Day One - Apollo Bay to Shelly Beach

9.6 Km

  

Early start. Walked the few hundred metres to meet tour group at the National Gallery of Victoria at about 0710. There was 9 of us being collected from here. The bus arrived on time at 0715 and we were on our way to Anglesea at 0730.

   

Arrived in Anglesea at 0900 and met the other 5 walkers. True to form the weather changed and it started to drizzle. Coffee from the General Store and group intros at the information centre before heading off just before 1000 to Apollo Bay.

  

Quick photo stop at the memorial arch. Arrived in Apollo Bay at 1130. Photos taken, bought a map booklet and more drizzle with a cold wind. Headed off again at 1200.

  

Memorial Arch

  

Start of Great Ocean Walk
   

After a quick briefing on today's walk and collecting our lunch we started the walk at 1230. A short walk through a caravan park and then we were alongside the coast. Just our luck about 30 minutes into the walk it started to hail, small hail but it was wind driven and had a good sting to it. 10 minutes later the weather was fine but it changed about every 20 minutes. We stopped for lunch on a beach at the 2.5Km mark (there was a number of beach walks today). 

 

  

Heading uphill after lunch we had a close encounter with a koala in a ti-tree alongside the track. The track wound it's way up through an area of tree ferns and a lot of native scrub. There were quite a few steps but they were at a good spacing and fairly easy to use. 

  

Lunch stop on the beach
  

Lee the Guide hamming it up

 

The days walk ended at a car park at the top of the hill at about 1440.  The bus was waiting for us with tea, coffee, drinks and nibbles (very nice to see the bus).

 

We were driven to our accommodation at Bimbi Park and we were settled into our cabin by 1600. The cabin is quite roomy with kitchenette and ensuite. 

  

We had time in hand before dinner so prepped for tomorrow and settled into the accommodation (we are here for 3 nights). It hailed again this time good sized stones and it looked like snow.