We are now in Apollo Bay after coming west from Lorne and stopping in at Kennett River. Why stop at Kennett River? To see the Koalas of course as well as a few birds. One also see tourists, particularly a lot from the near north. They love Koalas. Kafe Koala at Kennett River could do well to set up a ‘Big Koala’ beside the road to help trade.

Along the road to Apollo Bay.

At Kennett River too!

More quiet time please!

There is a gravel road and a strip of trees near the Kafe that are the happy hunting ground for Koalas and of course those who want to see koalas in the ‘wild’. Apart from seeing some on Stradbroke Island in Moreton Bay we have not seen them in the wild. So it was an experience to see them high in the trees here at Kennett River.

Sleepy time

At Kennett River

Some exercise.

The road west to Apollo Bay follows the same formula, some pretty spectacular coast line. The sea continues to be quite calm and the weather fine. It would be good to see this in wild weather, quite a contrast I’m sure.

Marengo Caravan Park

We have booked into the Marengo Caravan Park about 3 km west of Apollo Bay, the Park overlooks the beach and has some great views of the surf. ‘Marengo’ is a ‘left over’ from the French naming places along Australia’s southern coastline (and Tasmania).  Marengo was an Italian town where Napoleon defeated Austrian forces in June 1800 and drove them out of Italy. The French explorer Nicolas Baudin, who explored the Australian southern coastline at the same time as Flinders, appears to have named the area ‘Marengo’, after the famous battle.

We are here for 3 nights, Cape Otway being our major interest in these parts. Apart from fish ‘n chips at the local Fisherman’s Co-op.