Great Ocean Road + Wildlife Park (Melbourne) 🇦🇺

15 October, Thursday

One of the main reasons why we rented a car was to visit the tourist-must-do 12 Apostles and drive the Great Ocean Road.

Up and early, we left the apartment around 7.00am and there we began our ~227km one-way journey. Hoo, boy!

Good morning, Melbourne!

I love car rides! Especially staring out the window.

We were really lucky that the weather was good! Though I did tell XM that we should wear long pants cause when I went previously in December 2013, it was pretty cold. But this time it was SCORCHING HOT.

Quick, a photo!

We were on the road for about 1.5hours when suddenly we spotted a pink lake!!! I think lakes turn pink when they have a certain amount of algae in it and the water’s of a hot temperature.

Lake Weering

It’s not extremely obvious through the lens but the sight was really pretty!

(Photo: XM)

Was so eager to get nice shots that I ran out to the sand and starting sinking in. (!!!) Both my shoes ended up being covered in sludge, eeeeew. But I’m not the sort to be bothered by such things. Onward we went after spending a bit too much time at Lake Weering!

First stop: Loch Ard Gorge

Finally reached one of the beauties at 10.30am and we did what we did best – snap photos and leave.

CAMERA

Beauty.

I’d love to live here.

Hello, XM!

Saaaand.

Next! Drove to Gibsons Steps but it wasn’t as magnificent so we went straight to 12 Apostles. Hid in the car to have our packed lunch first before embracing the sun.

12 Apostles

Wasn’t as interested as I should have been cause I’ve been there before but it was still really nice to revisit and see if anything drastically changed.

This photo = we. were. here. (Photo: XM)

(Photo: XM)

I love how we’re both so similar that we don’t dwell too long on something and all we need to do is snap some photos as evidence that we’ve been there then we’ll move on to the next thing.

Next stop we wanted to head to was Cape Otway Lightstation to spot some koala bears!!!

Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park

Continued driving along Great Ocean Road and suddenly we saw one of the signs leading to a wildlife park. We made a U-turn and drove in. So glad we decided to go cause I had a really nice time being up close and personal with the animals! I’m an animal lover though I don’t know much, just love playing with them.

What’s beautiful about this place is that it’s a sanctuary and they rescue animals. We hesitated a bit on the entrance fee (if I recall correctly it’s $15/pax) but we went ahead with it! The staff was so kind to give us a pack of food each for free.

A beautiful animal sanctuary.

They have dingoes, emus, eastern grey kangaroos, wombats, deers, wallabies, alpacas, koala bears. I didn’t see any dingoes in the enclosure though and I was really bummed that I didn’t see any wombats or koala bears!!!

See a wild koala bear: x
But see and touch an alpaca: ✓✓✓!!!

Animals!!!

It held my hand!!!

Dingoes!

This deer was so shy. I tried my best to feed it but it kept running away.

ALPACA. This one was so friendly and adorable!

Aww.

Momma and her joey. You can see it peeping out below.

Hello, you.

Oh, white one. You are absolutely adorable. The brown one wasn’t as friendly. It didn’t let me feed it.

THIS DEER WAS SO CHEEKY. I shall not explain what was going on. (Photo: XM)

I. am. in. love. (Photo: XM)

If you feed the alpaca, you jolly well feed me too!!! (Photo: XM)

Emu moo.

Sadly left the sanctuary and we continued on the Cape Otway.

Cape Otway Lightstation

Reached at 2.45pm and we, or rather I cause XM was focused on driving, was trying to spot koala bears in the eucalyptus trees. Told the man at the wildlife park that we really wanted to see koala bears and he asked if we were going to Cape Otway.

“You must,”, he said, “you’ll definitely see them. Just stop when you see other cars.”

Drove in, didn’t see any, never mind, we still had the way out to spot them, went exploring instead.

Tiny lightstation spotted. Ironically we didn’t visit it even though we were there.

Walk walk walk.

XM went back shortly cause she needed to nap after all that driving. I went on to explore but I had no idea where I was going. I was surrounded by bushes, bushes, and bushes! Didn’t help that the sun was directly above me. I wasn’t bothered by the heat, but rather weird tan lines instead.

Secluded.

On the way to Station Beach? I didn’t see any beach within sight though.

Scaring myself silly with how high up I was.

Decided to turn back at this point cause I had no idea where I’d end up and I’d already been walking for 30 minutes.

I was afraid all I was going to see were bushes but I was rewarded with a stunning view of the coast! But when I was heading back… a wild porcupine appeared!!!