Yesterday we visited my Mum's favourite place in the world and no it wasn't the wine store, that is Mel's favourite place!!!! It was the Great Ocean Road!!!!!

After an early start we were picked up outside St Pauls Cathedral an the corner of Flinders Street at 7.20am by our guides for the day (Brian and Grace). Our minivan had just 10 people but a real nice group.

We headed along Flinders Street and out of the city passing the docklands before heading over the West Coast Bridge towards Geelong (meaning where the bird soars over the white cliffs) we quickly passed through Geelong and arrived at our first stop of the day at Torquay (headquarters for Quiksilver and Rip Curl) where we had morning tea and chocolate lamington cakes. The tea was done in a billy can and was lovely. Had a quick walk on the blustery Torquay beach before boarding the van to our next stop and the one Mel and I had been waiting for.

Bells Beach for you movie buffs is where they filmed the final scenes for Point Break, the surf movie with Patrick Swayze. From the lookout you get great views of the beach and they have held surf competitions here since 1962 as part of the World Championships.

It was then back aboard the van and through Anglesea before we stopped on the Great Ocean Road at Memorial Arch, which had been reconstructed after the big bush fires that swept through there about 20 years ago.

You have so much ground to cover in the day that you have to keep moving and once on the van we passed through Lorne (holiday town) and arrived at Kennet River where we had a wildlife bonus. We were lucky enough to see a Koala awake in a gum tree and feeding just a metre above our heads,and having a scratch!!! Then it was across into the park to feed the wild birds that have their home here which was great fun and they used us as human birdtables, one even sat on Mels head (see pictures.)

It seemed like we had done so much but it was still only lunchtime which we had in the hotel at Apollo Bay and it was a beautiful roast lamb dinner. From Apollo Bay the Great Ocean Road turns inland for the temperate rainforest area of Lavers Hill and Melba Gully (named after the 1920's opera singer Dame Nelly Melba.) We took a short walk through the forest under a canopy of ancient trees and towering mountain ash and treeferns before reaching the "Big Tree" which is totally hollow and over 300 years old.

From here the road turns back to hug the coast and this is where the star attractions of the whole stretch of road are "The Twelve Apostles" (used to be called the Sow and Piglets, before the tourist board jazzed up their name) Our first port of call was a walk down the Gibson Steps to get up close to 2 of the Apostles and we nearly got our feet wet!!! To see the rest of the Limestone Stacks we had to go down the official walkway that they have built it had got a little drizzly but they still looked amazing from the viewpoints.

There is so much to see on this stretch of road and we were nearing the end of the day but still had a few things to see, the first being Loch Ard Gorge, named after the ship that was wrecked here and look at the cave where the only 2 survivors took shelter. All the other 52 passengers perished in the sea. Also here were several other rocks including the Razorback and the Island Arch. As dusk was creeping in we just had time to visit the London Arch or what is left of it just outside Port Campbell. There used to be 2 arches connected to the mainland but in 1990 the first arch collapsed into the sea and dissappeared under 15 metres of water at 7.30pm on the 1st June while 2 people were on the 2nd arch. Luckily they were rescued safe and well.

This concluded our day on the Great Ocean Road and then it was just a 3 hour journey back to the City to complete a 550 kilometre circuit. Arrived back at the house at 10pm totally exhausted after having such a fantastic and interesting day.

Our thanks to Brian and Grace our guides for providing a great day, and if you are ever in Melbourne checkout their tour (A tour with a difference)

Lots of love

M & M