23rd to 27th Great Ocean Road and The Grampians

The 23rd is a quiet day in Melbourne trying to sort out various things although now I couldn't tell you what. Probably ongoing job hunting, trip planning and hostel booking. A bit of a wander through the city seeing some of Melbourne's famous "laneways" (unlikely- looking back alleys that mostly seem to keep the city supplied with caffeine!) and a swim.
Next day is an early start joining a 3 day Groovy Grape tour that will finish in Adelaide after travelling The Great Ocean Road and The Grampian "mountains" (or some of them). First stop is Torquay  where 2 of the big surf companies - Rip Curl and Quicksilver- were founded and a beach where surf championships are held. We're lucky with the weather and as we head along the coast stunning view follows stunning view. At Lorne we have lunch and some of the group surf. I do! Sort of...!
The Great Ocean road was a post WWI employment project for ex-servicemen and although it provided much needed employment and good working conditions it was one of the first engineering projects in Australia built using explosives - probably not a good thing for people likely suffering from post-traumatic stress. In more recent years the original stretch of ocean road was extended to give the 100kms that exist today.

Every bend is beautiful, I'm glad I'm not driving as it's windy and the view's too good to miss. We stop at River Kennett to see wild Koalas (one's even awake) and feed King Parrots and Crimson Roselas who happily perch on anyone!
Inland now and to the Otoway National Park (I'm beginning to think that most of Australia is actually a national park) where we take a short walk through a sub-temperate rainforest (thankfully after the Thailand experience leech-free!) This is a stunning place, unlike anything I've seen before. Our guide tells us about the Mountain Ash trees growing here. The tallest tree ever to have been recorded (and cut down) was Moutain Ash of 150m tall. The largest today in Australia are 90m but they grow fast so it's conceivable that in my lifetime that record could be broken. Beautiful tree ferns grow here (I then see them again afterwards in Adelaide city centre- more cultivated and it's another "dimension-shifted" moment of strangeness). The smell is amazing and the afternoon light cuts through the vegetation beautifully.
At Princetown there's time to grab pizza and beer and head down to the beach to see the sunset over one of the Apostles. As night falls a few of us spend hours lying under the stars. They're the best I've ever seen, I've never seen the milky way before, Mars or my own star sign, Scorpio. Our guide shows us the southern cross and I puzzle over Orion who moves more upside down as the night drifts on!