Great Ocean Road Continued

Today we continued on our travels along the Great Ocean Road, in overcast skies and with a bitterly cold wind blowing.   Luckily the weather improved by the afternoon, and it was a welcome relief to see the sunshine.    

We travelled through the Great Otway National Park, out to Cape Otway Light Station, then to Gibson Steps, Twelve Apostles, Lochaird Gorge, The Arch,  London Bridge, Bay of Martyrs and finally the Bay of Islands.    We missed The Grotto because we were a little bit overdone by so much grandeur and spectacular sights by then. 

Altogether we saw magnificent sheer cliffs, deep caverns, great archways, island gorges, blowholes and spectacular off-shore rock stacks.   Most of the rock is limestone.    The huge force of the sea is very apparent along this coast.

We also joined hundreds of other visitors, mostly from overseas, on the road.   

I originally organised all my photos for this blog in the correct order, but something happened whilst uploading.   So now they are all over the place.     Hopefully my comments now match the photos.

This thin but long rock formation is called the Razorback.   

 London Bridge.   There was once an arch between the land and the small island.    Then in 1990 it collapsed, luckily there was no one on the arch.   Two people were stranded on the little island, and needed to be airlifted off by helicopter.   I bet they were relieved.

 The final view on the Great Ocean Road.    The Bay of Islands.

I walked down the steps, called Gibson Steps.    They were cut into the limestone cliffs and were very steep.   I took this photo with my little camera.   The other people in the photo had huge cameras.    I felt very envious.    Maybe I will let Walter buy a new camera.   

On the way to the Otway Light Station we came across dozens of koalas in the trees.   Most of them were asleep of course, but I did capture one of them, on the move.    They were fascinating.   I have never seen so many koalas outside a sanctuary.    

Otway Light Station. Walter trying to look warm, in the first glimmers of sunshine.   The sea behind is where Bass Strait meets the Southern Ocean.

 The Otway Light Station.    Fantastic views from the top, but only if you are brave.    I put my head outside the door for a few seconds and then went back down the stairs very quickly.    Scary.

It is not just in Holland that you find old bent bikes.    This one was seen outside the small museum at Otway Light Station.

 The view from the top of Gibson Steps.

The very threatening and imposing sea from the beach at Gibson Steps.   You would not have to worry about sharks in this water, it is so rough.    And the undertow looked vicious.   Not a swimming beach so why worry about sharks.

I am looking very tousled in the wind.   It is a wonder that my scarf stayed around my neck.   But I must not forget the famous Twelve Apostles in the background.    Not twelve anymore.   I think I found eight but I could be wrong.    However they were very impressive.

Lochaird Gorge.    A ship was wrecked here during the 1850's.    Only two people survived.    Very turbulent waters.   It does not bear thinking about.

And now we are in a camping ground in Warrnambool.   I can hear the waves crashing on the beach on the other side of the sand hills.   Sleep inducing I hope.    So much excitement today.