Ocean Road 3

Well we started driving, and got to see this beautiful light house. I love light houses so this was a fun site. Great beach side and beautiful walk ways. Australia is definitely a place  you go to just breathe, and turn the world off for a little.

There I am running with excitement to the the top!! Yeah! I'm wearing a sweater because it was a little breezy, but beautiful weather.

Ok, ok I'll stop.

This is my husband in case you missed him in the last posts. Dreamy!

This is a cool house we saw as we entered the Great Ocean Road. It was so space like we stopped and snapped a picture!! Cool. You guys are living the space-age DREAM!

The walk to a gorgeous beach

                                                            Australia is so beautiful.

There is so much land, unoccupied. No-one for miles and miles and miles, but it is not like a drive through Montana. The landscape changes continuously on the Great Ocean Road, and day or night you must be attentive to the road!

One of our favorite parts of the drive was reading all the signs.

Keep Left
Look Right

I know these signs were for us. The people they rented the car to that have absolutely no clue about driving on the left side of the road. Thank you Australia for the signs, and the car!

I had the opportunity to get a retainer in Melbourne, and the Orthodontist and I had a chat about the silly road signs that do him no good, but must help the tourists along their way.  It was fun hearing it from his perspective. We had a good laugh over it, and I walked away with a fantastic retainer at a reasonable price! I want to give him a shout out in here, but that will come in the future. The yellow is to remind me to add it. Blogging while traveling sometimes comes in pieces.

The drive to Melbourne was a good drive. You can tell it's a long drive, and that the road goes on forever and ever because so do these signs... which really make you think as you drive, especially since there is no additional propaganda being advertised making it your only marketing entertainment.

Drowsy Drivers Die

Micro-sleep kills in seconds

Stop Revive Survive

STOP CREEPING

9 in ten speeding accidents happen around bends

Slowing down never killed anyone

You look Drowsy mate, pull over for a snooze

Your eyes are shot mate, Pull over.

In the blink of an eye, you could die

Fatigue is Fatal

Droopy eyes? Take a power nap.

It works too, reading about your impending doom shoots adrenaline through you. You're constantly asking yourself, " Am I tired, are my eyes drooping, do I need a revival stop? Maybe I do need a snooze." 

Your husband yawns, while driving, and it's the old switcheroo. Your wife won't stop creeping, and you just point out the big red sign!!!  After all, our health and safety are very important, and we regard them as so. So parents, if you are reading this blog post, we hope this piece of information will lessen some of your concerns, we have been super safe and healthy! No worries or concerns because we are doing well. :)

These signs were intermingled with---OUR FAVORITE--- crossing signs, here are some we saw:
ADD PICTURES

Koala Crossing
Horse Crossing
Kangaroo Crossing
***Roos are everywhere on the tourist drives!! Make sure to take the tourist routes. We have some great footage. Tourist drives have some Kangaroos, and lots of wallabies.
Emu Crossing
Camel Crossing
Wombat Crossing
***We saw a wombat!! This big slow, small bear, barreling creature crossed the road just in time to make it to the other side of the road, before the truck in front of us cruised passed. We were going too slow to hurt a fly, wombat watching. It was so cool!
Duck Crossing
Sheep, Cow, Goat Crossing
Penguin Crossing

Stay tuned for more animal sitings in upcoming blogs!! We have great pictures!!

It's really neat to see all the animal crossing signs as we do not have such variety in America!! It's like they have a crossing sign for each animal..., and everything. If you are not from Australia you will drive particularly slow through those signed areas on the up chance you might see something!!!

I wonder if there will be Gorilla crossing in Africa, or if there won't be posted signs, but Gorillas will still cross anyway,...

Aged People Crossing

A collage of lots of activity happening Crossing

Pedestrian Crossing

Robot Crossing- Alright that is not true, but eventually I'm sure Australia will have one.

I really appreciated the signs. Pedestrians definitely take the right of way here, and I'm not going to lie. There I was driving through a beach town, and an older gentlemen slowly crossed the street in heaps of traffic, and I thought or.... said out-loud, Where's his sign? I was worried for his safety. :-)

             Australia is a huge mining country, and where they are not underground digging for minerals, they are on top excavating and replenishing all their natural resources, like logging, and replanting. It’s neat to drive by and see all the work going on without seeing many people around.

Were we always catching them at lunch, breakfast, and dinner?  I wasn't sure how it was possible besides imagining everyone was too small to see. Plus aside from Australia being an Opal Mining Capitol, they dig for many other jewels, and who can't help but think of the 7 Dwarves.

However, one real reason you never see anyone is that Australia seems to close at 5pm…everywhere. It is interesting coming from a society where everything is open, and you have access to so much always.

Anyway, vast tree farms, sheep & cattle farms everywhere, beautiful rock formations lining the ocean, preserved eucalyptus forests and tourist drives with Kangaroos and wallabies everywhere.

It was one non-stop beautiful drive. We tried to trade off being the driver to let the passenger have a break from the other driver’s terror.

As the driver you are in control and get to look everywhere, and feel safe with your own driving, as the passenger, you look at the road, and the mirrors, and brace yourself continuously prepared for the imminent danger looming before you.

We had a terrific time. We each drove quite a bit and honed our left street side skills. Since we detoured to the Blue Mountains, through the Jenolan Caves, and spent a fair amount of time searching for Perry the Platypus's cousins, we actually short-cutted through some of the Ocean drive, and our time before Melbourne was close at hand, about 10 hours.

