Grabbed a long black at the local cafe and headed out early from Apollo Bay Saturday morning since there was much to see on the GOR and we didn't have time to waste. From Apollo Bay the GOR cuts inland across the Otway peninsula and through the Otway National Park. Our strategy for the day was to hit some key spots along the GOR while trying to cover as much mileage (kilometerage??) as possible so that we'd have a relatively easy return to Melbourne airport the following day.
First stop was Mait's Rest which offered a 1 km loop featuring a rain forest and a 300 year old Myrtle Beech tree. The trek was easy and a good warm up for the day. I especially enjoyed the large tree ferns.
A short distance down the road we encounted the turnoff for the Cape Otway lightstation Being a sucker for vistas and lighthouses, an since I was doing the driving, off we went. At the end of the road we were a bit disappointed to find neither the lighthouse nor the coastline in view. The road led to a rather secluded area with a high fence an concessionaire's building. Turns out they charged $12.50 to see the light house up close and personal. Also had a sign posted that the toilets and the cafe were only for the use of lighthouse guests. Not sure that's a well thought out marketing strategy and it was definitely not visitor friendly. Hmphf!
Not to be thwarted, we found the poor man's way to see the lighthouse via a leg of the Great Ocean Walk (GOW). The GOW is a maintained hiking trail running between Apollo Bay and Princeton that offers camping sites for those willing to pack their way along the coast. It's billed as an eight day trek from end to end but the GOW is accessible in segments at various places along the GOR. In our case, we ere able to take the GOW leg that gave us views of the Otway lighthouse and coastline without tapping into our beer money. We also visited the lighthouse cemetery nearby, the resting place of some of the early keepers and their families.
Back on the main road, we next headed to Wreck Beach which features anchors of two ill-fated ships -- the Marie Gabrielle and the Fiji -- that went down on the rocky coast years ago. The hike to the beach was billed as moderate because it required descent - and subsequent ascent - of some 350 steps and then a 20-45 minute walk to the anchor locations.
It's important to note at this point that the tourist maps provided by local visitors' bureaus are excellent but they are not idiot proof. We were certain we were at the right trail head when we headed off in search of the anchor remains and the stairs leading to the beach. Ninety minutes into a hike that should have lasted 45 minutes or so and not yet encountering the first of those 350 stairs, we acknowledged that we were probably on the wrong trail. But before you criticize us for being slow learners or inept map readers, I should point ou that our inadvertent side track was a delight. We may have been on the wrong trail, but we were damn proud of it and pleased with the hike we were taking. We passed nearby meadows with cows (who surely knew we were headed in the wrong direction. I thought their look of disdain was because of the lame mooing noises I offered as a greeting. I'm sure they'd heard it all before. They were in fact cows with an exquisite ocean view.) We progressed down steep ravines and crossed near-dry creek beds and went up to craggy overlooks perched above rocky beaches. Still no anchors or steps in sight.
It had been an ambitious effort but we wer clearly in the wrong spot. I was ready to turn around and head back. Jay however was determied to make it to the beach below -- anchors or no anchors. As the path narrowed to shoulder width, Jay carefully moved forward without a helmet or note from his parents. He inched down the last twenty feet of the rugged slope and within seconds was on the rocky beach taking pictures, seeing the waves at eye-level, checking out the tide pools, and reveling in the reward of the moment. As for me, I was content sitting 20 feet above the beach watching it all.
After another 90 minute return hike to our car, we were on our way back to the GOR when we saw a sign for Wreck Beach. How had we missed that before? We hesitated only a moment before following it and finding the right trail head and the first of those 350 steps. Long story short: we made it to Wreck Beach, saw the anchors, got giddy getting our feet in the water, and made it back up those steps -- by my count 378 and at that point I was indeed counting! All this and we still hadn't seen the main attraction on the GOR.
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2 comments:
And here we have two more men who don't ask directions.... :-)
Dear Anonymous...
I knew my story of our day would draw that reaction from someone...What isn't in the story is that we were at the end of the long dirt road leading to Moontide Head. there was a B&B there and I DID go to the door to seek instructions. Unfortunately there was no one tending the inn at that point so we were left to our own devices. Had we gotten directions there we would have missed that incredible experience...nevertheless, your comment is well taken but we've both not been shy about asking directions. If we'd had a female with us, she would have fulfilled her duty by TELLING us to ask for directions whilst not being willing to do it herself....
Cheers
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