Echidna Walkabout, 3 Day Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243 kilometres stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford. Built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932 and dedicated to soldiers killed during World War I, the road is the world's largest war memorial.

Winding through varying terrain along the coast and providing access to several prominent landmarks, including the Twelve Apostles limestone stack formations, the road is an important tourist attraction in the region.

Never use any service Echidna Walkabout or Southern World Australia has to offer!

Echidna Walkabout, 3 Day Great Ocean Road
Echidna Walkabout, 3 Day Great Ocean Road


Day 3- This morning have one last look at the coast in the dramatic morning light before returning to Melbourne across the vast grasslands of the Western Plains.

Created by intense volcanic activity over the past 2 million years, the 7000 volcanoes of the Western Plains are now extinct but the resultant savannah is pasture to a rich wool growing area - a wonderful example of Australia's great range lands.

Stop en route to drive to the top of an extinct volcano with spectacular views across the plains. From the summit see some of the hundreds of volcanic lakes scattered across the plains. Later pass Lake Corangamite, the largest permanent lake in Australia, often covered with prolific birdlife. Return to Melbourne in the late afternoon.

Great Ocean Road

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Thursday 4th of August 2016 and I had set my alarm to go off at 7 thirty. Packing my bag and I was off to explore the area around the farm. Breakfast at 8 and they would come to pick me up at 8 thirty. We would start at the 12 Apostles and then we would drive back towards Melbourne. Lunch close to Port Campbell.

I walked around watching the sun rise. The cattle was out muuing or whatever they are doing when they blow their horn. One of them was muuing so I thought that he was in distress. I could see the kangaroos on the pasture land with the 12 Apostles and the ocean behind them. A gorgeous morning on the country side.

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast
The trees outside my window is full of Long-billed corella

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast
We can see down to the 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast
One of my windows and I had a beautiful view

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Great Ocean Road - Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast

Long-billed corella, Slender-billed corella, Cacatua tenuirostris

The place was full of Long-billed corellas and they were flying around between the trees on the pastures. Time passed quickly and it was 8 o'clock and time for breakfast. Tea and toast and we were soon seeing my Guides coming with the van.

I said good bye and I went outside and the van arrived 10 seconds later. We were going to drive to the 12 Apostles and we left the beautiful Loch Ard Bed & Breakfast behind.

We were going to 12 Apostles visitors centre and we drove through a forest and we made a stop to see if we could spot any birds. We parked a car and within a minute we saw a bird that I had never seen before, the Red-browed finch.

../bird-watching/australia/Red-browed finch, Neochmia temporalis

Great Ocean Road
We walk down a path in the forest

Olive whistler, Pachycephala olivacea

Great Ocean Road
We're back at the van and we only have to go down the road to the 12 Apostles

We saw the Red-browed finch and when the bird was gone we continued down the path through the forest. We spotted one Olive whistler, but we had to use a recorded Olive whistler song to get the bird out of the bushes.

Listen to the Olive whistler

The Olive whistler was flying around so it was hard, next to impossible to get any picture of the bird. We saw some other birds, but not possible to get any pictures. We turned around and we walked back to the van. We were going to another view point at the 12 Apostles.

We just have to follow the road and we will come straight down to the visitors centre. We got out of the van and we walked through a tunnel under the road. The first thing we run in to is a sign Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles“Warning for snakes” But this is for the summer only.

And the same reason we see the Devil lizard on the roads at Ayers Rock. They like the hot pavement.

We walked out on a wooden path and we were soon on the platform along the cliffs and we had a beautiful view. And were we lucky with the weather or what? A gorgeous morning.

Last trip here they had have a full force gale blowing with rain and they had not been able to be out longer than a few seconds Nisses Herrmodebefore running back in to the car. But today it was nice and I was walking around in my summer uniform having left my new jacket from Nisses in Malmö behind in the van. And I have not been using my pantalongas since Kangaroo Island

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles
Our Trainee Guide

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Great Ocean Road - 12 Apostles

Superb Fairywren, Superb Blue-wren, Blue Wren, Malurus cyaneus
Also known as the superb blue-wren or colloquially as the blue wren

Singing honeyeater, Gavicalis virescens

We walked back to the visitor centre and I ran in to a Superb Fairywren. It is a beautiful bird but very hard to get on picture. But this one, it was almost like he was chasing me. He was 1 meter away and I could have had some beautiful pictures.

But he was in and out from the sunshine, so it was either over exposure or under exposure. DARN! I also spotted a Singing honeyeater and this bird was sitting still in a bush so I could get a picture.

We left and we were driving towards something they called London Bridge. I thought it was a bridge, but it was a sandstone rock with two holes so it looked like a bridge. One of the bridges had collapsed last year and I guess we're lucky that it isn't allowed to get out on the bridge.

Anyway, we drove through Port Campbell and we cross the small bridge over the small creek just after having passed Port Campbell. Anyway, we crossed the bridge and suddenly our driver shouted:
- WAS THAT A WHITE GOSHAWK?

We turned around and it was a White Goshawk and as we were in the car we could drive all the way up to it. I took a picture just to discover the condense in my lens again. DARN! I ripped of Great Ocean Road - White Goshawkthe lens and when I had removed the condense the raptor was gone.

Yes, a lot of condense in the lens here in Australia, but we have been taking pictures in some bad and wet weather.

We went out of the car and we walked around to try to get a picture. But now he was behind the grass. He was sitting on a pole at the bridge so that would have been perfect. Great Ocean Road - White GoshawkWell, we had the sun against so maybe not 100% perfect.

We had parked next to a wooden shed with an Australian flag and a sign saying “FARM FOOD” I have seen many of them along the Australian roads.

The farmer put fresh vegetables and you take what you want and you leave money in a jar. Can you trust the people?

