Yesterday, we experienced rain. And more rain! This morning revealed a sliver of sunlight through the clouds. And strong on-shore winds. Warrnambool lies within the stretch of coast between Cape Otway & Moonlight Head that is known as "the Shipwreck Coast". Guesstimates number the shipwrecks along Victoria's coast at approximately 638, of which only 240 have been discovered. These shipwrecks have been the result of gales & unrelenting seas, human error & in some cases, foul play. Needless to say, numerous lives have been lost as a result of these tragedies. With the advent of sail & steam, Bass Strait opened up the new colony of Australia to cargo & immigrants from Europe & America. Though treacherous, the waters of Bass Strait provided a sometimes safe & viable route to the riches of the goldfields.
Warrnambool has a breakwall that shields Lady Bay from the open sea. Between the years of 1850 & 1905 & well prior to the construction of the breakwall, there were 15 shipwrecks in Lady Bay. Warrnambool was the rural trade centre, with ships travelling between here & the port of Melbourne.
Warrnambool has a maritime museum, laid out in the fashion of a typical coastal village of the late 1800's, dedicated to the history of shipping within the area. The state heritage listed Lady Bay lighthouses, cannons & fortifications erected in the belief of a Russian invasion & numerous maritime artefacts including cargo, documents, fittings, navigational instruments & personal effects recovered from wreckages are all housed here.
The waters of Warrnambool provide a nursery area for calving Southern Right whales. Between the months of June & September, the females migrate from sub-Antarctic waters to the warmer waters off Warrnambool's coastline. The females generally stay in the nursery for many weeks to allow their calves to feed & gather strength for their journey back to the sub-Antarctic waters. Specially constructed platforms allow for viewing of the whales, which can swim within a hundred metres of the shore.
Approximately 14km west of Warrnambool is Tower Hill, a volcanic formation believed to have erupted approximately 30,000 years ago. It's formation is known as a nested maar & it is the largest example of its type in Victoria. During formation, molten lava pushed its way up through the Earth's crust & encountered a layer of water-bearing rock. Violent explosions followed creating a shallow crater which filled with water to form a lake. Subsequent eruptions occurred in the centre of the crater, creating islands & cone shaped hills. It's a truly remarkable natural wonder.
Port Campbell National Park encompasses the stretch of coast between Princetown & Peterborough ( though we travelled in the opposite direction) & offers spectacular scenery. Rugged coastline, sheer cliffs & unique limestone formations carved through the action of unrelenting seas & fierce winds over thousands of years, offers some of the most breathtakingly beautiful natural sites in Australia. Some of the more impressive formations are named & signposted, including the Grotto, the Arch, London Bridge & the Twelve Apostles. Truly magnificent!
Photos: the Grotto
Photos: the Arch
Photo: London Bridge
London Bridge was named for its similarity to the famous London Bridge of British origin. In 1990, the arch closest to the mainland gave way, sending thousands of tonnes of rock crashing into the seas. Back then, visitors must have been able to walk out onto the expanse, as two tourists were stranded on the rock lying offshore!
Photo: Thundercave
Photos: the Twelve Apostles
We finished up our tour of the Great Ocean Road with the sun setting over the Twelve Apostles. Pretty amazing, eh?
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