Apolo Bay Victoria

Apollo Bay: Coasting along

Rolling into town after 9 pm my travel companion, Red, and I feared all would be lost when we discovered most restaurants had already seated their last guests. So we were relieved to stumble upon a homely Italian restaurant named Casalingo, just a short stroll off the main strip in Moore Street, which welcomed us with cheery service and comforting fare.

Retiring to our abode for the weekend, The Beach Lounge, right in the heart of town, our weary heads were in for a treat. This three-bedroom property is enormous, easily accommodating six. The real bonus is the balcony; set above the shops of Apollo Bay’s main strip, it affords breathtaking views across the azure seas and rolling green hills.

We awoke early on Saturday morning to discover a makers market had sprung up on the grassy foreshore. Red and I grabbed a strong coffee from the friendly folk at The Bay Leaf Cafe and perused the stalls, chock full of local goodies.

A short drive along to Marengo and we met Mark Kininmonth of Apollo Bay Surf & Kayak. While Red opted to settle in the sand and read, I kitted up in a wetsuit for my kayaking lesson.

After a safety and technique run down which highlighted my basic lack of co-ordination, we headed into the surf. Thankfully Kininmonth is a very patient and encouraging guide, and a font of knowledge about the local area. The real joy out here comes courtesy of the locals – enormous fur seals that love nothing better than frolicking in the ocean and nosily checking out silly city dwellers out of their depth.

We set off on the road again to Johanna Beach’s Bothfeet Lodge. Nestled in dense forest on the edge of the Great Otway National Park, Gavin Ronan and his wife offer a unique approach to hiking. The idea is simple enough: you settle in beautiful, eco-friendly and architecturally impressive lodges, complete with soothing mineral footbaths, then every day you are chauffeured to one of six base points along the Great Ocean Walk.

Apollo Bay, Victoria, Australia : Holiday Goddess, Travel for Less

Apollo Bay is a picturesque seaside town, about three hours from Melbourne along Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road. The town has maintained its local charm and laid back atmosphere, being just far enough away from the city that it’s not inundated by city-dwellers every weekend. The town is known for its high rolling green hills dotted with dairy cows, its sparkling, gentle surf beaches, and the spectacular Otway Ranges rainforest that encircles it.

Here are some of the highlights:

Great Ocean Walk

Apollo Bay is the starting point to the Great Ocean Walk, Victoria’s most popular coastal trail. This 100 kilometre track winds along remote beaches, through passages of melaleucas, and along luscious valleys, where you will be richly rewarded at the end with views over the dramatic Twelve Apostles. A great day hike along this trail is from Aire River to Rainbow Falls, where you’ll find a waterfall splashing over a grotto into the ocean.

For information on the Great Ocean Road drive, walk and other sights along the way, visit: www.greatoceanrd.org.au

Kayak to the seal colony

A marine sanctuary hugs the shores of Apollo Bay making it home to a host of sea creatures. It’s a great adventure to paddle out to the Marengo Seal Sanctuary where you can watch the seals and their pups lounging on the rocks or diving into the water and splashing about in the water around you.

www.apollobaysurfkayak.com.au

Seafood Co-op

To ocean is the centrepiece of Apollo Bay – and not just for its sparkle and its surf. The Seafood Co-op brings you culinary treats, pulled fresh from the sea, with the fat, fleshy lobsters a must-try.

You’ll find the Co-op in the Western end of the main beach at Trafalgar Street. Phone: (03) 5237 6591.

Rainforest Walks

There are beautiful trails through a selection of rainforests.

Closest to town, and most easily accessible is the Maits Rest walk, along a covered board walk beneath the thick canopy temperate forest. You can walk into the archways of giant tree roots, skip past luscious ferns, lichens and moss in this enchanting fairytale forest.

For a perspective from the rainforest canopy: head to the Otway Fly about an hour from Apollo Bay. These sky-high walkways give you a birds-eye view of the forest and the “Zip Lining” wires makes you feel as though you can fly. www.otwayfly.

Victoria

Fishing Guide to Victoria's Coastline

Coasts, an introduction to coastal geomorphology

The Journal of the Department of Agriculture of Victoria

Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria 7th Edition