Obviously, or there would Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stnot have been any of these “FARM FOOD” sheds. They would have given up after a week. I Great Ocean Road - London Bridgemean, no one would have continued to put fresh vegetables in a shed if they got stolen. It would have been I was of time and money wouldn't it?

We continued along the Great Ocean Road until we reached the London Bridge. According to our Guide there had been an observation of a Green finch in the area. We took of the road and we parked the van and we went out on the platform. And it was instantly obvious why they call the place for “London Bridge” Even though the one connecting the outer bridge had collapsed

Great Ocean Road - London Bridge

Great Ocean Road - London Bridge
Selfies have to be taken

Great Ocean Road - London Bridge
Last picture from London Bridge

We left London Bridge and we will drive to Peterborough where we will leave the Great Ocean Road and drive to Timboon and we will have lunch at the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery. We passed the bridge over the out let from the Peterborough Costal Reserve. We saw two Pied oystercatchers on the beach and we stopped to go try to get a picture.

Now I have seen two different oystercatchers since I came to Australia. And I really like the oystercatchers with their orange bill and red ring around the eyes.

I got a few pictures, I didn't want to get to close out of respect as it looked like one of them were sitting on eggs. But back at the van I discovered that the laying bird had moved. So no eggs, but anyway, respect for the wildlife.

Great Ocean Road - Peterborough
Peterborough

Great Ocean Road - Peterborough
Peterborough

Pied oystercatcher, Haematopus longirostris

We left Peterborough and we drove inland towards Timboon and the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery. I have seen all the warning signs I thought they had here in Australia.

Echidna crossing sign   Kangaroo crossing sign   Cassowary crossing sign   Cow and sheep crossing sign

I had never seen any “Koala crossing” sign and I was really thinking that the stickers I had seen for sale had been a ploy for tourists. But we passed a “Koala crossing” sign on the way to Timboon Timboon Railway Shed Distilleryand my Driver told me that it was actually a “nice” sign we just had passed.

I was told that there were many different “Koala crossing” and some of them were outright ugly. We arrived to the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and we stepped inside.

The place was run by a nice chap. It was a coffee shop with lighter meals and there was also a shop to buy some local stuff like meat, cheese and other stuff from the area. He had two cheeses I was interested in and as I'm on diet I only wanted one of them and I asked about the difference. I don't remember the difference but I told him “Let's go balls out and buy both of them”

I bought 2 cheeses and some ham so I have for my breakfast tomorrow morning. The hotel breakfast leaves a little to wish for. I was out looking around and I discovered a Koala in a tree next to the restaurant and I went back inside to get my camera.

The Trainee Guide asked why I was looking so happy and I told him about the koala in the tree.

Cow and sheep crossing sign

Koala crossing sign

Koala at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
Koala at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery

Koala at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
Koala at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery

Koala at Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
Now we passed plenty Koala signs, and this one was not very nice

Koala at Great Ocean Road

We left the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and we continued towards Melbourne. We were going to drive through the Western Victorian Volcanic Plains. Something I had exactly zero interest in. Well, I got one day on the Great Ocean Road, now I just wanted to get back to Melbourne so I can go check out the holder for my camera.

We stopped a few times to check out some birds, but I never got any good pictures. Not until we drove up on a hill to a lookout over the Western Victorian Volcanic Plains.

There was a Nankeen kestrel siting on a pole and yet again, approaching with the car and the bird didn't bother. No matter what we did, the bird refused to give us a face. We drove forward and finally, I got a picture of the bird looking at us.

Australian kestrel, Nankeen kestrel, Falco cenchroides

Western Victorian Volcanic Plains
Western Victorian Volcanic Plains - YAWN!!

Approaching Melbourne
Approaching Melbourne

Approaching Melbourne
Approaching Melbourne

I checked in to Vibe Savoy Hotel and I enjoyed a diet drink. I had bought a case for the “Great Vibe Savoy Hotel in MelbourneOcean Road” trip. But I had forgot the case in my room. But now Rainbow lorikeet in MelbourneI got back the case.

I sat up my IT centre and I was off to Queens Street to go have a look for camera shops.

I discovered two Rainbow lorikeet in the tree outside the hotel. I stopped to take a few pictures and people walking by was wondering what the Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st I was up to looking up the tree.

I had a hard time walking as I had some pain in my left foot because of the new shoes. But it was much better Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stthan expected with a pair of new shoes.

I limped across the street to the train/ bus station and then another 10 meters or so to the taxi stand. I got in to the taxi and I asked the driver to take me to the shopping mall at Queens Street as I had been told that there were camera shops. We took off in the rush hour and when I got out of the taxi I spotted a clock. 17:05 and that is exactly 50 minutes after we passed In a taxi in MelbourneLittle River on the way back to Melbourne.

And the Echidna Walkabout or Southern World Australia have been giving me the full song and dance about how this had been the outback. Shameless thieves is what I call them.

Walk around and relax, that was what I was told to do when I had paid 2500 for a Great Ocean Road Tour. Crooks and ar**holes

Never again! And I can just warn you! They are used to tourist coming to see a Kola and of course, they are happy to have seen a Kola. And the Guide told me that I didn't fit in to the group. Of course not, I was supposed to be on the Great Ocean Road
Never use any service Echidna Walkabout or Southern World Australia has to offer!


I found the camera holder, but I needed to attach it to a back pack, and no way I'm walking around doing birding in Thailand with a back pack. It is hot enough there as it is.

Well, they will come from Go West tomorrow at 11:40 and we will take of leaving Melbourne behind. I will spend 3 nights on Phillip Island before going to Sydney. And you just need to click HERE to find out all about the adventure on Phillip Island

Sverigedemokraterna


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OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.



                                       

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