Days 3 and 4 - Werribee to Apollo Bay

Day 3:

This morning is a fairly leisurely affair writing up my trip journal and then packing up to get back out the Great Stupa when it opens so that I can correct my mistake of yesterday. Done and dusted there I program the satnav for my aunty’s place which takes me on a new route and eventually onto the Calder Highway. I find the highway quite a scenic drive and the road is very good. Traffic is consistently keeping to the speed limit.  Arriving in Werribee in time for lunch my aunties have booked a table at The View, which is at Werribee Park Golf Club. The View for which the bar and function centre has been named is of the K Rd Cliffs, carved into the Werribee delta of the eons. A delicious lunch under our belts, we head off on a little scenic drive, my Aunties pointing out the nice walk you can do at the cliffs and on to South Werribee where the river discharges into Port Phillip Bay. Years ago they took me birdwatching at the Western Treatment Plant, but I understand that's no so openly accessible these days. This general area, and particularly the WTP are a mecca for bird watchers. I kick myself for not bringing my binoculars out with me and we settle for discussing the various birds, both my aunties are keen birdwatchers and very knowledgeable about the local avifauna.

An afternoon of nattering away together and then an evening meal out at a local Italian place, it’s been a delightful visit. Further hospitality is offered so rather than drive down to Airey’s Inlet as I had planned, I decide to accept the offer of a bed for the night. It’s been a lovely day.

Day 4

Split Point Lighthouse. SO many people here!

I’m delayed setting off this morning by phone calls from home. I linger over more lovely brekky conversation with the aunties but get away about 9:30 ish. Much of my morning is similarly spent on the phone but in between I manage to find parking at Split Point Lighthouse. This is quite an accomplishment because the area around Aireys Inlet is absolutely crawling with people. Split Point lighthouse is an impressively elegant structure and the coastal vegetation and gardens along the Lorne-Queenscliffe Coastal Reserve are beautiful. 

So many people here today. 

I’m really impressed with this area and it would be delightful to stop and explore but I can’t find any public facilities, so I am obliged to surrender my convenient parking spot and head down to the Skate Park. This is another pretty spot with views up to the Lighthouse and coastal reserve across the inlet. 

Aireys Inlet from near the Skate Park

Back on the road I head to Lorne where long weekend crowds are impressive and traffic is congested but polite. On to Erskine Falls, turning right and down a long steep access road with a bulbous little parking area at the bottom. There’s a lot of people here as well and cars are parked along the road a for a long way up the hill. Luckily I score a park near the entrance to the walk to the falls. Weather is cool and pleasant. There’s two viewpoints, the upper viewpoint is a walk of 80 metres and is reasonably easy. It's 220 metres to the lower viewpoint. It’s worth all the stairs down there - I still think so after the climb back up!

Erskine Falls are much more impressive from the lower viewpoint

Pretty as the falls are, the tree ferns here are also a major feature. They are enormous and lush. It's a stunning beauty spot.

Tree ferns at Erskine Falls. Note the person in white included for scale

Not too long after I start the climb back up a family passes me on their way down. A little girl is counting..  221...222.....223.  I reckon there'd be about 250 steps. 

The access road reminds me a lot of one we navigated years ago in our old L300 van. Heavily laden with children and luggage and gutless to start with, we chugged our way anxiously to the top, wondering whether the van would collapse in exhaustion before we reached the top. My pretty red baby (PRB) skips up the incline as though she’s on the flat. It’s a pleasant to experience but not more so than fond memories of the years of faithful service of our beloved blue van.

Qdos Fine Arts and Sculpture Garden

Next item on the agenda is Qdos Fine Arts and Sculpture Garden which I locate after some very inefficient wandering about and retracing of steps. Qdos is located down an unsealed access road, but the unsealed section is not very far and should not deter people from visiting. The café is bustling with people, but as my current agenda is solitude, after taking a look at the outdoor sculptures I head for the current exhibition. The artist has cleverly used plastic waste, cable ties and ropes to fashion sea creature-like forms. More intriguing than tempting, the exhibition doesn’t take long to see and pretty soon I’m resuming the driver’s seat and heading again towards Apollo Bay. 

Next stop: Sheoak Falls. Again the parking area is quite full but a space reserved for PRB. I alight and wonder whether it’s worth doing the walk in here. When was the last rain? Feet have a mind of their own and despite my misgivings and failure to grab my hat as I got out of the car, mine have taken me up the gravelly slope to the wooden boardwalk. The falls are 700 metres away. 

Along the walk to Sheoak Falls

Much of the walk is quite exposed but it gives some good aspects for photographing the hairpin turns of the road so makes an excellent stop for people wanting to illustrate their trip photo album with such a shot. 

The sharp turns of Great Ocean Road, seen from the Sheoak Falls Walk

The walk not being terribly pleasant I have the usual moments of doubt as heart thumping, I climb the fairly irregular treads and risers of the stairs. After a summer of restricted movement, it feels good to be out getting some decent exercise. People pass on their return trip. Finally I round a prettier little section and it’s downhill again to the plunge pool and the falls themselves which cascade down an irregular rock face that looks very much like the inspiration for a garden centre water feature. The photos really don’t do Sheoak Falls justice. I’m glad I made the effort. 

Sheoak Falls. The photos don't don't do them justice.

And I’m glad the return journey always seems shorter than the outward journey. 15 minutes the sign I’ve taken half an hour and I don’t think I was walking that slowly or stopping much.

Back on the road, we (PRB and me) hug the curves and crests as we travel on. The Great Ocean Road is definitely one to do in a car where the driving itself is a pleasure. Coming in to Apollo Bay its about 4:30 pm so I figure I had better identify my bed for the next couple of nights. 

I had thought of maybe driving out to sus out Lake Elizabeth seeing as the Platypus Paddle is looking doubtful (minimum 2 persons and no bookings yet for tomorrow) but it’s been a tiring day and I decide I’m just going to get settled, proof read the journal and try to have an early night. Dinner is left over Chinese from Bendigo. I can sample somewhere else tomorrow night.

Early dinner completed. I check my mail again and find that Bruce has a spot for me tomorrow in the evening. Looks like dinner tomorrow night needs a rethink. A bit of chat with family and friends and I call it a night.