Hit the really special part of the Great Ocean Road today…… rain blowing wildly in cyclonic winds around the 12 Apostles (I think there are actually less than 12 now as some of them have clearly fallen over – certainly one of the main ones has mostly disappeared since I was last down this way ~ 20 years ago) and the waves crashing against the cliffs, often reaching well above cliff height. The landscape looks pretty desolate around here, with stunted heath and leaning bushes – bit like the blasted heath where Macbeth’s witches hung out. They’d feel right at home around here! Certainly the waves around the cliff bases reminded me of witches cauldrons (“double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble” indeed). 
By the time we reached “the Arch” (approx our 3rd or 4th stop along this part of the coast), it was literally gird up the loins (and the goretex), stagger out at a rapid pace to the sight we were supposed to appreciate, say “wow” (hopefully without teeth chattering too much), and stagger back even more rapidly to the relative warmth of the car. Quite a relief to hit the end of the Great Ocean Road really and head into Warnambool.
Was looking forward to Warnambool. We used to come here when I was a kid to visit dad’s rels and the end of the long car journey was marked by sight of the Fletcher Jones ball – a big silver ball on a bright red tripod set atop the Fletcher Jones factory on the way into town (Fletcher Jones used to specialise in tartans, etc and we had tartan skirts from there when we were kids). Big ball was still there but in a somewhat shabby state – tarnished looking ball and the bright red legs had faded away to almost no colour at all! Apparently the factory closed years ago and hasn’t been maintained the way it used to be.
Stayed overnight in the Surfside Holiday Park. Nice and quiet (set up well away from everyone else in our usual antisocial manner), apart from the odd train that went past ~50m away occasionally! Sort of didn’t notice there was a train track right next door. Great amenities block after Bimbi Park – large shower stalls, all the lighting worked and the hot water (indeed the water generally) was not timed or charged (heaven). Very friendly helpfpul staff as well.
Rained again overnight!