Visiting Great Ocean Road should be on everyone’s bucket list. If you’ve ever seen any photos of this natural attraction, you would know what a beauty it is. But, the photos don’t do the beauty justice. It’s far more gorgeous in person.
The way I went to the Great Ocean Road was a rather long process, but the scenic train and bus rides are truly worth it.
Melbourne Express
There are trains in Melbourne designed to make it easier for tourists to view this scenic pathway. You can take a train closer to Victoria (where Great Ocean Road is!) for a cheap price! I took a train from Melbourne all the way to where my tour bus was to pick us up. This part of the trip was quite long. I mean like a couple of hours long. But, regardless, the train was clean and the city of Melbourne is always a beautiful sight to see with all the art on the walls and the impressive architecture.
After getting off the train and onto the tour company I signed up with, I embarked on a wonderful journey. Which leads to the first photo.
Great Ocean Road- The Walk Monument
If you look at the background of this photo, you should be able to see many hills and the light aqua blue colour of water in the background. That is the path the tour bus took us on when coming to this location- The Great Ocean Walk monument. Now, I must say, the road is quite… curvy. And I don’t mean that in an attractive way :). The road bends quite a bit and the driver sure did drive fast; being right next to water and cliffs the whole ride is not for the faint of heart as well. But, because I don’t suffer from motion sickness and I love rollercoasters, I enjoyed the bus ride quite a bit.
The colour of the water is breathtaking and seeing all the green from the trees and the well-kept lands were the sight of a lifetime. Sometimes the best medicine, when we live in a concrete jungle, is to get a taste of real nature. And this trip is exactly what I needed. Fresh air and beautiful landscapes are all a travelling student could ask for, no?
We had about 20 minutes to tour this spot, and then we were off once more! I mean, Great Ocean Road isn’t just a small scenic pathway- it stretches off for hundreds of kilometres!
The Twelve Apostles
The next part of the tour bus ride was towards the Twelve Apostles. These Apostles are rocks separated from the mainland due to erosion. Due to their upright nature, and their proximity to one another, they are a popular tourist attraction (yes- rocks can be beautiful too! :)). Over time, these stacks of rock have eroded even more and some have even washed away completely.
Unfortunately, when you are with a tour company, you need to follow their rules in regards to timing. So, I did not get to spend as much time as I had originally wanted, but it was still a wonderful sight to see. Even though I was slightly upset that we had to leave so soon, I realize why we had to- there was still MORE to see! So again, off to the bus we went. Praying for less road swerves. We were wrong ;).
The London Arch/ London Bridge
This was quite possibly my favourite spot of my Great Ocean Road Trip. It had just rained a bit while we were on the road to this place, but when we got out of the tour bus, the weather had calmed down. It was just the right temperature outside and there was a slight breeze- as we were close to water after all.
When I originally visited this location, it was still being called the London Bridge, but over time some people have adopted the term the London Arch. Now, if you can’t read the sign on the picture above, it says that this rock formation occurred after a random erosion event. The so-called “bridge” that connected the outer rock to the mainland had suddenly collapsed. Thankfully, no one was hurt during that time, but two people, however, were on the outer rock when this situation occurred (back in 1990!) and they had to be helicoptered off the mini rock island!
This is quite possibly my favourite photo from the trip just because of the way the sky and water perfectly aligned themselves to depict a serene moment. It reminds me of the beautiful breeze that was there when I took the picture, and how I really should go back to Australia for a Great Ocean Road trip.
Now, this last photo is one that my brother took of me as we walked away from the London Arch viewing deck. You can see how well-kept the attraction is. It’s nature at its finest. The beautiful pathway, the beautiful ocean, the beautiful trees and shrubs.
The Great Ocean Road is full of wonders like no other. And the best part? It’s up to YOU to go immerse yourself in its beauty. Take action and go visit it soon. Money will come along. But the time you have right now? That time won’t come back. So, spend that time doing something you love. For me, it’s travelling.
Till next time,
The Student Spirit
4 comments
Great post! We drove The Great Ocean road on our way from Melbourne to Adelaide a few years ago. So breathtaking. You described it perfectly.
Thanks Lisa! It truly is a place that everyone should go too and I hope to revisit again soon!
I had no idea that a train went from Melbourne to this area! I love a good train ride. Very handy. I so wish we could have gotten down to this area when we were in Australia but the size and beauty of the country and our limited time didn’t allow it. Your thoughts on the pros and cons of the tour bus are interesting; I always have trouble giving up my decision making but there are times when the guided tour is simply the best. Very interesting!
You’re right, Rebecca. The country is filled with too many wonders to go look at- tourists have got to take a lot of time and go there to truly appreciate the country. Thanks for your comments and your thoughts on my perception of the tour bus guide!