Saturday, 13 April 2019

Back to Oz ... The Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge

Back on the coach after leaving the Rain Forrest (it's still the 21st February!) we continue our journey west on the Great Ocean Road towards Port Campbell stopping off at the Twelve Apostles ... 
(click on any photo to enlarge)

This part of the Great Ocean Road is called the Shipwreck Coast and hides about 700 wrecks (Screen shot from Google Maps)
The Apostles (someone decided they should be called the twelve apostles for no other reason other than it sounded good) are limestone stacks that over time have been eroded from the surrounding cliffs forming wonderful structures and arches both above and below the Bass Strait which joins the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean
This is where Julia Bradbury was standing in her tour of the Grand Ocean Road (series 1/episode 8) a few nights ago ... and we've been there!


In the distance we can see Castle Rock ...
 which is a 230' limestone stack which over millions of years has been sculptured by nature to resemble a medieval castle turret.
The number of apostles change of course over time due to the sea and wind and rain; some are eroded and disappear and others are created from the cliffs  
Locally known as mythical creatures Gog and Magog
Welsh legend says that Gogmagog appeared on what is now known as Dinas Bran (which overlooks Llangollen) way back in William Conqueror's time.  For more of these legends/folklore click here

Limestone stacks eroded/sculptured by the weather continue to create and change Gog and Magog


Is that tide below on Gibson's Beach coming in ... or going out?

We spent about 45 minutes viewing the apostles and then it was back on the coach for just a few minutes to ...
Screen shot from Google Maps
Looking down onto the Gorge
Starting the walk down the many steps to the golden sandy beach and the caves
now about halfway down

Loch Ard Gorge has been the official location site for films too ...
'The Pirate Movie' in 1982 and in 1999 the TV mini-series 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'
Wonderful caves

Wow!



Watch this space as we continue our walk along the Shipwreck Coast

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