When you get on the ocean Road, stop at a gas station and they will give you tourist routes down the coast. When the map runs out stop at the next gas station. Some of our favorite destinations, and must see sites:

Pictures and descriptions

The Tourist Drives for spottong animals along the Great Ocean Road and the scenery

Empty beaches along the way such as: I will find you the names soon

National Parks with Rain Forests
Eden for their Museum if you are into that, and Whale watching
Narooma for Whale watching
Lakes Entrance

Swap out pictures.

Twelve Apostles, VIC

1. The spectacular coastline

Victoria’s south-west coastline brings a beautiful range of scenery. We saw beautiful beaches with incredible waves and course mineral filled sand. Great tide pools, with plenty of things to see. Big surf at the iconic surf spot of Bells Beach, but the water is cold!!!  You can swim, surf, sea kayak or fish in Apollo Bay. "Or soak up salty history in the charming old fishing village of Port Fairy." Meaning hang out and read some signs, maybe enjoy some fish and chips if you will. Stopping to see there Shipwreck Coast, which is a coastline much like all the others with signs you can read! Of course, you can’t miss the Twelve Apostles. Picture taking hot spot. "These craggy limestone stacks rising majestically from the Southern Ocean are sure to leave you spellbound." I don't know who said that last quote, but they have outdone themselves. ha ha. It's pretty cool. Beautiful views with neat rocks. I enjoyed reading the formations and destruction of each of them. Some people felt it was a packed walk way, but we must have come at the right time. a few tours and us. I noticed Australia's maps will say there is a must see sight like the thunder cave, AND if you truly love coast lines and water, they are MUST SEEs. If not, while they are beautiful there are more things to see and spend your petrol (gas) on.

Great Otway National Park, VIC

2. Wild and wonderful nature

From rainforests and rivers to old volcanoes and rugged coastlines, the Great Ocean Road showcases nature at it most diverse. In Great Otway National Park, you’ll see thundering waterfalls and sparkling gorges and walk through the tops of ancient mossy trees. This was absolutely beautiful and reminded me a lot of Hawaii, the road to Hana...if you like that sort of thing. You will drive around windy hilly roads through gorges and past spectacular caves at Cape Bridgewater. There are ancient limestone towers in the ocean at the Bay of Islands. After this drive you will need to stretch your legs. They have a lot of stops to take, but the one we LOVED was at BIMBI PARK! Where the Koala's sleep above you in the trees while you camp! Read more in Blog Post Koalas Koalas Koalas. You can also walk the GREAT ocean walk of 91 km. We didn't d it, but you will see beaches, forests, cliffs..

Anglesea, VIC

3. Wildlife everywhere

"The Great Ocean Road is really one long, curving spectator stand for native animals. In Warrnambool, you can watch southern right whale whales during their annual migration. See koalas, kangaroos, emus and waterbirds roam freely at Tower Hill State Game Reserve. Enjoy a game of golf alongside grazing kangaroos in Anglesea. See koalas in the wild at Kennett River and in the Great Otway National Park. Check out hundreds of fur seals at Cape Bridgewater and watch glow worms put on a spectacular light show at Melba Gully in the Great Otway National Park. Swim with dolphins at Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula. For something different, canoe alongside platypus on Lake Elizabeth at dawn."

Food and Wine, VIC

4. Food, wine and all things fine

Hungry? It's quite a long drive. "The Great Ocean Road regions will tempt your tastebuds with sumptuous local produce, great dining and excellent wine regions" to explore. The travelor on a budget should bring a cooler with some goodies. Tip for the Trip is dry ice. It last longer! For some rich Australian cuisine: seafood, you can visit the wharfs in any seaside town, and some say be sure to visit the fishing co-ops in Lorne and Apollo Bay. A step cheaper and you can explore the riveting rumbling tummy relief of some tasty fish and chips. You can visit the farms in Colac, Heywood, Gellibrand and Deans Marsh that have fresh berries. Or my fav.. get into the gourmet cheeses from delicatessens in Allansford, Timboon and Cooriemungle. Australia has some great cheeses unlike some plasticy kinds due too much pasteurization. Cool climate wineries-vineyards stretch the length of the Great Ocean Road, so stop off for a drop at Colac, Apollo Bay, Timboon, Geelong and Henty. We don't drink, but like to walk through and see how things are made. You’ll also enjoy fine food in restaurants, cafés and tea rooms throughout the region. Taste some new chocolates and candy's that even local convenient stores provide. Like Wowsy Bars. It you'd like me to write about food travel tips on the go, for the budget bound, that are quite tasty...leave me a comment or email me and let me know.

Aboriginal Culture, VIC

5. Vibrant Aboriginal culture

Aboriginal stories are posted along the roadside introducing the landscapes of the Great Ocean Road. It is very fun to read their stories if you are into the Real Reason for the rocks in the ocean and such.. You can learn about ancient remedies and watch boomerang throwing and didgeridoo playing in Geelong. It's neat, we actually did this in Alice Springs instead, but seeing how they survived Australia in the middle of nowhere is really amazing. There is a good story about the significance of the site nestled in an extinct volcano near Tower Hill from the Gunditjmara people depending on who you speak with. In heritage-listed Lake Condah, you’ll see the stone houses and fishing traps left from a permanent Aboriginal village. It's pretty cool, but we will share more of our experience in Alice Springs.

Post Picture

The thing to remember about Australia is this, when you leave the city there are HUGE land expanses. Great distances between things. Enjoying the drive, the beaches, the little things that you don't get to see in other places is what makes the trip in Australia. You see wondrous things, and then you see things that are just slightly different from what you find in your own backyard, and that is the beauty in it. So if you need advice on where to spend your money, Seriously ask!! Otherwise you will roam the earth of Australia searching and their gas is pricey!! :-)