Great Ocean Road

Beth54 · Guru

Great Ocean Road

Happywanderer · The Master

I've been down that way Beth. Great scenery. You better count the Apostles, I think some of them have gone missing.

Beth54 · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
I've been down that way Beth. Great scenery. You better count the Apostles, I think some of them have gone missing.

Yes, I think you're right. wink

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Don't try and count 12 Beth, there is only 9 now (I stand corrected of course on the number)

Sue - Steve Gazel · Veteran Member

Hi Beth54, we'd like to stay at a few places on the Great Ocean road, can you have dogs at the Princetown site? We've found it very hard to find places on or near the beach that allow dogs.

Thanks in advance.

Sue & Steve

aussietraveller · Guru

Also heard something about a bridge collapsing as well

Firefly · Guru

Lovely Beth, great photo. smile

Beth54 · Guru

Sue - Steve Gazel wrote:
Hi Beth54, we'd like to stay at a few places on the Great Ocean road, can you have dogs at the Princetown site? We've found it very hard to find places on or near the beach that allow dogs.
Thanks in advance.

Sue & Steve

According to Camps Australia Wide, dogs are okay here. I think most of the reserves seem to accept dogs. I can also recommend Killarney Beach Reserve, near Port Fairy.

There is a 5 tonne limit on the bridge to get in here, haven't heard of any collapsing though.

Thanks Firefly. smile

gypsy rover · Senior Member

aussietraveller wrote:
Also heard something about a bridge collapsing as well

That would be the London Bridge. No kidding that's what it's called. Guess the name was a little prophetic.

Cheers!

Chris

johnnz · Senior Member

Have also overnighted at the Princetown camp, but I was on my pushie then in 2008 whilst riding from Adelaide to Sydney. Nice to see the price is still the same.

fireheart · Senior Member

Beautiful part of the world Beth. Glad you are enjoying it. Love that drive and then when you get to Apollo Bay, well that is just beautiful and I could certainly set up shop there.
Take care and keep on enjoying.

Sharon.

ken thomas · Guru

Johanna Bay which is on the way to Apollo Bay is another beautiful free camp #681 camps 6
Dogs allowed
Are you going to Greens ??
Ken

sarg · Guru

Hi Beth, the Great Ocean road is a nice drive , do try it in a helichopter, wow great treat. I have done that road on a Harley a few times. The London Bridge as it was called, did colapse, I think it was on the South end of the Apostles, and there were a few people on the rock area and were stranded. Luckily no one were on the bridge area when it colasped. A helicopter had to fly in to rescue them. Enjoy...

Beth54 · Guru

Because I had success at posting photos yesterday, I got a bit excited about posting some again with a big reply to you all. Clicked upload and 10 minutes later it was still spinning. furious Now what did I say before? confuse

No sarg, we haven't done the helicopter ride, too exxy, but would have loved it.

Ken we're off to Johanna tomorrow. We were at Greens Lake a couple of weeks ago, and sorry I missed you in Echuca.

Fireheart, loving this amazing coastline. Hope we get to meet again somewhere 'out there'.

And sorry aussietraveller, I didn't realise you meant London Bridge. wink

I'm not going to attempt uploading photos again or I'll lose all my words again. biggrin

rockylizard · Guru

Beth54 wrote:
Because I had success at posting photos yesterday, I got a bit excited about posting some again with a big reply to you all. Clicked upload and 10 minutes later it was still spinning. Now what did I say before?
I'm not going to attempt uploading photos again or I'll lose all my words again.

Gday...

I can relate Beth ... when I am on laptop battery when camping ... and my time and power is finite biggrin cry I too seem to run into those problems.

Regarding losing your words .... I type up what I want to say in the post, and just BEFORE I begin selecting and uploading photos, I highlight all my typed words and hit CTRL C (or Copy whichever way you do it) ... then if the thing mucks around, at least I can just go back to 'reply' and CTRL V (Paste) and the words will reappear and still be there. Assists my blood pressure considerably. biggrin

Cheers - John

jetj · Guru

You may need to cut down the size of the photos. Most cameras take a huge size photos unless set to take smaller than capable, these days. I use an online resizer called "resize2mail".

Beth54 · Guru

I used to have to resize, but the last couple of times had no need, so I thought Cindy may have changed things.

John, that's a good idea. It's very frustrating when the words roll and then you lose them all.

I saw you moniker on a couple of photos on another site yesterday. Not sure what site it was now. Was it for Aire River Camps, or Johanna Campground? The photos were very helpful anyway. Thanks.

We were supposed to move on to Johanna today, but it's been blowing a gale since last night, so we're staying put til it eases off.

