Warranambool till Melbourne
Penshurst – Hawkesdale – Koroit – Warranambool 73The same countryside continues, fields with scattered groups of trees and farms, and undulating road. In Hawkesdale there are a sportfield and a nice picnic area. In Koroit the park is along the caravan park. In Waranambool it is surely possible to camp in the park along the beach.
But I go in Sussane and Stuart home (warmshowers) where I rest 2 days.
At the cross before Koroit, I turn left to Koroit, instead going straight to Port Fairy, 15km. I wanted to see the Tower Hill Lake so I turned. Actually a lookout on the lake is just 1 km away from the main ocean road so I shouldn’t turn on left to go to Koroit, I should continue straight till Port Fairy. This lake is inside a crater with the slopes covered with forest, and with an island.
In Warnambool, near the beach there is an antic village, which can be seen by a lookout from the tourist office, well that are 2 streets with shops, a church, a sailor boat, and some storage. But it is closed, no way to visit it. Then I stay a long time looking the big waves, as it is very windy.
The next day I go to the bicycle shop to buy new clothes.
Warnambool – Allansford – Peterborough 62
It is a sunny day. The road is flat to undulating, through fields with scattered groups of trees and farms. The first 14 km are on the A1 highway, so it is rather busy. Then I turn on right on the Great Ocean road. I start to have headwind, from the East. But it is OK.
There are picnic area in Allansford, and Nullaware, and a community house with sportfield in Nirranda, stores in Allansford and Nullaware, which are just villages.
Just before Peterborough the road joins the coast, and there is a marvellous lookout on Bay Islands, a group of cliffs islands of limestone, yellow and orange and brown, in the blue sea, sculpted by the waves and the wind.
Peterborough is a very little nice town, with a picnic area along the river. I take lunch here, and I move. But it is very very windy, and there are no place to camp ahead, in all the Campbell park it is forbidden. So after 2 km I decide to go back to Peterborough where I camp.
Peterborough – Port Campbell – Princetown – Lavers Hill – Glenaire – Maits rest picnic area 98
I move very early to avoid the wind. But there is no wind today. The road follows the coast through the virgin forest, with small trees of 2 to 3m high, tea-trees, laurels, and other coast trees and shrubs land. A lot swampy too. The road is hilly.
Along the road there are several lookouts on cliffs and islands and small beaches, that is very beautiful. Then Port Campbell is a small turistic town, and I don’t really see where to camp. Well there is a little picnic area at the turn about if some wants to try. Anyway I continue.
There are other lookouts till Princetown. Princetown is just a village with a store and a caravan park. It looks possible to camp at the entrance in the recreation reserve just before.
After Princetown, the road enters inland, through fields, and continues hilly, till a big downhill which crosses a river. Then it becomes very hilly, with some long climbings, and very steep, through the forest, till Lavers Hill. The forest is part pine and eucalyptus plantation, part rain forest with fern trees, eucalyptus and laurels and acacias, part sea dry forest, with smaller trees.
There is a picnic area in Lavers Hill, behind the community house, and in front the police, with toilet, roof and table, where I think to camp. I meet there a Korean cyclist.
In the end I decide to continue till Glenaire. The road continues through the forest, but all downhill, very easy, for 15 km. Unfortunately, Glenaire is just a farm and cottage, so I can’t camp. It is the entrance of a large flat with swamp and lake. The road is flat and makes half tour of that swamp, so it should be easy, but I have headwind. I miss water too, and all the houses along are empty.
Well I continue, and after the cross to go to Horden vale, the road enters in another National Park, and in the rain forest. It becomes a steep and long climbing. I Have to push the bicycle a while.
In the end I join Maits rest, which is just a parking along the road, and a 30mn path in the forest, where I decide to camp. Here too is the Korean cyclist, so we take dinner together chatting, and we camp, under the information bay, the only place where cars can’t stop. It is very quiet.
Maits rest – Appolo Bay – Wye River 45
The road is along the sea, with beautiful views on little sand beaches when there is a creek, or stone beaches, at the foot of the cliff. The hills, very steep, fall straight in the sea. There are covered with forest.
We had some light shower during the night, but in the early morning the rain stops. It is a short save. We arrive in Apollo bay, and the road follows a long time the beach, bordered by trees and picnic areas, but I didn’t see any roof, before rising in the business area. Here there is on left side the shops for tourists and a supermarket, and on right a beautiful park with toilets, tables and roofs. We stop in the main one. Also There is a good picnic area to camp, table, roof, toilet, just at the get out of Apollo Bay.
We eat and it starts to rain. It is 9h30. It continues to rain heavily all day, and a part of the night, actually. We stay till 2h pm, and as some wind comes, we hope it will clear. Now we can see again the hills. So we move.
