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Road Tripping to the 12 Apostles Down the Great Ocean Road

October 10, 2012 at 5:43 PM | by | Comment (1)

Let's take a trip—a road trip. Most of our stories have a common theme revolving around airports and planes and seats and in-flight meals...but this one's about driving. It's the good ol' fashioned American road trip with one caveat: this one takes place in Australia. We're heading way South to the Great Ocean Road to stand amongst the 12 Apostles.

Functioning as the world's largest war memorial, the Great Ocean Road is in remembrance of the ANZAC (Australia/New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers who fought for freedom in World War I. The returning soldiers were tasked with building a road to serve as a link to smaller coast towns for the timber industry and tourism.

Being steeped in history, the Great Ocean Road is also teeming with beauty. Starting just outside Melbourne and weaving and hair-pinning through gum tree forests and bushland, it eventually opens up to coastal drives just teetering on the edge of the rock face. With its many tight turns, this road is not for weak stomachs and we should warn to take extreme caution whilst navigating.

After the mega-drive comes a light at the end of the tunnel; one of the most popular natural wonders in Australia, the 12 Apostles, is found here. Endless Southern Ocean views with natural limestone and sandstone rock formations make up the Apostles, London Bridge and various other popular photo-ops. Due to the power of nature, the 12 Apostles have been the victim of erosion and are currently merely 7 towers.

We recommend hitching a ride with any one of the number of helicopter companies taking passengers over the coastline to spy on the numerous geological wonders and the ever-changing shore. On average, each heli-tour will set you back around $100—more for longer tours, but we agree that it's one of the better ways to view the rocks and the entire Shipwreck Coast.

Honestly, this is one of the most magical places on earth. Sitting on a cliff with ocean as far as the eye can see, scattered with perched rock formations, had a magical, even spiritual effect on us. It's one of those destinations that opening your eyes to how small and insignificant you are in the grand scheme. In other words, the beauty is humbling.

[Photos: Rayme Gorniak/Jaunted]

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its a pretty special place

Love this place.
outandabout on October 11, 2012 at 6:51 AM #Permalink

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