Warrnanbool and Port Fairy

The 12 Apostles was the next port of call on the agenda. 

12 Apostles

The icon of the Great Ocean Road is the 12 Apostles in Port Campbell Natural Park.  These 45metre tall mighty limestone stacks would captivate everyone who visit.  Not all twelve apostles can be seen from the first lookout; some are hidden behind headlands or obscured by other rock stacks.  Last century the formations were called the “Sow & Piglets”: Muttonbird Island near Loch Ard Gorge was “the  Sow” and the smaller rock stacks “the piglets”.  The rock stacks are the temporary remnants of a retreating limestone coastline formed from a mixture of sand and sea-shells deposited in an ancient seabed and later compressed millions of years ago.  Under constant attack by the sea, the cliff faces are being eroded at a rate of about 2 centimetres per year.  Further undercutting by waters and opening up of vertical cracks in the rocks by rain and saltwater gradually reduces the stacks to a low platform or reef.  It is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful to gaze on these natural formations on a very rugged coastline. 

Thunder Cave

Thunder Cave was our second destination and again the craggy coastline was stunning, followed by the rock formations of “The Arch”, “London Bridge” Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands.

The Gap leading to Thunder Cave

The Arch

London Bridge (the top of the rock to the left as eroded through)

Bay of Martyrs

Bay of Islands

  These all form some of the awe inspiring sceneries along this coastline between Port Campbell and the hamlet of Peterborough.  We carried on to Warrnambool, where we booked accommodation for the night at the Maritime Motel.  There was a folk festival coming up on the approaching long weekend at nearby Port Fairy so we elected to spend the night here in case we couldn’t find anywhere to stay further on.

Port Fairy Marina

  During the afternoon we drove over to Port Fairy to wander around the Marina and admire some of the lovely cottages gracefully restored to their original condition.

A Blue stone cottage in the Marina

 This Blue stone cottage was abuzz with butterflies and bees, a little sign on the gate which we had to bend down to have a look quoted “that in 1816 nothing happened here”  It gave us a bit of a chuckle.  On the way back to the motel we called into this magnificent accessory shop called “Bootalicious”, and I fell in love with this gorgeous bag in the window.  I procrastinated for quite a while in the shop checking out all the other merchandise, but kept returning to this bag.  I could hear it softly calling my name.  I spent a sleepless night dreaming of this red and black number so the next morning Russell very generously drove us back to the shop.  Bugger!! It didn’t open until 9.30.  We waited patiently until the staff arrived, I even had to discourage two other ladies who were busy admiring it also it was finally mine.  I caressed and cuddled it all the way home. LOL.  I was very lucky because someone else brought a bag the previous evening similar to mine but with a different handle.  It was meant to be mine!!!LOL.

Talk again soon