East around the coast from Melbourne

The rest day in Melbourne... never enough time in a big city to do everything...


Melbourne skyline, station in foreground

One of Melbourne's famous arcades decorated for Christmas

shopping for winter gear in Australia...
Isn't that what anybody would do while riding a bicycle through
a place that's supposed to be a hot climate?

Reception that night hosted by Tony Wheeler, the founder of the Lonely Planet travel guides. He and his staff participated in the Cairo-Capetown excursion the year after we did it and was very enthused about the TdA travel formula.

The following day was a wet ride. Too bad, because we left Melbourne on what would have been very pleasant bike trails were it not for the rain. The day was truly disrupted when the ferry that we were supposed to travel on at the end of the day was not running.

The next day started with drizzle, but improved as the day went on...

...and was nice enough to go for a swim at the campsite... 

sunset on the beach at Inverloch

sunset on the beach at Inverloch

...then a decent day with a very pleasant thirty kilometre stretch on a rail trail... we're all coming home with 'G'Day' as our standard greeting...



rules of the trail

Ursula on the rail trail

some of the staff  also riding the rail trail...
Henry, Chelsea, and Max

...and finally today into Bairnsdale for a day of rest...



results of some heavy rain in the last few days

Aussie Christmas tree of beer bottles...
But what's becoming of Australian beer ?
These bottles are all imported. 

...and a few more birds brightening the sides of the road this week...





 

 

Melbourne

We had a surprise with sunny weather coming along the coast from Apollo Bay to Torquay... Gorgeous coastline, many lovely beaches and surfing.

 

This coast was the site of many shipwrecks that are marked by graves and memorials at the roadside...

...and you have to love the crest on this white cockatoo...

The next day was into Melbourne. Rae took a detour to the RAAF Museum...

...and amongst the exhibits was the Winjeel trainer, an indigenous Australian design...

TdA found bike paths that made for a pleasant arrival in Melbourne. An evening and a day in to enjoy the city (as well as do washing etc)....

...then today (Sunday) we departed Melbourne, also on nice bike trails, but unfortunately wet weather and later a cancelled ferry that made for a slightly difficult day.

 

The Great Ocean Road

We're now in Apollo Bay having traveled along the Great Ocean Road from Port Fairy. Still cool with daytime highs in the mid teens. Some rain yesterday and again today. Scenery is spectacular, and we still see lots of birds.

We spent a bit of time on Griffith Island which is attached by causeway to Port Fairy. It hosts a protected breeding area for Shearwater as well as other birds and black wallabies

Lighthouse at Griffith Island

Pied Oystercatcher

 This black wallaby jumped onto the path in front of me, paused a bit, then went on its way - note the baby in the pouch.

black wallabies

golden tones just before sunset

 

black swans

black swan

Australian Ibis

Back on the road... penguins at Warrnambool...


Penguins - only just over a foot tall
They're a bit off shore on a protected island

The birds look like Christmas ornaments

Spectacular scenery, too bad it wasn't in sunlight...

 

campsite at Port Campbell

training horses in water at Warrnambool

...more scenery...

 

...and a few birds...

 

spoonbills

...and after about 1500 metres of climbs for the day, it was a descent into Apollo Bay for the rest day...