Great Ocean Road - a photographic essay

[gary]

In April last year, Mai and I flew to Melbourne, picked up a car and drove along the
stunning Great Ocean Road.

In the following series of posts in this thread, I hope you enjoy some of the
photographs taken on that trip.

As we drove south-west in the direction of Apollo Bay, we pulled-over
and watched dramatic storms cells move across the ocean.

Best Regards

Gary

[gary]

At Apollo Bay, we detoured into the beautiful Otway Ranges,
taking winding fire trails and logging roads that took us through diverse
vegetation - through groves of tree ferns and rainforest,
through beech forest and magnificent stands of eucalyptus.

We walked to several scenic waterfalls before returning to Apollo Bay.

The following day, we drove to Cape Otway through the Great Otway National Park.

[gary]

The Twelve Apostles are an Australian scenic icon and the brooding
clouds and choppy seas only helped heighten the sense of the elements
at work, continually eroding the landscape.

[gary]

The Twelve Apostles are part of the Port Campbell National Park
and one's journey is continually punctuated by scenic points
of interest.

[gary]

Near the town of Peterborough, there are several spectacular scenic
spots in the Bay of Islands Coastal Park, including the Bay of Martyrs.

[Octane]

Gary,

Wow! Just wow!

Easily some of the best photographs ever posted in here.

Just magic!

Regards,
Humayun

[astroron]

Great shots Gary,:thumbsup: I have the same photo's taken from the same positions on the Great Ocean Road in 2006 when I drove back from Perth:)

[gary]

Heading west, near the locality of Nirranda, we made our way down
roads through farm land back to the coast, to view the spectacular
sunset over the Great Australian Bight.

Thank you for looking and I hope you enjoyed the journey! :hi:

[gary]

Thanks Humuyan and Ron!

Great to see some night owls are up with me. :)



Humayun, I greatly admire your work so your words are most kind and mean
a lot to me. Thank you.



Thanks Ron! Between Uluru and the Twelve Apostles, imagine how many
shots have been taken of them! :) However, when one arrives iconic
places such as these, it gives you that satisfying feeling that you know
exactly where you are in the world. :)

Best Regards

Gary

[astroron]

Gary, Did you and Mia have you picture taken down in the Grotto.
This was taken by a couple of English Tourist for me.
very low resolution :D

[Octane]

Gary,



I'm a noob!

Even more wonderful photos there. Lovely tonemapping. Are these single-image tonemaps or multiples? I find it hard to tell with the water looking natural.

Regards,
Humayun

[iceman]

Wonderful images, Gary. Brings memories flooding back of when my family and I did the trip in 2005.

I still have pictures on the wall from some of those beautiful landmarks.

[Dennis]

Hi Gary

Wow – that is a magnificent portfolio of photos Gary; you have recorded some stunning scenery with absolutely gorgeous lighting, making them pop out of the screen.

Every one is a winner – top stuff!:thumbsup:

Cheers

Dennis

[AdrianF]

Some great photo Gary. That is one road I would like to travel on.

Adrian

[h0ughy]

lovely images Gary

[Quark]

Hi Garry,
What a wonderful collection of images. Great to look back on and reminisce. Thanks so much for sharing.
Beautifully framed and you have obviously made the most of the natural light levels.

What camera and lens did you use?

Regards
Trevor

[firstlight]

Great images Gary. I have travelled that road a few times but I have never been lucky enough to have such good lighting. Well composed and balanced.

Tony

[astro_south]

Super stuff Gary

Never been there myself, but certainly on my list of places to visit - just for the type of photos you have captured.

[gary]

Hi Ron! I know that spot! But we didn't get a picture of ourselves standing there! :)



Hi Humayun! Thanks again. Multiple raws +2 0 -2.



Thanks Mike! Great place to take the family for a holiday, isn't it?



Hi Dennis! Thank you very much. I admire your photographs enormously, so
that means a lot!



Thanks Adrian! Man, if you get the chance, you got to get down there and do it.
The drive itself along the Great Ocean Road is pure pleasure and they give you
places to pull over every few hundred meters.



Thanks David! If you are looking through the camera, keep clicking, If they are pointing
one at ya, keep smiling. :D



Thanks Trevor. The camera is a Canon 400D with the standard kit EF-S 18-55mm lens
and the EF 75-300mm for the occasional zoom.



Thanks Tony! You have been lucky to have been there more than once!
Do I sense another visit on the horizon? ;)



Thanks Andrew,

The photos don't do it justice. We're lucky to have such wonderful scenery
here in Australia. Hope you can make the time to get down there soon.
And don't forget to pack the camera as there is an enormous amount of great
stuff to click at and the changing weather and light means that you can
photograph the same piece of scenery twice and it is unlikely to look exactly the
same.

[firstlight]

Definately will do the "Road" again, but now that our third child is due in about 6 weeks, it may be some time before we do :sadeyes:.

[gary]

Hi Tony,

That's great news!!! Congratulations!

Any more and you will have to start thinking 'people mover' on the next trip :thumbsup:

[hector]

Gary
OMG!!!
They are fantastic images Gary.
Everyones comments have gotten there before me but Iwill say that i now want to drive the Great Ocean Road.
Andrew

[StephenM]

That's a brilliant set of images gary! Very well done!

Cheers,
Stephen

[firstlight]

Ahead of you there, we bought a Honda Odyssey 6 seater (a generation 2 so not a 2001 :lol:) and put it to the test last year at the Astrofest, although this year we will have 3 kids (not counting me) to cart up there.

[gary]

Thanks Andrew!

Take Mim down there for a break. She will love it!

There is more scenery than you can poke a memory stick at.

And did I mention there were quite a few waterfalls? ;)

Plus comfortable accommodation, cafes, bakeries, restaurants and grocery
stores at discrete points along the way when you need to punctuate
the journey for a rest.

Gary


Thanks Stephem! Really appreciated!



Hi Tony,

Ahh. Well done! You are ahead of the game! :lol:
Congratulations once again!