We make 25 km, very dangerous, under heavy rain. There is water on the road, which becomes slippery. The brakes don’t work any more, because of the water. Small stones fall from the cliff on the road. The road is up and down, a bit steep, winding, narrow, and along the cliff which falls in the sea. Well after 25 km we arrive at Wye River, where we see a picnic area with toilet, roof and table, where we stop. In the toilet there is a room with banches, for the swimmers to wait for the shower and change clothes. We decide to sleep in here. It is rather comfortable, out of the wind, and not so humid.
There are picnic areas, but just tables, in Skenes creek and in Kennett river.
Wye River – Lorne – Ayres Inlet – Anglesa – Torquay – Geelong - Melbourne 95
The road continues along the coast, undulating to hilly, a bit steep, and winding. But as the rain stops, it is no more dangerous. There is some traffic.
In Lorne, the best place to camp is the picnic area before the river. The sport field is also used as caravan park. Lorne is a little town.
There is a long climbing then, and a lookout on the long beach of Ayres Inlet. But in this little town, the best is Eagle Rocks. We stop at the picnic area and park just before the town, at the foot of the lighthouse. Then we climb till the lighthouse, and here is the lookout. There are a big limestone rock in the bay, 2 high cliffs, and a large breaker. It is beautiful.
At the entrance of Anglesa there is a river with a large lake and here are the sport field and a picnic area. But be careful it is prohibited to camp in Anglesa. Anglesa is a village, with a store. The better place to camp is 4 km later, at the top of the climbing, on left, there is a abandoned picnic area, just at the cross with Forest road.
Then it is the 4 lanes road, with heavy traffic, in the table land, hilly, noisy, boring. It is half in the forest, and half in fields.
Torquay is a town, but the main road doesn’t cross it. The sport field is just at the entrance on left, no problem to camp. Then it is yet the large and busy main road till Geelong, through fields.
Geelong is a big city with all services. There is a large sport field at the entrance of the business part, under the long high bridge. I have seen the fence broken on left when a sport field private road goes under. The tourist office and the railway station are near the sea front.
Here I take a train, 7$, till Melbourne centre, and then I take an other train till Airport West suburb. Well to go till the home of John and Sue the only road is the motorway, and I can’t take it by bicycle. So after asking to people who didn’t know, as they all use a car, fortunately I find a map. I have to follow the river bicycle track along a creek, all around a little airport, and then connect with the good street, and follow it a while. It is easy, but long. Ok I do it.
Melbourne is a big city, and the centre is busy, with cars and a very lot of pedestrians. There are people from all countries. I see some very beautiful antic and modern buildings, and I follow the bank of the river, which is now a promenade. That is the only quiet place downtown, I don’t see any little park or quiet place. I recommend Pelegrini café, a real antic Italian café with ambiance, Bourke street.
But I go in Sussane and Stuart home (warmshowers) where I rest 2 days.
At the cross before Koroit, I turn left to Koroit, instead going straight to Port Fairy, 15km. I wanted to see the Tower Hill Lake so I turned. Actually a lookout on the lake is just 1 km away from the main ocean road so I shouldn’t turn on left to go to Koroit, I should continue straight till Port Fairy. This lake is inside a crater with the slopes covered with forest, and with an island.
In Warnambool, near the beach there is an antic village, which can be seen by a lookout from the tourist office, well that are 2 streets with shops, a church, a sailor boat, and some storage. But it is closed, no way to visit it. Then I stay a long time looking the big waves, as it is very windy.
The next day I go to the bicycle shop to buy new clothes.
Warnambool – Allansford – Peterborough 62
It is a sunny day. The road is flat to undulating, through fields with scattered groups of trees and farms. The first 14 km are on the A1 highway, so it is rather busy. Then I turn on right on the Great Ocean road. I start to have headwind, from the East. But it is OK.
There are picnic area in Allansford, and Nullaware, and a community house with sportfield in Nirranda, stores in Allansford and Nullaware, which are just villages.
Just before Peterborough the road joins the coast, and there is a marvellous lookout on Bay Islands, a group of cliffs islands of limestone, yellow and orange and brown, in the blue sea, sculpted by the waves and the wind.
Peterborough is a very little nice town, with a picnic area along the river. I take lunch here, and I move. But it is very very windy, and there are no place to camp ahead, in all the Campbell park it is forbidden. So after 2 km I decide to go back to Peterborough where I camp.
Peterborough – Port Campbell – Princetown – Lavers Hill – Glenaire – Maits rest picnic area 98
I move very early to avoid the wind. But there is no wind today. The road follows the coast through the virgin forest, with small trees of 2 to 3m high, tea-trees, laurels, and other coast trees and shrubs land. A lot swampy too. The road is hilly.
Along the road there are several lookouts on cliffs and islands and small beaches, that is very beautiful. Then Port Campbell is a small turistic town, and I don’t really see where to camp. Well there is a little picnic area at the turn about if some wants to try. Anyway I continue.
There are other lookouts till Princetown. Princetown is just a village with a store and a caravan park. It looks possible to camp at the entrance in the recreation reserve just before.
