Today, we woke up around 5.30AM to take a shower and get ready for our day trip to the Great Ocean Road, which we had booked yesterday. The Gray Line tour company’s coach arrived promptly at 7.15AM to pick us up from the hotel. When we boarded the empty coach, we assumed that we were the first ones to be picked up and sat in the back row. However, the driver uncle informed us that we didn’t need to sit in the back row as he was only picking us up and that we had to change the coach. As it turned out, the coach had already picked up another couple and dropped them off at Federation Square. We then changed to another coach and continued our journey

When we arrived at Federation Square, the Gray Line tour company staff checked our tickets and told us which coach to board. Before boarding, they informed us that we could use the toilets and facilities inside the National Gallery of Victoria. (In reality, the coach had clean toilets, free drinking water, and onboard Wi-Fi.) Once we were ready, we boarded the coach and were advised to choose seats on the left side to get a view of the ocean throughout the journey. Our driver and guide for the day were Uncle Paul, who was the only staff on the coach, serving as both the driver and tour guide. Uncle Paul spoke through a microphone located near the driver’s seat.

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At 8.00AM, the bus started moving from Melbourne towards the west, heading towards the Great Ocean Road. Uncle Paul kept narrating all the way, explaining the significance of each spot we passed by. We sat back and enjoyed the view while listening to Uncle Paul’s commentary, feeling delighted. After an hour and a half, around 9.30AM, the bus stopped for our first break at Anglesea town. We had a 15-minute restroom break, and English Breakfast with browny and crackers was served as hot tea was brewed by Uncle Paul himself. He even cleaned up everything by himself. It was truly amazing!

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After we had rested, we continued on to our first lookout point of the day, Urquhart Bluff, which was only 10 minutes away from Anglesea. This point marks the beginning of the Great Ocean Road. We stopped here for about 10 minutes to take pictures and enjoy the view before officially embarking on the Great Ocean Road journey.

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THen, we continued our journey to our next destination, the Memorial Arch – Eastern View, which was only 10 minutes away from Urquhart Bluff. At this location, we stopped to admire the view and take photos with the iconic gateway of the Great Ocean Road. This marked our official entrance into the Great Ocean Road, which is one of Australia’s natural wonders and a global heritage site. The road stretches along the southeastern coast of Victoria, connecting the towns of Torquay and Allansford, spanning a total length of 243 kilometers. The road was built over 13 years, from 1919 to 1932, as a tribute to the soldiers who served in World War I. Influenced by the waves and winds of the southern ocean, the road features a variety of natural architecture. The most iconic feature of the Great Ocean Road is undoubtedly the Twelve Apostles, a series of limestone rock formations rising from the sea. It is also known as one of the most romantic roads in the world.

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We didn’t spend much time capturing the atmosphere and taking photos at the Memorial Arch – Eastern View, only about 15 minutes. We then headed to our next destination, Lorne, which was about 10 minutes away, to enjoy the beach view. The waves at this beach are high and it’s one of the top surfing spots during the summer. However, when we were there, we only saw 4-5 people playing in the water, perhaps due to the temperature being no more than 10 degrees Celsius. They probably got so used to it that they didn’t feel the cold anymore.

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Around 11AM, we left the town of Lorne to continue on to the town of Apollo Bay for our lunch break. This town was about 50 kilometers away from Lorne, but the road was winding and we had to drive along the mountainside, taking about an hour or so to travel. (For those who are prone to motion sickness, it’s a good idea to bring some anti-nausea medication just in case because the road is very curvy and goes up and down the mountainside throughout the journey.)

When we arrived at Apollo Bay at around 12.20PM, Uncle Paul informed us that we had an hour to have lunch according to our preference. The tour package did not include lunch, so we had to find our own food. There were many restaurants in Apollo Bay to choose from, but the prices were relatively high, and the queues were long due to the touristy nature of the place. We suggest buying sandwiches/burgers or easy-to-eat food from a store in town as it saves both money and queue time. We had researched reviews before going and brought our own food. There were plenty of seats available to eat in the park area in front of the souvenir shops.

