Day #41 The Great Ocean Road

So, it's the third day on the Great Ocean road. The trip was from Port Campbell to Port Fairy. This part of the southern coast of Australia is known as the Shipwreck Coast. In the 1800s, ships had better navigation tools allowing them to sail to Australia without coming around the northern side through the Indian Ocean. Instead, the approach was from the south through the Southern Ocean. Additionally, this meant navigating a tricky, reef and rocky coast, but it was a shorter route. Along this coast, we stopped to admire London Bridge, The Grotto, the Bay of Islands and more.

London Bridge

London Bridge

above the Grotto

the Grotto

Bay of Islands

Bay of Islands

on the beach - Bay of Oslands

Bay of Islands

near the Bay of Islands

We visited the Shipwreck Museum and Seaport Village. Our main interest was the Shipwreck Museum. Very enlightening regarding south coast shipwrecks.

Shipwreck Museum

Shipwreck Museum village

Arriving in Port Fairy, we dumped our bags at our motel and went for a walk around Griffiths Island (about an hour walk). We did slog through some sand, but we also saw a lighthouse, a short-beaked echidna and a kangaroo. The echidna is a mammal that reproduces by laying eggs. It is a quilled animal but not like a porcupine. They are found in Australia and New Guinea. The young kangaroo was enjoying a sip of water when we met.

echidna hiding in plain sight

Griffiths Island lighthouse

Griffiths Island lighthouse

first kangaroo sighting

kangaroo

Tomorrow we enter the state of South Australia.