Great Ocean Road, Great Rainforest!Jan 07 '04 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line One of the most beautiful places in Victoria, with a lovely coastal town close by, it is one of the must-visits in the state. Some of my favourite travelling members from when I was younger included the sparkling vistas of the Great Ocean Road, and taking in the stunningly green, verdant rainforests of the Otway Ranges. As I grew up, I never really had much of a chance to take these in, but now that I have my own car and my own money, I decided one day to take advantage and revisit some of the most beautiful landscape that you could hope to see. That some of it is hidden or disfigured by the destructive nature of humanity is a stark lesson that often, beauty is fleeting. Angahook-Lorne State Park was where I spent most of the time on this little sojourn, and little indeed it was, since I had to get home for work only a day after I left! And while there is no category for this place, I am going to concentrate on it – not least of all because Otway National Park and State Forest is more than deserving of its own review. This park is a fairly extensive strip of protected rainforest hugging the shores of Bass Straight, and the slopes of the Otway Ranges bearing down upon the sea in droves. The focal point of this area is the seaside town of Lorne, where equal numbers of holidaymakers are drawn by the laidback beachside atmosphere as they are by the gorgeous hinterland scenery. There is an enormous array of walking tracks around here, most famously the short, steep track to the glorious Erskine Falls, which while not being especially tall at a little over 120 feet, makes up for that in delicacy and sheer beauty. Most of the walks start at or around the Great Ocean Road, and there are several carparks scattered along the folds and bends of the road where trails lead to many attractions. Most of the walks follow the plethora of small rivers and creeks which run down from the moist rainforests through the natural indentations of the precipitous ranges, and the main attraction is the large array of waterfalls and cascades that are concentrated here. Most of them are well worth the walk – though in general they tend to be small and delicate rather than grandiose, they make up for that in simple loveliness. The route there is one of the most striking coastal routes you’ll find, and even then, it doesn’t approach the grandeur of the Great Ocean Road further down, past Cape Otway. The road twists and turns from Torquay onwards to Lorne, with about 30 miles between these main towns, and several other tourist towns in between. The road clings to the edge of the cliffs and can make for quite an interesting drive, so you have to be very careful. Things are much better than they were, but you’ll still find cars sometimes take a dive off the road. If you’re a passenger, though, it’s truly spectacular, with the surf pounding onto the rocks below, and plenty of great, sandy beaches, often replete with surfers. You’ll not find much for you in the state park if you’re not one for nature – there is a lot of distance covered by walking trails, but not a whole lot in the way of facilities except for what is in Lorne, which has pretty much everything you’d need. Once you’re out of town, though, it’s just you and the forest, and perhaps a few other lucky souls looking for some relaxation and contemplation. The temperate rainforests of Victoria are quite glorious, and more widespread than you might think, though the state is in general quite green. There are many along the coast, particularly in the east, and also in large tracts in the Great Dividing Range. And since they’re often deserted, or certainly bereft of many people, they’re great places to escape to, as I’ve had the privilege to often in the closer areas to me in the Yarra Ranges, which I’ve written about ponderously already. If you’re ever doing a tour of Victoria, or are even in Melbourne, I certainly can’t recommend highly enough a visit to the Yarra Ranges. And if you’re down here and don’t do the Great Ocean Range, then you’re really not doing it properly! If you like a bit of a hike and aren’t too fussed about climbing some hills, then you’ll find more than enough to keep yourself occupied around here. You could easily fill in a week or more with walking around the various river hikes and coastal walks, and that’s if you’re pushing yourself fairly hard! There are a few walks which aren’t really marked on the tourist brochures, especially at Wye River and also Cumberland River, where a bit of experience and tenacity is required to negotiate the rivers, since the track is either not well defined, or simply not there. I didn’t have enough time for either of these, but I’ve heard enough descriptions to know that you’ll need to bring some waterproof shoes. And a bloody camera, of course! Of the sights that I saw in this area, I have to list my favourites. Since I can't link to them directly from here, I've included photos of each of these places on my Profile page, in case you were curious! Sheoak Falls is barely ten minutes’ walk from the carpark, and this delicate 50-foot drop, surrounded by a rather large natural amphitheatre, is a delight. An American visitor who arrived at much the same time as I did was quite effusive in his praise, and might well he! The 2 mile walk through the rainforest, much of which follows the Sheoak River, is spectacularly lush, and the views of the small river when you cross over the bridges, fringed by waves of ferns, is brilliant. Henderson Falls, situated in a very dark and damp little gorge, is normally much wetter than it was for me, but the slim tendrils of water cascading down the oddly-corrugated rock face is very pretty, especially hidden as it is amongst the throng of enormous ferns. Another arresting sight indeed is the bulk of Castle Rock abutting against the Cumberland River as it nears its estuary. I would’ve loved to explore further up the river, but alas didn’t have enough bloody time. And finally, the interesting experience of being able to get finally behind and under the petite veil of Lower Kalimna Falls. It only drops about 30 feet, but the massive cave that has been hollowed out over time behind it allows you to get a good 15 feet behind the falls, and is a great view through the water and into the greenery surrounding the river. The Angahook-Lorne State Park, and indeed all of the area on and around the Great Ocean Road, is a place of great beauty and often, serenity. I can’t recommend highly enough a visit to this area – the beautiful forest and the relaxing sounds of flowing, falling water will stay with you long after you’ve left.  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
