Today we traversed the Great Ocean Road starting in Geelong just outside Melbourne and down the coast....
as per the http://www.greatoceanroad.org/information/-please see below!
The 10 most frequently asked questions about the Great Ocean Road
1. Where does the Great Ocean Road start and finish?
2. How long does it take to drive the Great Ocean Road and is the drive safe?
3. When was the Great Ocean Road built and by whom?
4. How tall are the Twelve Apostles at Port Campbell and how were they formed?
5. What else can I do on the Great Ocean Road?
6. What can I do and see along the Great Ocean Road in winter?
7. Are the beaches safe to swim all year?
8. Where can I stay along the Great Ocean Road and are there any good restaurants?
9. Where can I view the wildlife and experience the native bush?
10. What about fishing?
1. Where does the Great Ocean Road start and finish?
The Great Ocean Road was originally planned to begin at Barwon Heads and extend to Nirranda. Today the Great Ocean Road officially starts at Torquay and finishes at Allansford where it joins the Princes Highway near Warrnambool.
2. How long does it take to drive the Great Ocean Road and is the drive safe?
It is possible (but not advisable) to drive along the Great Ocean Road and return to Melbourne in a day. By doing this you will only experience a small part of the Great Ocean Road and it will leave you little time to stop and appreciate beautiful spots and attractions along the way. The Great Ocean Road is a sealed carriageway, and it is safe to drive in a car, caravan or even a motor home. Motorcycle enthusiasts find the road a thrilling ride.
3. When was the Great Ocean Road built and by whom?
Work officially started on the Great Ocean Road on 19th September 1919 and the 75 kilometre stretch between Anglesea and Apollo Bay was completed by 1932. Various sections were opened up as toll roads as they were completed. Returned soldiers from the First World War hewed the road from the rock with picks, crowbars and shovels.
4. How tall are the Twelve Apostles at Port Campbell and how were they formed?
The Twelve Apostles rock stacks were formed by the gradual erosion of softer limestone areas, creating caves in the cliffs. These caves eventually wore away through wind and wave erosion to become arches and when they collapsed, rock islands were left detached. The cliffs rise to nearly 70 metres in some places and the highest Apostle is approximately 50 metres from base to tip.
5. What else can I do on the Great Ocean Road?
What do you like to do? Boutique shopping at Lorne, fine dining on the coast, bushwalking, hangliding, abseiling, bird watching or horse riding along the beach. The Great Ocean Road is about the natural outdoors as well as superb food and accommodation.
6. What can I do and see along the Great Ocean Road in winter?
In the winter months the Great Ocean Road is a fantastic place to find some solace or rekindle a romance. Deserted windswept beaches, cosy cabins and open fires, frosty mornings and fresh air. Some interesting attractions can only be enjoyed in the winter months, such as the Southern Right Whales, which frequent our southern coast to bear their young. While the water may be a little chilly to take a dip, in the winter months you can enjoy this scenic coast, unhampered, unhurried and gain a new perspective on a wonderful area.
7. Are the beaches safe to swim all year?
Big swells come in from the Southern Ocean, the same swells that create the world-renowned surf at Bells Beach. Because of this, it is advisable to swim at patrolled beaches. Popular swimming areas, isolated strips of beach, calm estuaries, and excellent surf promise an almost endless list of alternatives. The water is at its warmest in late summer and in early autumn.
8. Where can I stay along the Great Ocean Road and are there any good restaurants?
Accommodation is available all along the Great Ocean Road, from bush campsites and backpackers, to bed and breakfasts, cottages and luxury hotels. Geelong, Queenscliff, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland offer the widest variety, but for an alternative try a hinterland getaway.
Good food and wine are synonymous with the Great Ocean Road region. Local chefs make the most of the fresh foods produced in the area, including berries, cheeses, herbs, mustards, vegetables, honey, mussels and crayfish. There are many vineyards near Geelong that specialise in cool climate wines such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of these wines are the most sought after on to the wine lists of local restaurants.
9. Where can I view the wildlife and experience the native bush?
The region has many places to experience natural attractions. The rainforests, coastal heath, woodlands and eucalypt forests are generally accessible from the Great Ocean Road and other major highways. Popular spots to view wildlife and native bush include Serendip Sanctuary, Otway Ranges, Angahook-Lorne State Park, The You Yangs, Brisbane Ranges,Melba Gully State Park, Tower Hill Reserve and Lower Glenelg National Park. You can see rare Southern Right Whales at Logans Beach, Warrnambool, from about June to October.
10. What about fishing?
Surf fishing, estuarine fishing, ocean fishing, lake fishing and fishing in mountain streams are all available near the Great Ocean Road. Common catches include trevally, snapper, whiting and trout.
INTERNATIONAL ICONS
The mighty Twelve Apostles are world-recognised icons of the Great Ocean Road. These giant rock stacks soar from the swirling waters of the Southern Ocean and are a central feature of the spectacular Port Campbell National Park that extends from Princetown to Peterborough. The dramatic and imposing limestone cliffs that are the backdrop to the Apostles tower up to 70 metres, while the tallest of the rock stacks is around 45 metres high.