VICTORIA
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Built in 1932 the Great Ocean Road stretches from Torquay to Warnambool across ragged cliffs, wild windswept beaches, tall buffs and tangled rainforests. Our first stop was Lorne a delightful little seaside town nestled in a nook tat protests it from the winds that lash many of the other towns along the drive. In early October, which is spring in Australia, the Ocean was way too cold for a dip, but we walked the length of the beach along the board walk and with few people about felt as if as if we had the ocean to ourselves. Lorne is more hip and alternative than some of the other coastal towns that have a more suburban, commercial feel. The cafe we visited for tea had large sofas, mismatched cushions, an eclectic menu and a grungy air- clearly, the operative words here were sink and loll, and that's exactly what we did. In front of us, a flock of white cockatoos hobbled comically around a lawn, their bodies tilting to one side under the weight of their crests. And from the balcony of our B&B, we saw king parrots with blood-red heads and lush green throats, colours so vivd they seemed to belong in a dream. The next morning was grey, windy and foggy as we drove to Mit's Rest an accessible walking trail in Otway National Park. Although we drove just two hours from Lorne, we felt as if we had reached the Amazon basin-a world of eternal green silence where tall trees rule. it is rewarding to spend an entire day driving from Lorne to Port Fairy, the most scenic and coast-hugging part of the drive, stopping for short walks, Devonshire teas, and other small delights. One such treat was the Cape Otway Lighthouse, built in 1848 -the oldst standing lighthouse on the continent. The lighthouse still functions, and visitors anre allowed to clmb to the top of the neat white and red-trim building, but because it's on a cape, the wind hits it full tilt, and it is impossible to stand outside for more than a minute. The major stop of the day was at Port Campbell National Park, better known as the site of the Twelve Apostles-12limestone rocks eroded into strange shapes by wind and wave.
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