Southern Ocean sculpts Australian Coastline

The Southern Ocean is the southern most waters of the world’s Oceans with deep waters mainly at depths of 4,000 to 5,000 metres.  The Ocean is notorious for having some of the strongest winds and largest waves on the planet. It is also home to the largest current in the world ocean, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

Waves crash into the Southern coastline

  

Australia’s southern coast is at the northern end of the Southern Ocean and the coastline is subjected to high energy waves which constantly batter and shape the area into stunning formations. 

The battering waves create small fissures in the rock and over time cracks form or caves are formed  that extend inland. The land is eroded due to the contant wind, rain and waves and structures like the 12 Apostles, Bay of Islands, the Grotto and Loch Ard Gorge are separated from the mainland.

1.  Wave crashes through a crackline in the coastline

The Grotto

Razorback

Join us for a tour of the Great Ocean Road

Stunning views from Eureka Skydeck

The Eureka Skydeck in Melbourne is a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike. 

View west along the Yarra River

The Skydeck towers 88 floors above Melbourne and provides stunning 360 degree views of the Melbourne skyline and surrounding suburbs. On clear days you can see surrounding mountains.

The Shrine of Remembrance 

Located on St Kilda Road, close to the city the Shrine of Remembrance is the National War Memorial dedicated to all those who served in armed conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

View East along the Yarra River 

This view shows the Art Centre Spire and Melbourne's sporting precinct including the Tennis Centre and MCG.

A closer look at the famous MCG where cricket and football are played

Sidney Myer Music Bowl

The Sidney Myer Music Bowl, located in Kings Domain Gardens, is a venue that hosts music events including Carols by Candlelight and the Melbourne Sympathy Orchestra's free summertime concert series.

Government House

Home to the Governor or Victoria, Government House is located between King's Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens. 

Federation Square

Federation Square is an open space where major cultural and world class events are held. There is also a range of restaurants, bars and stores and a large tourist Information Centre.

Besides the stunning views there is a cafe, sovereign shop and The Edge where you are inside a glass cube that extends out from the 88th floor Skydeck and is suspended 300 metres above the ground. The Edge costs an additional $12 for adults and $8 for children.

Within easy walking distance of the CBD the Skydeck is located at Riverside Quay Southbank. Basically between the Southbank restaurants and Crown Casino.

The attraction is open every day.  Pricing is reasonable with adult tickets starting at $19.50, children $11 and family packages also available.

Come tour Melbourne with Longhorn YOUnique Tours

Close encounters with wildlife at Ballarat Wildlife Park

Set on 15 hectares the Ballarat Wildlife Park is a great place to visit and encounter Australian wildlife.

 With more than 80 kangaroos roaming the park the opportunity for a close encounter is excellent.

The kangaroo is probably one of Australia's most recognised wildlife and is also another marsupial that's popular with tourists.  There are over 60 species of kangaroos and their close relatives which include wallabies, wallaroos, tree-kangaroos and forest wallabies. The larger red kangaroo is found in arid regions and the eastern and western grey Kangaroos are found in great numbers across much of southern part of Australia.

The kangaroos were very friendly and totally unafraid of people as they wandered nearby.

The Park has a number of koalas and an opportunity to have your photo taken with a koala is a popular activity with visitors.  The koala is a tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial with thick fur making it one of the most popular Australian animals with visitors. They eat fibrous Eucalyptus leaves which are low in nutrition so they can sleep for up to 18 hours a day.

There is an interactive koala activity is on daily at 2.00 p.m.

There are a number of exhibits with Tasmanian Devils. These endangered animals (due to facial tumours) are one of our favourites. The Tassie Devil is the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. They have a thick-set, squat build and their markings are unique.

An interactive exhibit with Tasmanian Devils and Spotted Quolls is scheduled each day at 3.30 p.m.

This wombat wandered out of its comfortable burrow so we could capture a great shot.   The wombat is the largest burrowing mammal in Australia. They look cute and cuddly and are very solidly built. The wombat is nocturnal coming out at night to graze. In winter months you can also see them grazing during the day.

There's an interactive wombat display at 2.30 daily. 

The Park also has a reptile house with a range of lizards, snakes and other reptiles on display. An interactive reptile presentation is held at 1.30 each day. 

The Park is open every day except Christmas Day and tickets reasonably priced.

You can book a private tour with Longhorn YOUnqiue Tours to Ballarat which includes the wildlife park. 

Otway Fly Treetop Adventure

Set amongst the beautiful Otways rainforest the Otways Fly Tree Top Adventure  provides a great opportunity to see the rainforest from a different angle.

The walk takes about an hour over its 2 kilometre length and features a thrilling cantilever section where you feel totally above the beautiful forest below. 

Views from the highest point - the 47 metre high tower are also amazing.

You start the walk from the Visitor Centre and Cafe and wander, at your own pace, down hill to the start of the treetop walk. Its then a gradual climb as you wander along the walkway where you'll find interpretive signs that provide interesting information on the range of trees and flora nearby.

A free shuttle service is available making the trip from or to the Visitor Centre easier.

Cost is a very reasonable $25 adults, $15 children, $70 family and $21.50 for seniors.

We include the Tree Top Adventure in our 2 day private tour of the  Great Ocean Road Tour or our 3 day private tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians Tour.

If you have plenty of time and are ready for adventure you can do the Zipline Tour which takes 3.5 hours and includes flying on a series of cable spans from one platform to another.

Coombe Estate - famous for more than just its connection to Dame Nellie Melba!

Coombe which opened in mid 2004 is a new winery located on the Melba Estate at Coldstream in the Yarra Valley. The property was previously home to Australia's greatest opera singer Dame Nellie Melba and has been hidden behind a huge cypress hedge. .  

