Outback Livin’: The Great Ocean Road, Otway National Park, The Grampiens, Adelaide and The Flinders Range

Koalas EVERYWHERE!

Prehistoric walks

After an absolute fabulous time in Melbourne, it was on the road again. Literally.  For the next two weeks we stuffed the duffels and rucksacks into the mini van, piled in and discovered Australia's by car! The first three days were spent driving the Great Ocean Road, a stunning coastal highway that all travel magazines insist is one of the most scenic drives in the entire world. With each bend in the road came another stunning view—powerful waves crashing against eroded cliff walls, white sandy beaches, rolling luscious green hills and dense sub tropical rainforests.  After lunch in Torquay, the surfing capitol of Australia, we made a necessary stop at Bell’s Beach—the world’s most famous surfing beach, as all you die hard Keanu Reeves and Point Break fans already know :)  We spent our first view nights at the Great Ocean Road Ecolodge- a solar paneled hotel and rehabilitation center for koalas and wallabies.  Each morning kangaroos greeted us outside our rooms and crested cockatoos sang their morning songs in the trees.  Just minutes from our lodge, we took the eucalyptus and koala lined road into Otway National Park for Jurassic Park type walks, featuring prehistoric ferns and stunning waterfalls.  I strategically wore my Gary Lighthouse Charter School zip up for at the edge of the national park stood Cape Otway Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on mainland Australia.  A necessary photo shoot ensued to send to all the higher ups and friends at Lighthouse Academies, in hopes to be apart of future advertising campaigns. 

Twelve Apostles

Grampiens

We continued on the Great Ocean Road to one of its most famous destinations – The Twelve Apostles.  Created by constant erosion of the mainland cliffs, giant limestone stacks rise majestically from the Southern Ocean.  The weather cooperated with a cloudless sky and radiant sun beating down on the remarkable scenery.  As we turned off the Great Ocean Road towards the Grampians Mountain Range the scenery quickly changed.  The stunning coastal views were replaced with sheets upon sheets of locusts- thick enough that many cars were pulling over.  Never have I seen such a thing!  We arrived in the Grampians with a coated windshield of locust guts, a fried locust smell radiating from the car and an unsettling feeling about getting out of the car to face the plague.  No more than a slight annoyance when they touched your skin, we still walked through the national park to catch the breathtaking rocky views, stunning wildflowers and rich Aboriginal culture.  Great views, wild peacocks outside our cabin door, and a bird feeder bustling with cockatoos had us all loving the Grampiens.  But no rest for the weary—we were on the road again! 

Flinders Hiking Partners

Flinders by plane

With one night, an important second hand book store stop and delicious Asian cuisine in Adelaide, we set off for the Outback!  We drove for hours without many signs of human life, towns so small you miss them with just the slightest blink and all our favorite Australian wildlife.  For miles we drove along the desolate highway with our destination in sight, the stunning red of the Flinders Ranges, the largest mountain range in Southern Australia.  More kangaroos than people in sight, trees filled with cockatoos, pink gallahs and laughing cookaburras, gigantic emus crossing the road and endangered yellow footed rock wallabies hiding within the rocks made it clear we were in the outback as we turned onto the dirt road of our villa.  Once under water 600 million years ago, the Flinders Ranges harbor the oldest animal fossils ever found on earth.  To truly experience the view and appreciate the vastness of the various ranges, we hopped aboard a small plane for a scenic flight. The sights included the ABC Range, Heyson Range, Bunyeroo Gorge, The Wilpena Pound, a massive natural crater formation in the ground, and massive salty pink lakes.  The closest town to our villa was bustling Blinman, population of nine people.  Despite the lack of civilization, the local Wool Shed Restaurant provided an eclectic menu, including my first ever taste of kangaroo.  However, the menu at the Wool Shed seemed boring, as the next closest restaurant offered kangaroo, emu, goat and camel for your main options.  With spectacular sunsets setting on the mountain range, it may have been the prettiest view of Australia yet.

My only picture form the Barossa--too busy!

After several days of trekking through the ranges,we worked up quite the thirst for a little red wine.  Perfect timing as our next stop on the road trip of Australia was the Barossa Valley, home of world class reds.  Unlike many people visiting the Barossa Valley, our first stop was at the putt putt course for the first annual Kirley Christmas Putt Putt Tournament.  Don’t let my uncle Tim’s blog confuse you, I dominated :) My putt putt game has improved drastically from my childhood days of shanking the ball outside of the park grounds.  The rest of our days in the valley consisted of wine, pool time, more wine and delicious meals.  Every few feet another vineyard appeared ready to supply you endless tastings; even the hotel provided bottomless wine tastings each and every night.  My love of the reds only intensified in the Barossa—even my first sparkling shiraz (sounds gross, but YUM!).  Although every day felt like Christmas in the Barossa, we were off to celebrate the actual holiday in Sydney!  Sydney here we come :)