Bay of Martyrs

The Grotto

The Arch

King Parrots

These are my favourite Australian parrots.  They are large and the male is very red.  The more drab one is the female.  I saw many of them along The Great Ocean Road.

Lighthouses along The Great Ocean Road

The shore along The Great Ocean Road was called the Shipwreck Coast because many ships came unstuck here in the past.  It is not surprising therefore that there are several lighthouses at strategic places along the rocky shoreline, most built in the 1800's.  

Today, modern technology like satellites, computers and radio has made lighthouses redundant and the "era of light" is over.  However, lighthouses still evoke (for me at any rate) a special feeling, a reminder of a time when travel was often perilous and lives were saved by these beacons. 

For thousands of immigrants travelling to the Australian goldfields in the 1850's, lighthouses were often the first sign of civilisation after a long voyage.   

Cape Otway Lighthouse

Port Fairy

Cape Nelson (Portland)

Airey's Inlet

Port Fairy

Port Fairy is a quaint village full of old cottages dating back from the 1800's when the town was one of the busiest ports in Victoria. More than 50 buildings in the town are classified by The National Trust. I watched the rugby world cup semi finals in Victoria's oldest pub - The All Blacks thrashed the Aussies.  Serves them right for beating the Springboks!

A beautifully renovated old cottage

This cottage had seen better days

Boats moored on the Moyne River

Another National Trust building

Portland and surrounds

An old farm cottage on the way to Portland

I love derelict, old buildings. They are often photogenic and it's evocative to think of their pasts and the "memories" they must have.  Don't think this one would have had much of a mortgage though, even in its heyday.

Beach at Cape Bridgewater

Blowhole

Petrified forest

It is thought this was created after a forest of Moonah trees was smothered by sand.  Water seeping through the sand created a crust on the tree trunks.  When they decayed, the petrified forest remained.

Walk up highest sea cliffs in Victoria

I did this walk to see a seal colony.  However, the view from 130 metres up was a bit distant and there weren't many seals; they were all out fishing.  Still, a nice walk and the colour of the ocean was beautiful.

Cape Nelson's historic lighthouse

Great Otway National Park

Lush rainforest and cascading waterfalls abound in the Great Otway National Park.  It is a very tranquil and beautiful place and I did lots of walking here. Much of the time, it rained, but the overcast skies were perfect for waterfall shots.  A highlight for me was walking in the Melba Gully late at night and seeing thousands of glow worms.

Erskine Falls

Triplet Falls

Beauchamp Falls

Hopetoun Falls

Maits Rest

Here you can see an old photo of tourists visiting the Erskine Falls in the 1800's.  Just look at those bonnets!!

My first sight of koalas in the wild

I have always wanted to see a koala in the wild.  In fact, it's on my life list.  So I was very excited when I saw one for the first time.  And, I think you'll agree, these little fellows are very photogenic.  Koalas are quite common at Kennett River and on the road to the Cape Otway Lighthouse.

If you look carefully in the photo below, you can see a baby koala.