The Great Ocean Road

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	CHRIS MENY & STEVIE RYER chris@yourtravelsource.com stevie@yourtravelsource.com (707)425-8157 DONNA COLLINS BEAUCHESNE donnab@yourtravelsource.com Donna - 509-525-1230 For all: (800) 597-0594 CST #: 2037874-40

If you have already missed the Twelve Apostles, don't miss the remaining eight! The Great Ocean Road is one of the world's most scenic drives. It begins at Torquay, 92 miles southwest of Melbourne, and extends for 65 miles. The drive passes huge cliffs, ocean vistas, rainforests, little towns and some amazing rock formations: Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge. You can take a day trip from Melbourne or do a self-drive. What we really recommend is that you take a tour with a company like AAT Kings from Melbourne to Adelaide or vice versa and leave the driving to them, plus you get all sorts of great information and stories about the region.




		Along the road, our guide knew where there were some koalas in the gum (eucalyptus) trees. Photos courtesy of David.



			The real drama of the Great Ocean Road begins when you enter Port Campbell National Park.





		Along the way you pass through little seaside towns. This is Apollo Bay and they have a wonderful sculpture park (left).



		The first portion of the drive is your typical coastline.



				This is the little town of Port Campbell, located on the other side of Port Campbell National Park.



			The colors of the limestone change from early morning to sunset.



	Click on Helicopter Ride above to see another view of the Twelve Apostles.

HOW WERE THE TWELVE APOSTLES FORMED?

The Twelve Apostles (now actually only 8 because they keep falling into into the ocean!) are limestone cliffs that began 20 million years ago. The limestone is made up of the skeletons of marine creatures from the sea floor, and when the Southern Ocean retreated, the cliffs were exposed. Then the winds of the Southern Ocean went to work and eroded some of the soft limestone which formed caves. The caves became arches and when they collapsed, the rock towers were left behind. Information taken from the Great Ocean Road website.





	The Arch


	The LOCH ARD GORGE was named after the iron clipper ship of the same name which rammed into the sheer cliffs of Muttonbird Island in 1878, killing fifty-two people. You can take the boardwalk and go down to the beach where several survivors were rescued. Boardwalks run throughout the park and make viewing easy.


	The London Bridge collapsed in January 1990. Visitors were once able to walk across both sections.


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