Advice please: Great Ocean Road

isplumm

**curlywurly** wrote: »

Isplumm - thanks v much. I would appreciate details of the ferry. I have tried googling but only seem to be able to find passenger ferries. If it's not too much of a bother, I'd be v grateful to have the inside info on this.

Curly xxx

Here is the website .... http://www.searoad.com.au/flash/searoad.html

visit melbourne ... http://www.visitmelbourne.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.5CC6DF5A-1302-44E1-A9690BBB0ABD5742/

Philip island http://www.visitmelbourne.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.9303EBAA-0912-4E32-A6E8DC5B85982919/ REMEMBER to book in advance.

Ocean road map - http://www.greatoceanroad.org/Default.aspx?skip=1

We drove to Port Campbell & stayed there for a night - so saw 12 apostles etc .... weather wet, so didn't stay much longer - ferry goes from Queenscliffe - saves long drive around & Melbourne.

I wouldn't advuse driving in Melbourne in rush hour - look at train or similar - we spent over 2 hours trying to get out of city, as well as expensive parking!"!!

Mark

tiamaria

I would like to add my thanks for the helpful posts, there's plenty there I'm sure I'll refer back to often.

I noticed the Queenscliff ferry on google earth but it apparently takes about an hour longer than going via Melbourne to get to Philip Island ( when I routed it).


MKS - where did you actually see the penguins come back into the beach? I was only intending go to Philip Island to see this but if it can be done on teh GOR (which I'm doing anyway) then I'd probably give PI a miss.

isplumm

tiamaria wrote: »

I noticed the Queenscliff ferry on google earth but it apparently takes about an hour longer than going via Melbourne to get to Philip Island ( when I routed it).


.

Hi,

Well the ferry takes 45 minutes & is very nice & relaxing - driving all the way round is a heck of a long way ...

Mark

tiamaria

Yes - there is the quality aspect....

MKS

MKS - where did you actually see the penguins come back into the beach? I was only intending go to Philip Island to see this but if it can be done on teh GOR (which I'm doing anyway) then I'd probably give PI a miss.[/QUOTE]

It was at the 'official' Twelve Apostles veiwing area. We parked at the main car park where the TA visitor centre is. You then walk along the walkway to the viewing area. We stood on the right hand side as you face the sea, so we were directly above the beach, where the sea comes up to - if that makes sense. The areas looking right over the sea appear to have the best views of the TA's for photographers, so much of this area was taken up. After the sunset, the vast majority of people remained. Shortly after, there was an 'air of expectancy' and I asked the person next to me (who turned out to be from England!) why everyone was waiting. The reply was that they had stayed as everyone else had! An Australian close by told us to 'wait and see' and then laughed! Soon you could hear 'look, look, over there' around us. We looked down and saw loads of small penguins running towards the beach, turn round and run back to the sea. This was repeated several times, with more penguins each time and running further up the beach. They really were so comical. Eventuallly, they didn't go back into the sea. Amazing sight. I don't know if it happens every evening but by the way the crowd stayed, I think it might be. Will see if anyone knows on Tripadvisor. We intend to go there again in a couple of weeks. If you want 'guaranteed' sightings, PI is probably the place to go. It also depends on whether you are doing the GOR in each direction, in which case, if you don't see the penguins at the TA's then you could go to PI on the return leg. At PI, there are obviously alot more penguins on display. Have fun.

spottydog

MKS wrote: »

A restaurant that we visited at Kings Wharf was James Squire. The food was fantastic and not expensive by city standards, portions were good as well. (http://www.jamessquirebrewhouse.net/) See the menu page. It's a brewers and they have an enormous range of beers.

This is the first time I've heard some say the food at James Squire is good. Generally locals rate it somewhere between pretty poor and inedible for food although the beer is excellent and at $5 a pint between 5 and 6pm Monday to Thursday you really can't go wrong.

MKS

Can only speak as we found. We went twice in 2006 and twice in 2007. I had the 'old spot' breed pork each time, served with either apples or pears and cinnoman with colcannon and port jus - absolutely fantastic. My OH had the steak, fish, ribs and lamb, again very well cooked and presented. I notice from your link that the pork is no more on the menu. What a shame. Each time we went, it was between 7.00-9.00pm. and it was always packed out. You can eat inside or outside, as it's at the harbour edge. I think it gets a bit rowdy at approx 5.30-6.30 when workers descend there for an after dinner drink (or two or..). Sincerely hope it hasn't gone downhill as was looking forward to eating there in a few weeks time! If anyone has been recently, would love to hear your opinion.

hot-ice

Call into a small cafe at a place called Kennett River on the GOR, we hoped to see koala's in the wild and didn't see any til we came across this place and saw loads around the car park and a short walk up a dirt track

MKS

Is it directly on the GOR and is it closer to Apollo Bay then Lorne?

hot-ice

Yes it's directly on the GOR as soon as you hit Kennett River area you should see Koala cove cafe, we parked up here had a cuppa then went for a stroll, we got within 10 feet of the Koala's and got some great pictures, The Kennett River appears on the map to be about 1/2 way between Lorne and Appollo Bay, we went up the dirt track near the cafe(driveable) and also caught site of quite a few kangaroos.