After Princetown, the road enters inland, through fields, and continues hilly, till a big downhill which crosses a river. Then it becomes very hilly, with some long climbings, and very steep, through the forest, till Lavers Hill. The forest is part pine and eucalyptus plantation, part rain forest with fern trees, eucalyptus and laurels and acacias, part sea dry forest, with smaller trees.
There is a picnic area in Lavers Hill, behind the community house, and in front the police, with toilet, roof and table, where I think to camp. I meet there a Korean cyclist.
In the end I decide to continue till Glenaire. The road continues through the forest, but all downhill, very easy, for 15 km. Unfortunately, Glenaire is just a farm and cottage, so I can’t camp. It is the entrance of a large flat with swamp and lake. The road is flat and makes half tour of that swamp, so it should be easy, but I have headwind. I miss water too, and all the houses along are empty.
Well I continue, and after the cross to go to Horden vale, the road enters in another National Park, and in the rain forest. It becomes a steep and long climbing. I Have to push the bicycle a while.
In the end I join Maits rest, which is just a parking along the road, and a 30mn path in the forest, where I decide to camp. Here too is the Korean cyclist, so we take dinner together chatting, and we camp, under the information bay, the only place where cars can’t stop. It is very quiet.
Maits rest – Appolo Bay – Wye River 45
The road is along the sea, with beautiful views on little sand beaches when there is a creek, or stone beaches, at the foot of the cliff. The hills, very steep, fall straight in the sea. There are covered with forest.
We had some light shower during the night, but in the early morning the rain stops. It is a short save. We arrive in Apollo bay, and the road follows a long time the beach, bordered by trees and picnic areas, but I didn’t see any roof, before rising in the business area. Here there is on left side the shops for tourists and a supermarket, and on right a beautiful park with toilets, tables and roofs. We stop in the main one. Also There is a good picnic area to camp, table, roof, toilet, just at the get out of Apollo Bay.
We eat and it starts to rain. It is 9h30. It continues to rain heavily all day, and a part of the night, actually. We stay till 2h pm, and as some wind comes, we hope it will clear. Now we can see again the hills. So we move.
We make 25 km, very dangerous, under heavy rain. There is water on the road, which becomes slippery. The brakes don’t work any more, because of the water. Small stones fall from the cliff on the road. The road is up and down, a bit steep, winding, narrow, and along the cliff which falls in the sea. Well after 25 km we arrive at Wye River, where we see a picnic area with toilet, roof and table, where we stop. In the toilet there is a room with banches, for the swimmers to wait for the shower and change clothes. We decide to sleep in here. It is rather comfortable, out of the wind, and not so humid.
There are picnic areas, but just tables, in Skenes creek and in Kennett river.
Wye River – Lorne – Ayres Inlet – Anglesa – Torquay – Geelong - Melbourne 95
The road continues along the coast, undulating to hilly, a bit steep, and winding. But as the rain stops, it is no more dangerous. There is some traffic.
In Lorne, the best place to camp is the picnic area before the river. The sport field is also used as caravan park. Lorne is a little town.
There is a long climbing then, and a lookout on the long beach of Ayres Inlet. But in this little town, the best is Eagle Rocks. We stop at the picnic area and park just before the town, at the foot of the lighthouse. Then we climb till the lighthouse, and here is the lookout. There are a big limestone rock in the bay, 2 high cliffs, and a large breaker. It is beautiful.
At the entrance of Anglesa there is a river with a large lake and here are the sport field and a picnic area. But be careful it is prohibited to camp in Anglesa. Anglesa is a village, with a store. The better place to camp is 4 km later, at the top of the climbing, on left, there is a abandoned picnic area, just at the cross with Forest road.
Then it is the 4 lanes road, with heavy traffic, in the table land, hilly, noisy, boring. It is half in the forest, and half in fields.
Torquay is a town, but the main road doesn’t cross it. The sport field is just at the entrance on left, no problem to camp. Then it is yet the large and busy main road till Geelong, through fields.
Geelong is a big city with all services. There is a large sport field at the entrance of the business part, under the long high bridge. I have seen the fence broken on left when a sport field private road goes under. The tourist office and the railway station are near the sea front.
Here I take a train, 7$, till Melbourne centre, and then I take an other train till Airport West suburb. Well to go till the home of John and Sue the only road is the motorway, and I can’t take it by bicycle. So after asking to people who didn’t know, as they all use a car, fortunately I find a map. I have to follow the river bicycle track along a creek, all around a little airport, and then connect with the good street, and follow it a while. It is easy, but long. Ok I do it.
Melbourne is a big city, and the centre is busy, with cars and a very lot of pedestrians. There are people from all countries. I see some very beautiful antic and modern buildings, and I follow the bank of the river, which is now a promenade. That is the only quiet place downtown, I don’t see any little park or quiet place. I recommend Pelegrini café, a real antic Italian café with ambiance, Bourke street.
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