Wilsons Promontory National Park

These were the last days in Australia before returning home to Switzerland and I could have not imagine a better place to end the 6 weeks journey.  As I look at this image of myself running on the beach feeling space and freedom for me this is what life is about; playing in outdoors, being our true selves, doing what we love, spending quality time with our loved ones and drinking good wine. The more life is simple the more it is fulfilling.

Wilsons Promontory National Park is one of the most beloved national parks by Australians, and for me one of the most special place in the world. It is located at the southernmost tip of mainland Australia (Victoria), 150 km south of Melbourne. ‘The Prom’, as it’s affectionately known its wilderness and rainforest, stunning coastal scenery, some mountains and secluded, swimming and surfing white-sand beaches. We caught a fish, stayed at Squeaky Beach (stunning wild beach with orange rock formations), hiked Mount Oberon and watched sunsets. If you travel in Australia one day this is a place to come to!

Behaviors of Koalas

It was my first ever encounter with koalas while on a hike in the Great Otway National Park. Koalas are native to Australia (they live only in Australia), they inhabit eucalyptus woodlands and found only in coastal areas of South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. They live up to 18 years in the wild. They are irresistibly cute with their round fluffy ears, soft fur, and spoon shaped noses.

Koalas eat mostly eucalyptus leaves which are limited in nutrition and high in toxins causing that the bears sleep up to 20 hours per day! Because they get so little energy from their diet they spend only 4 minutes per day in active moments and 15 minutes on social behaviors. The rest is napping between chewing.

They typically eat and sleep in the same tree as long as a day. They descend to the ground only to walk to another tree so I guess this counts as 5 minutes of active movement per day. 

Koalas were hunted for food by Aboriginals which is understandable. But as Europeans arrived they hunted heavily for bears for their fur and over 2 millions were killed which is horrid. Today koalas live in many protected areas and conservation parks but their population is decreasing caused by their habitat destruction. 

They make numerous facial expressions and this one gave me a moment of an eye contact, and as he was sitting on a very low branch I could admire his thick fur and cute ears. They look very cuddly but they have very sharp teeth and claws. Apparently they can run as fast as a rabbit which is difficult to imagine. A beautiful creature. 

Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles

One of Australia's most spectacular and well renowned road journey's is the famous - Great Ocean Road along the bottom south west of Victoria. This unique road was constructed by soldiers who had returned from the Great War. With shovels, picks and crowbars in hand they built this road and dedicated it to their fallen mates. The road officially starts in a small town of Torquay and runs along the coast until Port Fairy for the total distance of 285 km. We started our journey in Torquay on an early morning and ended the day in Port Campbell.

Isn't there something exhilarating in driving a camp van across an unknown country? Road trips are my favorites way of traveling. My most memorable ones are crossing the United States, East to West with my father; a road trip with my friend Kristal following the Highway 1 in California from LA to San Francisco; another road trip across deserts and Atlas of Morocco and another one in Nepal and just the recent one with my friends in the Southern Australia. And although I am not feeling an urge for traveling for another half a year at least, while enjoying my home in Switzerland an old dream of a road trip in Iceland is growing..

The start of a Great Ocean Road tour is the beautiful surfcoast region of Torquay , which is only 95km Melbourne.

Along the coast hugging road, there are many lovely towns, wharfs, lighthouses to visit and National Parks. 

Apollo bay where we stopped for a swim.

Great Otway National Park (covering Cape Otway) where for the first time I encountered koalas in their natural habitat.

From Apollo Bay we drove meanders through the lush farmlands and forest of Otway National Park.

Right before the sunset we arrived to the famous Twelve Apostles rock formations, Lochard Gorge and London Bridge sandstone formations.

Twelve Apostles from the distance, against the sun. These are limestone stacks formed by erosion; the harsh and extreme weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed; leaving rock stacks up to 45 metres high.

Gorgeous beaches surrounded by 30-40 m high limestone rocks. 

Ocean's energy and power.

We sat at the wooden table in Port Cambell, opened a bottle of red wine and finished the day in a pink light of the sunset.