MELBOURNE, GRAMPIAN NP, GREAT OCEAN ROAD TRIP REPORT

The other day we flew to Melbourne and then drove to the Grampians National Park. Until then we hadn’t seen kangaroos in the wildness and we were very keen to see some.

We arrived there and asked our host in Halls Gap wherer we can see kangoroos. And he told us: just behind the hotel on the green. And incredible but true! In the evening there were plenty of cangotroos there.

And they were very relaxed and ignored even the people who came back from work and parked close to them. Gorgeous!

The next morning we hiked the Reek Lookout with excellent views from the balconies over the whole landscape and to the Mackenzie Falls.

 

Very interesting are the plants that require fire for their seeds to sprout.orite gathering place.

After this we drove back to lively Melbourne. The wide main streets are busy day and night.

Opposite the central Flinders Street Sztation Fed Square is a favorite gathering place.

Not far from there the Queen Victoria market has some art deco elements and attracts thousands of shoppers. The market is huge and diverse! You can find just about anything here.

Other attractions we visited: Shrine of remembrance and The Botanical Garden. he Shrine of Remembrance.  It was built as a memorial to all Australian veterans that served in World War II.The cruise on the Yarra River with the llovely modern bridges was wonderful. The Crown Entratinment Centere is huge and you don’t now exactly wehere to enter and where to exit. St Kilda which we reached by tram has some deco art style buildings and a large Luna Park.

The Botanical garden is a very large area of landscaped gardens consisting primarily of native Australian plants and vegetation. We liked very much the Arid Garden where desrt region plants from Australia and other places are elevated.

Public transportation within city centre is for free. Awesome! We haven’t seen this in any another place on the world.

The other day we started towards the great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostols. The GOR is great scenic drive. Pretty small towns are linked by curving roads with striking views at every turn. It shows off sheer limestone cliffs and gets you close and personal with the crashing waves of the Ocean.The giant eroded monoliths the Tweleve Apostles are an awesome spectacle.

They stand like they’ve been abandoned to the ocean by the retreating headland. Today only ‘seven apostles can be seen from the viewing platform. Among these seven apostles London Arch which was previously known as London Bridge prior to its collapse because of its similarity to its namesake.