Victoria has so much to offer. Hipster cafes, fine restaurants, beautiful gardens and nature. When visiting Melbourne, I highly recommend setting aside at least one full day for a trip to The Great Ocean Road to experience the stunning landscapes.
We did a day tour with Last Minute Day Tours. The Great Ocean Road is a long trip, hence we preferred a roomy coach rather than mini buses, which was the mode of transport for most day tour companies operating the same tour. Another plus about coaches-there is a toilet on board for your comfort.
The Great Ocean Road was built by returned soldiers from 1919-1932, to commemorate their comrades killed during World War I. The winding road, which skirts the coastline, stretches over 243 kilometres.
The view of the Indian Ocean and pristine beaches are spectacular. You can see the sea for miles and miles! Our guide told us to keep a look out for dolphins, but sadly, we were not fortunate enough catch a glimpse of them.
We stopped for lunch at the idyllic resort town, Apollo Bay. We didn’t have much time here (1 hour 15 mins) and I wanted to try the multi award-winning Ice Cream Tub, so we had our meal at the nearby Apollo Bay Hotel.
The Roasted Lamb was a tad tough and dry in places but the gravy made up for it. The Fish & Chips had crispy skin, and was not too oily.
We hurried to the ice cream parlour to try Dooleys Ice Cream. Their award-winning Premium Vanilla, served with an old school wooden spatula, boasts intense flavour as well as smooth and creamy texture.
Victoria’s famous collection of limestone stacks, the 12 Apostles, were formed by erosion from strong winds and waves. There’re only 8 left at the moment, as some of them have collapsed.
We also viewed the London Arch which was previously called London Bridge because it connected to the mainland. In 1990, part of the bridge crumbled, leaving this structure behind.
After a 3 minute drive, we arrived at a gorge named after a ship that that sank nearby, hundreds of years ago. The Loch Ard Gorge is a picturesque spot where you descend down the stairs and dip your toes in the chilly, turquoise waters.
The tour ended off with a late afternoon tea break at Port Campbell, a holiday resort and fishing village, before heading back to Melbourne.
Adele is a food, travel and beauty blogger who pens her experiences down at www.madamechewy.com. She can’t say no to seafood, anything with salted egg yolk and ice cream.
