What a stretch

JUST when we thought they were not going to show up, we heard a scrambling noise on our balcony. There, as promised, was the first of our guests for the evening - a possum.

The curious red-eyed female headed straight to the well ripe banana we had been given on our arrival to tempt the furry creature. She was so tame that my wife, Jenny, was able to feed the little rascal by hand.

Within minutes, a juvenile diner joined the party. He had to wait patiently for his turn to feast on seed that had been put out for the birds who were due to visit in the morning.

And as sure as the sun shines, cockatoos and brightly-coloured galea dropped by to share our breakfast on the balcony of our self-contained attic-style apartment nestled in the rooftops of Irene Morgan's home.

This is bed and breakfast Australian style in the bushland setting of Manor Gums just north of Warrnambool on the Victoria coast.

Behind us lay a magical journey along the spectacular Great Ocean Road, which stretches about 300k along the coastline from Melbourne, while ahead lay the imposing Grampians National Park to the north.

Manor Gums was a magical spot to reflect - preferably in the outdoor hot spa - on the time we had spent exploring the truly spectacular coastal drive from Melbourne.

Our first surprise had been how little traffic was on the GOR (B100), starting at the area's surf capital Torquay. On our left the huge waves of the Bass Strait were almost hypnotic as we wended our way past Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

But it was Saturday. Why was it so quiet? We found the answer at the small coastal town of Lorne, which was jam-packed for the annual pier to pub swim across Loutit Bay. Around 4,000 swimmers of all ages take the plunge in what seemed to be the equivalent of a landlubbers' fun run.

Motoring is straight forward as courteous Australians generally stick rigidly to speed limits and there are dozens of viewing points to pull in for another dose of breathtaking coastal scenery.

The first night of our three-day journey was spent at Captain's At The Bay, a peaceful and relaxing contemporary bed and breakfast with the bonus of our own garden courtyard to sit and watch the sun set nursing a glass of best Australian chardonnay.

Apollo Bay has a several decent restaurants and would make a great base for travellers with time on their hands to explore more of the coastline

and the inland forests and parks. But duty called and fortified by a substantial breakfast it was time for a short, stiff walk up to Mariners Lookout which offers panoramic views of the town and bay.

Lynne McRae, who runs Captain's with her husband, Robin, told us we would be in and out of the car on a regular basis as we headed towards Warrnambool.

She was spot on. Seventeen kilometres down the road deep in the Otway National Park, we pulled in at Maits Rest to take a 30-minute walk through a rainforest gully where the only sound in the cool green wilderness came from birdlife.

A quick detour to Cape Otway Lighthouse saw another 'must see' ticked off the list when we spotted a koala bear. The cute grey bundles of fur, although common in the area, are near impossible to see from the road as they wedge themselves in the branches of eucalyptus trees for a lengthy nap.

We just happened to stumble across a motorist who had seen one and it was not long before quite a crowd of koala-spotters gathered on the road side.

As we rejoined the GOR, the spectacular-ometer peaked as crashing seas pounded the magnificent limestone cliffs yet it is still possible to reach a

fabulous beach at Gibson Steps where the power of the waves can be really appreciated.

The big draw on this stretch is the Twelve Apostles, huge rock stacks that are a marvel of nature. You can't see all of them from land but helicopter firms were doing a roaring trade whisking tourists high above the dramatic dozen.

Just a few minutes further on is Loch Ard Gorge, where arches and blowholes, sculpted by wind and the ocean provide more dramatic sights.

At this rate we were going to run out of film so it was probably a good job that it was not the season for watching Southern Right Whales, who give birth to their youngsters near Warrnambool.

After being spoilt on the scenic front it came as a shock to discover the two and a half hour drive up to the Grampians was pretty uneventful. But the Grampians, named by homesick Scottish settlers, is a massive National Park containing Aboriginal rock art, dozens of scenic drives and walks amidst its 167,000 hectares.

To fit such surroundings, it was appropriate that we should stay in a log cabin at D'Alton's Resort in Hall's Gap, a picturesque town which is the hub of the National Park.

Once again we found wildlife on our doorstep. A group of around 30 kangaroos came to graze in the evening before bounding off en masse past the site's swimming pool and tennis court.

Drought conditions had left many lakes in the Grampians virtually dry, but Wartook Lake carries plenty of water all year round so McKenzie Falls is always spectacular.

The Grampians has many remarkable viewing platforms, none better than Boroka Lookout above Hall's Gap and Reid's Lookout, home of the Balconies rock formation, where you gaze out on acre upon acre of tree tops clustered together like a giant broccoli.

It truly is a feast.

Martin and Jenny Jarred stayed courtesy of Victoria Tourism at:

Captains At The Bay

21 Pascoe Street

Apollo Bay

Victoria 3233

Tel: 03 5237 6771

Fax: 03 5237 7337

Manor House Gums

Shady's Lane

Mailors Flat

Warrnambool

Victoria 3275

Tel: 03 5565 4410

Fax: 03 5565 4409

D'Alton's Resort

Glen Street

Halls Gap

Victoria 3381

Tel: 61 3 5356 4666

Fax: 61 3 5356 4611

Updated: 08:41 Saturday, August 16, 2003