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

So glad to hear you a enjoying the drive Beth. I just love it down there. I'm glad others have problems with photos and such. I don't even try to load. As you can see by the lack of avatar on mine. Getting a message out is sometimes trouble enough. Isn't it funny how we now take all this technology for granted. Being able to share these experiences with your friends, sending them a photo almost immediately after taking it, just amazing. I've not camped down there but travelled it and stayed in motels and did a motor cycle trip on a Harley with a mate for my 50th. That was great. You have a great time and take it easy on the roads. Will be a bit busier over the weekend. Folk are leaving town already I notice. Enjoy.
Tess

Beth54 · Guru

Thanks Tess. We were told that many people make it a long weekend and go camping, so we planned to wait it out at Johanna so we wouldn't be caught out without somewhere to camp further east. And it's free at Johanna. Even better! If this wind eases off we may get there this arvo, otherwise it'll be tomorrow.

wendyv · Guru

Suggest you hole up there through to and including Tuesday. The 4-day weekend traffic heading back home on Tuesday afternoon will be nasty. Even today, I saw a number of caravans on the main road here that takes people over the Divide via Yarra Glen or Healesville. Most unusual for a Thursday.

trouto · Senior Member

i have just sold up in Ballarat and moved to Timboon 16km inland from Port Campbell

it is unbelivable how many things there are to see around this part of the world apart from the drive along the Great Ocean Road the 12 Apostles there is also

Berry World........you have never tasted strawberries like this

GORGE Chocolates.......yum

Apostle Whey Cheese.....had to buy a red to go with it

Timboon Fine Icecreem........its in the Distillery [ whiskey ]

Eel company , Trout Farm and Smokehouse just so much

Beth54 · Guru

Trouto, that's where we went yesterday! We had lunch at the Distillery restaurant. Sis & bil ordered a tasting plate of the local products, of which I had very little. I'm not into that sort of thing. It had a great variety of goodies including the eel. Even brother-in-law said it was yucky and he will eat anything! disbelief It looked disgusting! bleh

I love ice cream, so that was my tasting, yummo! Lovely staff there too!

Basically we visited all you've mentioned except Berry World, which wasn't open, and neither was the patchwork place...my sister is a quilter.

And the winery. The cheeses were delicious, as was the chocolate.

Beth54 · Guru

Wendyv, we made the short trip to Johanna Beach, and as you've suggested, we've decided to stay put until Wednesday. Even though it cuts out almost a week of our time, we'd rather do that than get caught out.

We'll do day trips from here, so that on Wednesday we can go straight through to Melbourne.

It fined up for a little while this arvo, but it's raining again now. At least we're a little protected here from the wind. My little Lulu rocks & rolls in the wind, so we've parked our two caravans so that mine gets sheltered a bit from theirs.

wendyv · Guru

Where are you going to be in Melbourne?

Beth54 · Guru

We plan to stay at Akoona Park, Berwick. It's the cheapest in Melbourne and a GN said it was okay. It's pretty central too, by the look of the map.

Beth54 · Guru

We've been up to The Otways Fly today. No, we didn't do the fly but we did the treetop walk. It's a lot of walking, and sis and I have crippled knees tonight, but it was worth it.

We returned to Johanna Beach by way of the Aire River Campgrounds. Absolutely packed! It's a good gravel road on the eastern side, and a rough sandy road on the western side.

By the time we got back here, it was even more packed than yesterday. And we had new neighbours either side of us. Actually I don't know how they got their little Jayco in beside my car. (We go driving in sis&bil's car.) yes, I checked for marks. biggrin

I'm glad we were warned about people going camping this weekend.

wendyv · Guru

We are at the other end of the Dandenongs from Berwick, but I am sure you will want to come over this way to have a look at the Yarra Valley, so maybe we can try to make arrangements to meet up? Can't offer you a place to prop, or I would - we are on a sloping suburban block, only flat parking area has our bus on it. Local council fines the tripe out of anyone parking on the nature strip.

Beth54 · Guru

We certainly do plan to visit the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Range. It'd be great to meet up. I'll PM you.

Sue - Steve Gazel · Veteran Member

Hi all, can dogs be taken on the beach at these reserves, we had problems up the east coast where the parks and reserves were dog friendly but the council didn't allow them on the beach so you were stuck to walking around the streets in town or in the area you were camped. Some did have hours but they were very restrictive and either end of the day.

regards

Sue & Steve

Beth54 · Guru

Dogs are allowed here at Johanna Beach Campground, but must be on a lead at all times. I guess that includes the beach. Most of the reserves and free camps we've stayed in are the same.

Do you have Camps Australia Wide? It tells you where dogs are allowed in camps.