#apollo bay

Basically, we park ourselves around Apollo Bay to recover from the crazy drive (it requires some concentration being so wiggly). We usually stay a few days so we can explore the region, particularly the forest and the waterfalls.

The above forest shots were taken in Winter 2015 (the sunny beach and road shots are from 2007). Throughout part of the forest in this last shot (a random spot we pulled over) there were dozens of these gorgeous spiderwebs.

There are a series of dirt roads (well maintained gravel actually, I only have a two wheel drive) that wind through the forest covered hills. One of them we visit every time we go, mostly because I’m a creature of habit and love to revisit familiar places. Right in the middle of all this native ecosystem is a copice of sequoias. Yep, those giant conifers from California. This is a typical thing in Australia, I find. The early European settlers were desperate to add northern hemisphere stuff. While I sometimes get annoyed regarding this because exotics usually get loose and destroy the ecosystem, the sequoias don’t tend to do that and it gives me, as a continent-bound person, the chance to see these magnificent trees. We have three up in the Adelaide Hills as well. Of course, they are only about one hundred years old, so they aren’t huge or anything, but fascinating nonetheless.

I’m only doing the eastern side of the Road for this post, so I will finish off with some shots from Apollo Bay and Marengo.

This is a shot from Marengo Tourist Park looking back towards Apollo Bay first thing in the morning (I have a problem with my back and holiday beds usually have me out of bed early and hurting...but hey, sunrise photography :D). It is a gorgeous little area, complete with all the civilised luxuries, but very close to nature (the way I like it :D).

Here is the shot I was taking out to the ocean at the time.

The Tourist Park is right on the coast on a rocky headland - the reason why I chose it. I spent some time down on those rocks exploring :D Found a few sea creatures to oggle at, too.

A few starfish :D

Lots of shellfish, which at the time I was inspired to photograph for painting stock :D

Here’s a shot of the oceanward side of the outcrop,

Up in the park we were able to interact with some of the local birds as well.

This is a male King Parrot. We were able to feed it apple on the front deck of our cabin. The kids had a great experience (they were only five and seven at the time).

And this one is a crimson rosella, a rather common eastern states parrot (not so common in South Australia, but we have colour variants instead with the Adelaide Rosella and the Yellow Rosella).

And to finish off, here is a sunrise in March 2007 from the other side of Apollo Bay, looking back up the length of the eastern side of the Great Ocean Road.