Cellar door area / tack room

Dame Nellie is known as one of the most famous singers in the world in the early 20th century. Born in 1861 in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, Dame Nellie moved to Paris and became a Prima donna of the opera famous in  Australia, England, Europe and the US. She travelled the world during her career and the small museum/ art gallery at Coombe contains some memorabilia including her Louis Vuitton trunks.

The Estate has been significantly refurbished by Dame Nellie's great grandsons the Honourable Mark Vestey and Lord Samuel Vestey. They've done a fantastic job converting old buildings into modern facilities whilst still retaining a sense of charm and history. The cellar door area was previously the tack room, the gift shop the stables and the restaurant the motor home where Dame Nellie kept her cars including a Rolls Royce.

View into the restaurant

The restaurant uses a range of local produce from the property and features dishes like Peach Melba and  Melba. 

Outside the restaurant / motor home

Restaurant's rear glass conservatory

The Estate has 7 acres of gardens and you can take a garden tour for $25. Tours are conducted at 10 and 2 each day from Monday to Saturday. Morning or afternoon tea with amazing scones, jam and cream is included. Bookings are essential.

The homestead is maintained for family use but the Garden Tours circle the exterior. Information on the garden design is supplemented by stories of Dame Nellie and how she relaxed and entertained friends and dignitaries at the Estate.

Apparently Charlie Chaplin even stayed at the Estate and swam in the pool. The view from the pool to nearby mountains was amazing.

Its certainly worthwhile visiting Coombe to taste the wines, to eat in the restaurant or even just to take a tour of the gardens and enjoy morning/afternoon tea. 

Our 1 day Yarra Valley Tour can be modified to include a visit to Coombe.

You can book a private tour with Longhorn YOUnique Tours to incorporate a visit to this winery. 

Bay of Islands

The Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a narrow strip approx 32 kilometres long and located between Peterborough, at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, and stretches to Warrnambool further west.  

The town of Warrnambool was settled by the Europeans in the 1840s and Port Campbell in the 1870s. With European settlement came the ships that supplied the area and the treacherous coast caused many shipwrecks.

Amongst these the schooner 'Young Australia' in 1877 was driven ashore at Curdies Inlet after receiving damage to its fore-top mast at Cape Nelson during inclement weather. No lives were lost. 

In 1908 the 'Falls of Halladale', a 4 mastered iron barque built in Scotland, was wedged between two reefs at Halladale Point when the captain's judgment was impaired by heavy fog.

The Coastal Park, like nearby Port Campbell National Park, has sheer limestone cliffs and offshore islands. This fascinating coastline developed millions of year's ago when tiny marine animal skeletons built up beneath the sea and formed the soft limestone which was then eroded by the wild seas and winds of the Southern Ocean sculpting the limestone into the shapes we see today. Its a popular area for photography particularly at sunset and far less crowded than the 12 Apostles area.

The wild Southern Ocean also provided a wealth of resources for Kirrae Whurrong people, the traditional owners of the area. Evidence of their habitation of the area over thousands of years such as blackened shells (shell middens), scraping tools and other small artefacts, remain as indicators of a healthy and diverse diet.The Kirrae Whurrong continue to live in this area celebrating their traditional physical and spiritual connections. 

Lookout areas are located at the Bay of Martyrs, the Bay of Islands, Three Mile Beach and Childers Cove.

You can book a 1, 2, 3 or 4  day private tour with Longhorn YOUnique Tours which will include visiting these National Parks 

Eurobodella Regional Botanical Gardens

A short drive from Batemans Bay the Eurobodella Regional Botanical Gardens are a great way to spend a couple of hours. Entry is free and the Gardens are a wonderful combination of natural bushland and manicured gardens. The gardens are set up to allow wheelchair and pram access which makes it a great place for everyone to visit. 

You can enjoy a range of walks from easy to medium with the longest around 2 kilometres. There's a forest walk track which wanders through natural bushland and along the edge of a weir. 

Forest Track

A kangaroo in full flight

The weir

The Aboriginal Heritage Walk was interesting and educational. As an example the black wattle (bidhudhu) signalled  that the blackfish would be biting. Like many ancient cultures they used plants as medicine and food. and from what we've learnt about aboriginal culture and their love and care of country (the land) we think they have always been amazing environmentalists.

Black Wattle

Bird life was amazing: we heard lots and saw a range of the birds they mention are in the gardens. 

Kookaburra

We ended our visit enjoying a coffee at the cafe where this bird paid us a visit.

Potato Point isolated beach, wildlife and much more than the name suggests!

Potato Point is located on the South Coast of New South Wales a 6 kilometre drive from the town of Bodalla which is famous for its cheese. 

Surrounded by the Eurobodalla National Park, Potato Point is a fairly isolated spot mainly populated by wildlife and holiday homes.

Kangaroos grazing on the beach front

There are a number of small beaches were you can enjoy an isolated walk, surf, fish or swim. We stayed at an eco friendly caravan park right on the beach which was solar powered and provided wood so we could light a fire in the fireplaces scattered throughout the park.

Friendly kanagroos grazed on the beach front and in the grasslands, no doubt moving back into the shelter of the National Park in the night.

You can take a long walk along the beach at the front of the caravan park to an inlet overlooking Tuross Head which is much larger as around 2,200 people live. There are fantastic views from this point across to the nearby mountains.

The August days were sunny but it was freezing at night so a fire was welcome!

We were lucky to spy a pod of dolphins frolicking in the ocean near our camp site and kookaburras also came to visit which topped off a short stay in this lovely location.