We packed up last night so that we could hit the road right after breakfast. Our goal was to make the roughly 90 minute drive to the 12 Apostles site before all the tour buses got there. We arrived about 10:15 and although people were already there, it wasn’t yet crowded.
photo credit: Roslyn Konter
This collection of limestone stacks up to 150 feet high was formed by erosion. The erosion that formed the 12 Apostles has also claimed four of them; there are now only eight apostles remaining. But it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. Get there after about 11 a.m. on any given day during the Australian summer, and you’ll find out the hard way just how popular.
While I took a long flight of stairs down to the beach to get a few shots from a different angle, Roslyn stayed up top, and wound up getting the shot of the day.
Photo credit: Roslyn Konter
Feast your eyes on the Superb Fairy Wren. There are about a half-dozen birds here classified as fairy wrens. One is named the Splendid Fairy Wren. There are also Lovely and Red-winged Fairy Wrens.
After leaving the 12 Apostles, we stopped briefly at another seaside spot along the Great Ocean Road, the Loch Ard Gorge. Just another stunningly beautiful site; this one named for the ship that wrecked on the reef nearby.
We continued on our way toward our destination for the night, Port Fairy. On the way, we came to the end of the Great Ocean Road. Back on the highway, we made good time to Port Fairy. The welcome sign wants every passing motorist to know this coastal village of about 4,000 to be the most livable city in Australia. I’m in no position to dispute that claim. It is, indeed, quaint and charming, filled with nice restaurants and artists’ shops. The nice lady who operates our hotel recommended several dinner choices. We chose Coffin Sally, a pizza joint. I had the buffalo mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and basil. Roslyn had the Too Much Spinach, which really had just the right amount of spinach, along with lemon. Both were delicious.
The weather has been cool the last two days; highs in the 60’s, with a steady 25 mph wind that made it feel colder. That ends tomorrow, when we travel about an hour and a half north of here to Hall’s Gap. The high is forecast in the mid-90’s tomorrow and 100 for Sunday.