The Great Ocean Road – Victoria

For today’s post we head to Australia, to traverse the The Great Ocean Road – Victoria, as Svendsania takes us along on this epic road trip.

The Great Ocean Road is one of those journeys that everyone should do in their lifetime. After the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, the ‘Twelve Apostles’ must be one of the most photographed landmarks in Australia.

Following the short flight from Sydney to Melbourne’s Avalon Airport, we picked up our hire car and set off for the Easter long weekend. The Great Ocean Road is only an hour from Melbourne’s city centre, so it’s perfect for a long weekend like this one. We started our trip a little back-to-front by first travelling to the epic Twelve Apostles. Bleary eyed, we pulled up before dawn to watch the sun slowly warm these famous limestone pillars with its rays. Interestingly, only eight of the apostles now remain, following years of being buffeted by the harsh southern waves, though the iconic name endures.

Port Fairy

Our next destination was the inviting little town of Port Fairy. Situated at the very end of the Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy is blessed with a picturesque lighthouse, island and beaches. This perfectly preserved 19th century whalers’ town was full of quaint cottages and pretty rose gardens. We unwound with an afternoon stroll along the bridge and boardwalk at the harbour, pausing to watch all the activity around the various boats and fishing vessels.

For our final leg of the trip, we began to slowly make our way back to the city. The road transitioned from long, straight stretches through flat windswept planes, to a steep trail, winding through lush, dense rainforest. Just when you think you know the Australian landscape, it always surprises you. Soon the road was hugging a precarious path, looking down over the sea below, reminiscent of the famed Amalfi coast in Italy. Our journey ended in the lovely town of Lorne, where we treated ourselves to a luxurious hotel stay and slap-up meal at the local Italian restaurant. A decadent way to farewell a wonderful few days.