Episode 29: Great Ocean Road

Lorne
If you're looking for French Bed and Breakfast experience Lornes, then La Perouse is a place to go. The property offers four suites in the main house or a separate cottage for complete privacy. Some of the rooms, which have period features, look out to the ocean. Imported French toiletries add a nice touch and theres also a café to stop enjoy a coffee. For another European experience head downtown and visit the hip and happening Spanish influenced restaurant Ba Ba Lu Bar where Suzie cooks up fabulous looking paella with restaurant owner Sasha. Ba Ba Lu Bar is open 7 days a week all year round for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a Paella and live music night on Sundays.

Ba Ba Lu BAR
6a Mountjoy Pde, Lorne
Ph: 03 5289 1808
www.babalubar.com.au

La Perouse B & B
26A William St, Lorne
Ph: 0418 534 422
www.laperouselorne.com.au

Great Ocean Walk
The Great Ocean Rd has long been one of Australia's top attractions but you dont need a car to admire it you can always enjoy it by foot. The road itself is rightly known as one of Australias great drives, but now you can step back and enjoy it all at a rather more sedate pace on the Great Ocean Walk. Theres plenty of tracks to keep you busy, 91 kms in fact, hugging the rugged coastline from Apollo Bay to the iconic Twelve Apostles and most of the walk is within National Parks so there is amazing untouched beauty everywhere. Doing the walk is free and you can stroll as much or as little as you want. If you wish to indulge a little further and like the thought of someone serving you gourmet food as you walk, then thats easily fixed. Epicurious combine gourmet food with a 4 day walking tour along this famous strip. They treat their hikers to the best produce and wine in the region. The bonus is after indulging in all that fine food, you get to walk it off while enjoying that spectacular coast and forest scenery.

Epicurious Travel
Ph: 03 9376 1033
www.epicurioustravel.com.au

Aireys Inlet
Renting a beach house is becoming more and more popular. It gives you space, more privacy and you get to pretend the house youre staying is all yours. The Cliffs Edge, as the name suggests, sits on a cliff overlooking the long stretch of beach from Aireyss inlet to Lorne in Fairhaven. Its all open plan, sleeping up to eight people with three big bedrooms and three bathrooms. When youre looking for something to do you cant miss the biggest landmark around, which is affectionately known to the locals as The White Queen. The 34 meter tower, Split Point Lighthouse, was built in 1891 and has recently started opening for tours. Its quite a climb to the top but the birds eye view of one of the most amazing coastlines in the country. After scaling those heights you might be feeling a little hungry so the old Aussie favorite of fishnchips from Aireys Inlet Fish n Chips will do the trick.

The Cliffs Edge
Great Ocean Road Real Estate Holidays
28-30 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet
Ph: 03 5220 0200
www.greatoceanroadrealestate.com.au

Split Point Lighthouse Tours
Free Call 1800 174 045
www.ecologic.net.au

Aireys Inlet Fish & Chips
79 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet
Ph: 03 5289 7184

Apollo Bay
It does'nt matter if it's boiling hot or freezing cold. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. The Ice Cream Tub in Apollo Bay is chock full of flavours that go way beyond Neapolitan, and everything is hand made on the premises. Ice cream always goes hand in hand with a walk along the beach, and at Apollo Bay theres a lot more to see than sand and sea. Apollo Bays Creative Village is a permanent exhibition of local artists work. Some of the sculptures are functional, some are abstract, and others take their inspiration from the neighboring environment. But if you want to really experience that environment youve got to fly. The Otway Fly is a tree top walk that lets you experience life within the canopy of the beautiful forest, 25 meters above the forest floor. Its the highest and longest walk of its kind in the world, and you can cover the whole thing in about an hour. Set on 85 hectares of land buried deep in the heart of the Otways The Flys lookout stands an exhilarating 45 meters above the ground offering thrill seekers a spectacular view. And if youre a bona fide dare devil, you can even abseil down.

The Ice Cream Tub
89 Great Ocean Rd, Apollo Bay
Ph: 03 5237 6430

The Otway Fly
360 Phillips Track Beech Forest, Weeaproniah
Ph: 1800 300 477
www.otwayfly.com.au

# 2 for 1 Adults offer 6th Sept only. Mention "Postcards"

Port Fairy
The whole reason the town of Port Fairy exists is because a guy name Captain James Wishart accidently discovered the place in the 1820's. The whaling and sealing was so good here he decided they should set up permanent residency. Youll find some beautiful old buildings in this seaside village as well as modern beach houses like Sea-Lit, which sits right on the beach just out of town. Theres enough room for up to 10 guests to sleep in comfort with 2 two rooms for the kids and three double rooms for the grown ups. If you feel like covering Port Fairy on foot then Griffiths Island is the perfect place for a lazy walk with the locals. From September through to April Griffiths Island is home to thousands of mutton birds that go there to give birth to their young. If the walk leaves you feeling inspired then head to the Old Market Inn Art Studio where you can brush up on your painting skills. Renowned artist Kathryn Weatherly runs classed for kids and adults, so if youve never picked up a paintbrush this is a great place to start.

Sea-Lit
60 Ocean Drive, Port Fairy
Ph: 03 5568 3150
www.portfairyaccomm.com.au

Old Market Inn Art Studio
51 William St, Port Fairy
Ph: 03 5568 2392
www.kathrynweatherly.com

For more information on Griffins Island visit
www.port-fairy.com

What's On

Kitchen Garden Week - Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation
Bids are now open until 16 September or tables at over 40 of Melbourne and Victorias top restaurants as part as a fundraiser for Kitchen Garden Week.
When: Bidding open until 16 September
More: Ph 8415 1993 or visit www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

Asian Food Festival Melbourne dining comes alive with hot and spicy, sweet and sour and all those Asian flavours in between at Melbourne's month-long Asian Food Festival.
Where: Various Venues
When: Throughout September
More: Visit www.asianfoodfestival.com.au

Timbercorp Tour If youre anywhere along the Murray this week make sure you cheer on riders of the Timbercorp Tour road cycling classic.
Where: Murray River
When: 31 August - 7 September
More: Visit www.caribou.net.au