Dan Will Travel

Hard to imagine, huh? What do you get? You get nice little towns with essentially all of the store fronts occupied. Cafes, nice shops of all kinds, restaurants, brew pubs and the like, all in use by the locals and the visitors alike. Town after town. Nothing on the outskirts except farms, bike trails and maybe a winery. Pleasant city parks, tree line streets. Maybe we have not done ourselves any favors? These people seem happy the way it is here. And, yes, they do have big box stores, but they just have to drive longer to the large cities for them. The key thing is the lack of a Wal-Mart sitting just outside most all of the medium sized towns like it does in the US.

Most every town here has an Indian Restaurant. For someone like me, that is good!

bank, pharmacy, and other shops

“Hotels” are confusing here in Australia. Yes, it might have rooms for rent, but a “hotel” is chiefly a bar/pub.

A cute way to be “closed”

Talking to a member, they need new blood. Down to 31 in the club. You can guess why the numbers are shrinking….

The Harrietville town log. Not quite as impressive as a Pacific NW town log, but I loved the wooden wheels

On my third trip, I am finally seeing lots of kangaroo’s.  Many from the train, some running across the road in front of me and my car, and then up close and personal at a motel in the Grampian mountain range.  OK, looking at that picture it is clear that they have seen a human before, I know.

It is thought that there might be more kangaroo’s than people in Australia.  I am not sure, but there are a lot of them.  The real key difference for them is that as Australia split away (Godwana is it’s original name when it was part of the Asia super continent) it never had the larger predators that we have elsewhere on earth. No cats, specifically.  So, the kangaroo just munches away unharmed as long as it does not try to cross the road.  Which , of course they do. I met a long haul trucker on the train that said his “record” kill was 37 in one trip.  That is why you see most vehicles with this giant structure on the front.  Good for the car, not good for the ‘roo.  Aussies like their roos, but wish there were a few less.  Every night, they work on that goal it seems.

From the train on the Nullarbor Plain

Looks pretty wild and ferocious, huh?

Bonus shot! Wild Emu from the train

Well, actually, I think there are only 7 or 8, not 12. But as we noted previously, there is a math problem over here.  Anyway, however many there are and, in fairness, it can change over time, these soft limestone formations and cliffs are striking beautiful. Truly an iconic setting along the Great Ocean Road. As you look at these shots, think that the next land mass over the horizon is Antarctica. I can’t imagine the winter storms they must get here.

I also included shots of the heritage hotel I stayed in to start this part of the trip and the lovely unit I had in Port Campbell in the middle of the scenic area.  OMG, my hay fever went into tilt. The worst case for me since 2003 in New Zealand, which I believe lies about straight east of here.  Staying out in the middle of grassy fields probably did not help!

Surfers at Bells Beach outside of Torquay. This little town was home to both Rip Curl and Quicksilver apparel companies.

Near Cape Otway

Looking west to some of the Apostles, very early morning

Looking east

One of many natural arches

More Apostles. Next land: Antarctica.

Hey, as you know by now, I always include dead tree shots. Weird, I know, but nice contrast here I thought.

The grotto. Looking through an arch, into a tide pool, then the ocean below and behind it. Great spot.

What is this you ask? These are the morning tracks of the Little Penguins as they went out to sea for the day. It is now getting close to sunset, and they are not yet to return until about 1 hour after sunset.

A famous arch.

An 1883 hotel in Queenscliff. I had the middle left upper balcony.

Just a house in Queenscliff. I would say that there was money here in the past for sure.

Looking out of my room in the hills above Port Campbell. It was so nice, I grilled steak and lamb on the Barbie and dined in while there.

The view from my deck. And the source of my hay fever attack I am sure!