A surfing beach and one of the few places with parking before Princetown and Port Campbell National Park.
Great Ocean Road Tour – Princetown to Port Campbell
From Princetown, the road meanders its way along the rugged and scenic coastline, known as the Shipwreck Coast. Many ships wrecked along this stretch of coast, especially during the nineteenth century, including the ‘Loch Ard’ in 1878.
Two galleries display nature and wildlife photos of our tour between Princetown and Port Campbell: The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.
The Twelve Apostles
The Twelve Apostles ‘Classic View’
The Twelve Apostles, Gog, and Magog
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The Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park is a formation of seven limestone stacks. Nine stacks named ‘Sow and Piglets’ re-branded in 1922 as ‘The Apostles’ and later ‘The Twelve Apostles’. Today only seven remain; one collapsed in 2005 and another in 2009.
The coast comprises limestone, a sedimentary rock formed by organic animal remains on the seabed millions of years ago. These sedimentary layers have hard and soft layers that erode at different rates. Therefore, over time, rough seas and wild winds undermine cliffs creating overhangs, caves, arches, and stacks formed when arches collapse. An excellent place for landscape photography.
The gallery features The Twelve Apostles ‘Classic View’ and Gog and Magog stacks viewed looking east towards Gibson’s Beach. Gog and Magog are not part of the apostle’s group.
Loch Ard Gorge
The Razorback at Loch Ard Gorge
Loch Ard Gorge Seascapes and Wildlife
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Loch Ard Gorge has more to offer than The Twelve Apostles, less commercialised with fewer crowds. The coast is sandy limestone, the same geology as The Twelve Apostles. Furthermore, it has several kilometres of themed paths: The first is a short Geology Walk from the central carpark towards the east. It is the most photogenic part of the gorge complex with good landscape photography opportunities.
The first photo shows Tom and Eva, limestone island and stack, named after two survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck. Formerly the Island Archway collapsed in June 2009. Further displayed are several images of The Razorback and limestone stacks in the bay. Also, a photo of The Arch in Muttonbird Island looking back from The Razorback footpath.
From the western carpark, paths lead to Thunder Cave and Broken Head, and three images feature in the gallery. The final three photos show a welcome swallow, a superb fairy-wren, and a forest raven. The welcome swallow distribution is in Australia and New Zealand, while the other two are Australian endemics.
Great Ocean Road Tour – Port Campbell to Allansford
The Great Ocean Road from Port Campbell to Peterborough is still within the Port Campbell National Park. But the coast is less impressive than the iconic sites visited earlier. However, three areas with just one geological feature, The Arch, London Bridge and The Grotto, were worth a short visit.
After Peterborough, there are two more locations, both within the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. The first is the Bay of Martyrs, and lastly, the Bay of Islands.
Bay of Islands Coastal Park
The Arch, London Bridge, The Grotto and Bay of Islands Coastal Park
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The coast continues to be sandy limestone subject to similar sea and wind erosion described in The Twelve Apostles above. However, the Grotto is a unique rock formation, comprising three geological features: a cave, a sinkhole, and an archway.
Before 1990 London Bridge was a double arch connected to the mainland, hence its name. However, one arch collapsed on 15th January 1990, leaving an arched island as shown in the photo. Later renamed the London Arch but still referred to as London Bridge.
Our final two stops were both within the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. First, a brief visit to the Bay of Martyrs, which features history and nature. Lastly, the Bay of Islands for more seascapes with geological features. The Bay of Islands CP is less spectacular than Port Campbell National Park. However, I would have liked more time at the Bay of Martyrs to look for birds to photograph.
Continue the 2013 Tour of Victoria
Our Great Ocean Road trip finished in Warrnambool. ‘Next’ to continue to the Warrnambool to the South Australia Border webpage.
Or ‘VIC’ to go to the Nature and Wildlife in Victoria, Australia webpage.
References and Bibliography – Online Resources
1. Australia’s National Heritage List. [Online] Available from https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage [Accessed 02-Jan-2022].
2. Great Otway National Park. [Online] Available from https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/ [Accessed 02-Jan-2022].
3. Port Campbell National Park. [Online] Available from https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/ [Accessed 02-Jan-2022].
4. Bay of Islands Coastal Park. [Online] Available from https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/ [Accessed 02-Jan-2022].