The second I reached the Great Ocean Road, I was in shock. Stunning cliffs met beautiful waters below, and the road winded along this coastline for hours, almost unaware of civilisation. I stopped by Kennet River, supposedly a Koala hotspot, to catch some of these critters in the wild. Unfortunately after 2 hours of straining my neck looking up the massive gumtrees, I couldn’t find even one. Talking to the other hikers, it seemed others had similar levels of success.
Disappointed, I pulled up to my campsite at Blanket Bay in the Great Otway national park. Before even getting out of my car to explore, I googled “where to find Koalas in Victoria”, to which google told me to try camping in Great Otway national park. Sure enough, a few minutes later I heard a branch snap above the van to find this little fellow having a mid afternoon snack.
Over the coming days I would see 20+ koalas (including a baby holding onto its mother’s head), and learn that this park had the highest density of koalas anywhere in the world.
I spent the next few days mostly just following koalas around, but found the time to mix in a hike or two through the stunning gumtrees to vistas of the camp. The camp only had a few fire pits, so I spent 2 afternoons and nights talking with Alice & Jean, as well as any other travellers who came through. This camp ground was also a stopping point on a popular multi day hike, so we had a fair share of hikers stop by the fire to dry themselves after a few rainy days. Not a bad way to spend thanksgiving!
Following along the Great Ocean Road, I had to make a stop at the iconic 12 Apostles. 10-20 million year old limestone pillars decorate the coastline, towering 200ft over the beaches below. Touristy, crazy busy, but absolutely worth a visit!
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