The 12 Apostles

The Remnants

The Great Ocean Road's biggest attraction I should think so is kept somewhere along the coastline of this continent; south east to be exact.

From as early as 9am we left the apartment at Lorne for the great drive home to Melbourne. Summer here means more daylight hours and the nights are short. Days only grow dark after 9pm daily and before you know it, morning comes again; as early as 4 am. No wonder people sleep less in summer months here. There's hardly night hours...

This was what everybody was talking about ... to visit the site of the 12 apostles.

We drove the popular beach resort in Apollo Bay and we were kept in suspension as we neared the much talked about coastline feature...what was it really like?

As we strolled along the pathway we paused to examine the vegetation of the place. The species here are indeed special and we have not seen them before.

The vegetation spread is rather dry and arid and as I recalled the geography days of my youth; I could safely say that the vegetation is caused by the Mediterranean climate experienced here. Stunted growth caused by little rain and dry climate and chilly winds. South east and south west states of the continent both are bathed by the Mediterranean climate.

Tourists thronged the site and we got more excited as we approached the bewitching site.

My geography lessons informed me that the coastal waves beating against the coast will result in
steep cliffs.

Some harder rocks will stand against the waves better and remain as protruding features into the sea.

Others stand in remembrance of its once wider existence along the coast.

Some weaker spots are more easily eroded and arches are formed as the softer parts collapse.

Very soon, the collapsed arches become remnants along the coast...perfect geography lesson. Geography students must study the site to behold the eroding power of the waves. In my younger days I see and read about them; I am grateful that I have a chance to see them in their real forms in my older days.

The stump left behind from the coast after years of erosion.

Attached to a pole near the site is an explanation of wave action on coastlines and the features they create. Beautiful and scenic...

The Great Ocean Road ride was but a tale of hundreds of miles of sandy beaches, coastal features and beach sports. We drove for hours after seeing the 12 apostles and hit Warrnambool; a huge beach attraction after 4 hours of driving. After a brief pause here, we labored on till we reached Melbourne City in the evening; a total of 9 hours of drive.

I could not help but notice the agricultural activities practised here; sheep rearing and bales of hay assembled as animal feed spreading along the undulating plains. Esther said she drank litres of milk here and was disappointed that the milk back home was so much more expensive and not tasting the same. Well... you can't find durians here; each to its natural abundance.

We be grateful for what we have in life.
The Great Ocean Road was a memorable experience.