Erskine Falls
After brunch in Lorne, we drove up into the hills behind the town, into the Great Otway National Park, for Erskine Falls. It’s a short walk, then a lot of steps down through tall ferns to the bottom, where the water drops about 30 metres into a mossy gully. Going down is easy. Coming back up is a workout.
Teddy’s Lookout
Back down near Lorne is Teddy’s Lookout, high above the point where the St George River meets the sea. From up there, you can see the Great Ocean Road curling around the cliffs below you. The sky had cleared, and the sea was the bluest blue.
Koalas at Kennett River
Next: Kennett River, a tiny place famous for wild koalas. We parked at Kafe Koala & General Store, and the parrots found us first. Crimson rosellas, bright red and blue, landing right next to us.
Then we walked up the road behind the café, staring up into the gum trees. And there it was: a real wild koala, curled up in the fork of a branch, fast asleep. Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day, so it didn’t care about us at all.
Apollo Bay
The road after Kennett River is the most dramatic stretch, hugging the cliffs right above the sea.
We reached Apollo Bay in the late afternoon, and went straight for ice cream at Dooley’s. Then we checked in for the night.
Sunset over Apollo Bay
For sunset, we drove up to Marriners Lookout on the hill above town. The whole bay was below us, the sky went pink and orange.
Dinner was fish and chips from the Apollo Bay Seafood Cafe. Of course.
Tomorrow: Cape Otway and the Twelve Apostles.
Information About Kennett River
A tiny spot on the Great Ocean Road that's famous for wild koalas sleeping in the gum trees, and for colourful parrots that hang around the café.
PS: Park at Kafe Koala and walk slowly up the road behind it, looking up into the trees. The koalas are grey balls in the forks of the branches, and easy to miss.