Day 7 - Shipwreck Coast and Apostles Gourmet Trail

12 March 2020

Pre-dawn there is the lovely sound of rain on the roof. Then the sound of people heading out, presumably to get into position for dawn at the Twelve Apostles. As the sky lightens birds in the garden start their dawn chorus. After a leisurely start to the day I am packed and ready for check out at about ten to nine.  My plan is to work my way east along the Great Ocean Road and then take the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Gourmet Trail.

Port Campbell

Port Campbell is quiet and the day is still cool but heading for a high of about 30C. 

It’s a short drive before the temporary fencing along the road verge announces that Loch Ard Gorge is coming up. When we visited this area in 1998, Loch Ard Gorge was my favourite section of the coast, but we visited in the rain and got all muddled up and parked at the wrong car park then had a long walk to Mutton Bird Island in a vain attempt to watch the departure of the birds. There’s not a huge number of people here, plenty of space in the carpark. I walk out to the shipwreck viewpoint and down a little side branch with a lookout over the Gorge. There’s a couple getting wedding photos taken on the sand, standing in from of the cliffs. We didn’t go down onto any of the beaches last time I was here so I head across and descent what turns out to be a very easy stairway. 

No, not showing you the money shots! Enjoy the surprise when you visit. 

As you come down the first flight you get a view of more of the gorge than can be seen from the higher viewpoints. Wow! This is the must do at Loch Ard Gorge for sure. I take off my shoes and sink toes into the fine, cool sand and explore. There’s an interesting edge to the cliff as though an ancient cave system has eroded leaving the stalactites exposed. Water continues to drip into small puddles beneath the crystal. The vegetation is also arranged in a very pleasing way. Singing Honeyeaters chase each other, perching briefly before darting off again. I’m keen to check the water temperature so roll my pant legs up and head for the gentle waves lapping the shore. It’s cool, but not that cold. There’s another couple and the man seems to be taking his cue from where I’ve chosen to go and take photos. It could be weird having him follow me about but we nod and smile at each other and it’s OK.

Loch Ard Cemetery

Next I’m keen to find the spot that so moved me last time. I look at the map and get chatting with a group who’ve just arrived. I’m walking over to the cemetery in the direction of Thunder Cave and Mutton Bird Island. The path takes you along the edge of the road and as I’m walking a Rufous Bristlebird runs across the road and ducks under the heath. The cemetery is small and many of the graves are more recent than the famous shipwreck that features on signage around the area. However I find one memorial stone erected by one of the only two survivors as a memorial to her parents and siblings who were lost in the wreck. It’s getting warmer so I decide to drive over to the Thunder Cave Car park and seek my favourite spot from there. Trying to retrace steps from last time to track it down. It’s not shown on the maps. I set off down the path but backtrack and take the path to Mutton Bird Island. The path is fenced but it’s not long before I start to hear the thundering crash of surf but all you’re really aware of is being surrounded by coastal heath. 

Taken with my camera as far over my head as I can reach. You can't see anything much from ground level. 

Looking more closely, there’s a large hole where the surf comes in, but it’s mostly out of sight behind the fence. Ah, that’s it. They’ve stopped promoting it. There used to be interpretive signage here. Perhaps the edge is too unstable, perhaps people tend to want to peer over into the hole in a dangerous way, perhaps people find the story too distressing. That's a shame. Only four bodies were recovered from the wreck of the Loch Ard. A number of the others washed into this hole and were unable to be retrieved as it was simply too dangerous. Effectively this location is a grave site. 

Stopping to photograph some small flowers along the path, again I run into my new friend from our earlier conversation, and tell him about the site as I’d promised earlier. We are on chat number three and it turns out they are from Adelaide and are heading East. I don’t really have time to walk down to Thunder Cave, just a short walk back to the car and on to the Apostles. Loch Ard Gorge has taken me about an hour and a half.

The car park at the Apostles is rather large and it’s busy but I don’t have any trouble getting a parking space. I wander through the building, there’s a small shop but it’s mainly just toilets, so nothing to delay my heading down the path and under the road to the lookout. And here we learn again that you should never pay attention to what you first think when you’re tired. When last I was here, you just pulled off the road into the parking area which was immediately behind the lookout on the coast side of the road. It was dirt underfoot and a simple chain mesh fence. Very basic. What has been done here to provide controlled access to higher visitor numbers while protecting the local environment is marvellous. It’s really well done and it provides a VASTLY improved visitor experience despite the large number of people. I don’t feel crowded. 

There's quite an extensive viewing platform constructed at the Apostles. 

