Point Lonsdale

Today we're visiting Point Lonsdale which is on the west side of the entrance into Port Philip Bay. This entrance with its shallow shoals, swirling water and rip is known as one most dangerous entrances in the world. 

Point Lonsdale lighthouse is manned 24/7

Looking west towards the Great Ocean Road which we drove yesterday

Wind and waves have eroded the rocks into interesting shapes

Beautiful patterns in the rocks

Playing Chicken with the sea

The Twelve Apostles and London Bridge

Some of the Twelve Apostles

More Apostles - the shy one's

The Razor's Edge - shaped by the wind and ocean

The Arch

London Bridge - the arch to the left had fallen down!

Sign of the Day

We like Australia - don't mince your words.... say it the way it is!

Our first Rain Forest

The Great Ocean Road goes inland after Apollo Bay and we came across a rain forest.
 

A very nicely laid out walking trail with paths, bridges and walkways through the forest.

Very tall tree's reaching above the canopy for light

Studying something.....

The boardwalk disappearing deep into the forest. The sign at the entrance said don't worry if it's raining, you can still walk around - after all it's rain that makes the rain forest! 

Big ferns overhead and trickling streams underfoot.

The Great Ocean Road

After a long hard week of work (yes really), today we're driving along the Great Ocean Road from Torquay to Port Campbell


This view reminded us of the Lizard in Cornwall

The Southern Ocean - there's nothing between here and the Antarctic.

Surf's up

Miles of sandy beaches

Our sturdy steed - lazy driving with an automatic!
Just remember to keep your left foot of the clutch pedal :-)

Torquay

Two weeks after leaving we're back in Torquay.... well sort of - this one's in Victoria, Australia!

The National Gallery, Melbourne

Two days after her first solo excursion into Melbourne Em returned on Friday and managed to find the National Gallery.

The Neon "life-size" animals outside the gallery were trying to hide the entrance!

Fabulous architecture

An alterpiece from Antwerp, Belgium

Em's Day in Melbourne

 On Wednesday Em went into Melbourne to see the National Gallery, however as it was a lovely sunny day she got distracted and went for a walk around instead.

Lygon Street - Em was a "lady what lunched"

Em stumbled upon a free exhibition of Australian children's illustrators in the Public Library.

Feeling a bit woof!

Inside St Paul's Cathedral

Melbourne's rather grand train station. 

Werribee Open Zoo - Big Cats

Oh dear - better be careful

We needn't have worried - the lioness was sleeping.

Unlike the meercats who were very nosy.

Nice kitty.

Oi - hows about some food?

Werribee Open Zoo - Hippo

When we were on the Safari Bus - the Hippo were shy....

...so we headed into the African Walking Trail - is that a log in the water?

Better hurry across the bridge!

Ooops too late!

Any more food going?

Werribee Open Zoo - Volcanic Planes Walk

The Volcanic Planes Walk shows the native Australian flora and fauna.

 
Our first sight of a kangaroo - I guess there'll be a few more to come!

Emu was very interested in the Poms.

Shake hands....

Werribee Open Zoo - African Safari

Today we're visiting Werribee Open Zoo which is to the west of Melbourne. The first thing we did was to board a bus for the African Safari tour.

 
We passed the Bored looking Bison.....

...drove past the Running (well walking actually) Rhino....

...Zoomed in on the Zebra....

....checked out the Cool Camel....

...and gaped at the Gigantic Giraffe.

St Kilda

After a day in Melbourne we returned to St Kilda to see the penguins arrive at sunset

Sunset and no sign of Pingu

As it got dark we noticed one or two penguins had returned to the breakwater. Em tried to take some more pics but the camera wouldn't work as it was dark so she selected "night mode" which for some reason turned on the flash - this poor little chap wasn't impressed!