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After satisfying our hunger, we headed out at 1.20PM to continue our journey in the afternoon. Our next destination was the highlight of this trip, which was the Twelve Apostles, located about 90 kilometers from Apollo Bay and took about an hour and a half to reach by coach. Along the way, we drove through rural areas mostly consisting of cow and sheep farms, providing a picturesque backdrop of green grassy fields and mountains. Seeing the herds of cows and sheep against the backdrop of the mountains was truly heartwarming.

We arrived at the Twelve Apostles around 3PM, which are large limestone formations located on the coast of the Port Campbell National Park. Originally, there were twelve of these formations, hence the name Twelve Apostles, but due to the direct influence of the winds and waves from the Southern Ocean, only seven formations remain visible today. Nevertheless, the beauty and wonder of this natural landmark still make the Twelve Apostles one of the most popular tourist destinations throughout the year and a symbol of the Great Ocean Road.

Uncle Paul gave us 45 minutes to soak in the atmosphere and take in the view, as it was a significant landmark. It was an awe-inspiring sight that made us feel as if we were flying over the ocean and experiencing the vastness of the world.

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After we had admired the Twelve Apostles, we got back in the coach to head to our next destination, Loch Ard Gorge, which was just 5 minutes away. Before we got in the coach, Uncle Paul teased us by asking if we could count how many limestone stacks there were. 🙂

Loch Ard Gorge is a hidden beach nestled between two limestone cliffs, with only a small gap between the two cliffs allowing the sea water to flow in, creating a beautiful curved beach with a backdrop of the sea waves and stunning missing cliff sections. We could walk down the stairs to take photos with this beach. Nearby, we could also walk up to Shipwreck Coast or the bay where we could see the sea along with the crashing waves against the limestone cliffs. Uncle Paul gave us 30 minutes here to enjoy the atmosphere of both spots.

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After we had explored and taken pictures at both locations (enjoying ourselves until we almost missed the bus), it was around 4.30PM. We then headed to our final destination for the day, Port Campbell, a small and quiet town located just 10 minutes away from Loch Ard Gorge. We stopped here to rest and have a meal before heading back, which would take about 30 minutes. There weren’t many dining options in town – from what we saw, there were only 2-3 restaurants and one supermarket – but it wasn’t mealtime for us yet, so we weren’t very hungry. We walked around, taking pictures as the lighting was beautiful and the sun was starting to set on the horizon.

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Around 5 PM, we all got in the coach and headed back to Melbourne, taking a different route than the one we took in the morning. This time, we didn’t pass along the coast or through any steep mountains, which was a relief for some of us. We didn’t make any stops along the way and covered a total distance of about 230 kilometers. We estimated that we would arrive in Melbourne around 8:30PM. Uncle Paul was very kind and asked each one of us where we were staying, as he wanted to drop everyone off at their hotels. During the trip, I was so tired from all the walking we did during the day that I slept most of the time. The weather was cool and pleasant at that time.

We felt relieved when the coach pulled over and stopped for us to take a 10-minute break at the petrol station in Geelong town. The station had a McDonald’s restaurant, and seeing it made us hungry, so we quickly placed a take-away order and hopped back in the coach. 🙂

When the coach arrived in Melbourne, Uncle took each tour member to their respective hotels one by one. Those who stayed in the same area got off together. As for the two of us, we were the last in line because our hotel was the furthest away. We arrived at the hotel almost at 9PM and took a break by taking a shower and relaxing because we were exhausted. Today, we traveled 500 kilometers together, but it was a very enjoyable journey. We experienced the cold sea atmosphere that we don’t have at home, and we saw things that we had only seen in books or on computer screens in reality. We got to explore new places that we had never been before. It was another rewarding day for this trip on one of the most beautiful and romantic roads in the world… The Great Ocean Road !

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Written By : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH

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