The Apostles viewed from the current vantage points are shown to their best advantage. It’s a stunningly beautiful place. I return from the far viewpoint the same way keeping to the view side and find a man who has lifted three of his children over the fence, sat them on some tufts of grass, has climbed over himself while his wife takes their photo presumably without the fence in the way. The baby stays in the pram. I consider for a moment and decide, yes, I am going to have a go at this selfish, irresponsible person. They are finished and he’s lifting the little children back to the side of safety. Clearly he thinks they are just too special to take their snapshots the way everyone else here is doing. So far I have avoided the path marked carpark that heads away from the view, so I wander down there and find a little poetry circle, boards displaying the inspiration the coast here has provided to various wordsmiths. With that I’m done. The Apostles has taken me about 45 minutes. I didn’t read all the signs. I usually skim read them to see if there’s anything I need to know immediately photograph them, and then look at them more closely later.

Despite the signage at the Apostles warning that Gibsons Steps is closed for beach access, I stop at the lookout, which turns out to be fairly pointless, but it doesn’t take long so no worries.

Time for the gourmet trail. I make the turn as the signs indicate and drive for what seems a long while. Of course the mud map online and in notepad form from the various artisans is not to scale.

Gorge Chocolates (and Alpaca wool products)

You have over 12 kms to go before you reach Gorge Chocolates. This is located on an Alpaca farm and the shop has as many Alpaca items as chocolate. They also have a good range of Melbourne Rock Candy in jars. Excellent. . Selections made and purchased and I’m on my way.

Just down the road about 5 kms, is Apostle Whey Cheese. I watch the ladies making cheese through the glass window then wander back to get into the cheese tasting, it’s $1 per person for a sample of all of their cheeses. They have quite a few so it’s good value. I skip the blues and the chili marinaded fetta, but I try the Brie and the washed rind camembert and the rest that are based on a Havarti style of production. The plain is nice. Havarti is my favourite cheese, so it’s unlikely I am not going to enjoy this. The garlic uses granulated roast garlic. It’s the most popular variety and I can definitely see why. Cracked pepper. Mmm, nice. Smoked – clearly they use eucalyptus wood for the smoker. Yes, branches and leave of eucs. Smeared provides just a gentle amount of brine over the skin. When we come to the herb and garlic marinated fetta the lady serving me has a seemingly endless list of excellent ways to use this cheese and the olive oil marinade. This has been a really enjoyable experience. I make my selection and stow them in the esky and head on my way. 

En route to Simpson an echnida is just stepping off the road after its hazardous crossing. I’ve seen other echnidas who’ve ended up as road kill around here, so you need to be careful.

Next stop is over at Dairylicious Farm Fudge. I try a few of the fudges and find an easy winner. Importantly realise when looking in the drinks cabinet that I forgot to get milk from Apostle Whey. I had been regretting only getting one garlic cheese, the lack of milk seals the deal and purchase completed, I’m backtracking!

Now, I travel the dirt road across to Timboon Cheese and Schultz Organic Dairy, turning into the road past an absolutely stunning flowering gum tree.  I seem to recall that the cheese business got bought out years ago from the original biodynamic pioneer in the region. The gardens are beautiful and there’s shady picnic tables under exotic trees. I’m tempted to linger but it’s pretty hot now. I head in. They have a range of lunch items on display along with their cheeses. I take a quick look about. Again it’s $1 for the cheese tasting, but there’s not so many varieties. I pay my dollar and we get started. The lady serving is perfectly pleasant, but the process seems quite rushed here. Not so enjoyable an experience as at Apostle Whey Cheese. After the cheese is done, I’m invited to self sample the local rhubarb products they also support. Ok. They are gluten free. Those I try are delicious. They also have a couple of salami type options on display but those aren’t offered for tasting unless of course you buy one of the rather large sandwiches on offer. I supplement the cheese and condiments with a milkshake to go and I’m on my way.  

My final stop on the gourmet trail is Timboon Fine Ice Cream. A lot of capital has been invested here that’s obvious. They have some interesting flavours. I try ones that are different to what I’ve had from other outlets. Then opt for a double cone of Whisky Cream and Maple and Cinnamon. Very nice. Very fresh cone. You can also buy the gluten free cones here.

Time now to head west. The Arch, The Grotto, Peterborough Foreshore. A stop at the Bay of Martyrs tempts me to head down the path to the sand. Lingering here would be very pleasant indeed, but it’s 4:30 and there’s a way to go to Warrnambool. Bay of Islands is another quick stop but hard to capture in a photograph.

The Arch

London Bridge - after it fell down! The closer span collapsed in January 1990 leaving two people stranded on the outer section. They were rescued by police helicopter. 

The Grotto

The Bay of Martyrs. You pull up right at the view, but there's a walk to get onto the beach.

Originally I intended to stay in Port Fairy, but looking at the options online I decide that staying in Warrnambool might work better for what I want to do. The young woman on the desk is completely professional and very friendly. The room is exactly as pictured online. They even give you a little present of a bottle of water and a chocolate bar as a thankyou for booking directly on their own website. Settled, showered and revived, for dinner I opt to make the short walk to the bar where I have a very nice steak sandwich. The staff are uniformly lovely. This is a great place to stay and the internet is better than I had in Port Campbell, thank goodness.