Penguins at sunset?
No trip to the Great Ocean Road would be complete without seeing the Twelve Apostles, the majestic limestone rock formations that rise out of the Southern Ocean. It’s undoubtedly the highlight of the 160-mile drive, which is blessed with breathtaking views at every turn. The best time to see the Twelve Apostles is at dusk, when the light makes them even more dramatic, and if you’re lucky, just after sunset you might even spot little penguins running up the beach to their nests in the caves below.
A popular place to stay is Port Campbell, a quiet seaside village a 10-minute drive away which has a small sandy sheltered beach, a handful of restaurants and cafes and dozens of accommodation options, from hostels and motels to hotels.
Claiming to be the "only four-star motor inn" (and I have no reason to doubt it), is the Best Western Great Ocean Road Motor Inn, a one-storey property with a mixture of one and two-bedroom units and executive spa suits.
It’s at the top end of the town, but still only a five-minute walk to the sea. We spotted the Best Western signage straight away but accidentally drove into the car park of the property next door, to be met by a pretty hostile welcome at reception. Apparently a lot of guests make the same mistake.
Greg, on reception at the Great Ocean Road Motor Inn, was much more friendly and after filling in a form we were given our room key, some fresh milk (for our tea) and details about the optional continental breakfast.
Our twin cabin (Queen and single) was number 8, in the middle of a row of five identical cabins sharing a long deck and each with a little chair and tables outside and plant pots of pretty flowers. I felt like I was in North America.
Inside was spacious and bright, thanks to the chalet-stye pitched timber ceilings and windows all along one side. In one corner was the door to a large bathroom with a shower, hair dryer and eco-friendly toiletries. Just off the main bedroom was a cosy kitchen with a round dining table, fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle and crockery and cutlery. The fridge was full of beers and chocolates (prices on a list), plus complimentary tea, coffees and biscuits.
The wi-fi was complimentary too, and speedy compared to some of the other more expensive hotels we’d stayed at.
We dumped our things, had a quick shower, and headed into town. On Greg’s advice we went to the 12 Rocks, a large restaurant and bar on the seafront with a mix of backpackers, coach trippers, couples and families. We bother ordered the seafood quesadilla (AU$23), which was delicious and packed with prawns and scallops, but the portions were so big we wished we’d just ordered one to share. On the way back, we stopped at the general stores to buy yoghurt and bread and butter for the morning.
We watched a bit of the Winter Olympics on the enormous flat screen TV before going to bed and having a peaceful night’s sleep. The following night, we tried out the local pizzeria, Nico’s, before heading back on more time to the Twelve Apostles for sun set, but sadly we didn’t spot the penguins. Next time…
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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