Great Ocean Road
Australia – Victoria | Anno 2024
Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill Nature Reserve is located in an extinct volcanic crater. The crater, with its wetlands and bushlands, offers a diverse habitat for countless animal species
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An overgrown lava flow is a reminder of the site's volcanic past
The Australasian swamphen thrives in wet lowland areas. They live in flocks of three to nine individuals, with all males mating with all females. All eggs are laid in a single nest, and the females provide joint parental care. However, differences in size and colour make the eggs individually identifiable
A fantail shows its spread tail feathers
The emu is endemic to Australia. After the ostrich, it's the largest bird in the world. It can't fly, but it can walk – up to 48 km/h. It's omnivorous, but it can easily survive for weeks without food
A fluffy ball high in a eucalyptus tree – that must be a koala |
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Koalas feed exclusively on leaves, a diet that is low in nutrients and calories. In this male, the scent gland on his chest is clearly visible. |
Their low-energy diet limits their activity. Typically, a koala sleeps up to twenty hours a day |
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Koalas rarely leave their trees. They spend only about ten minutes a day on the ground |
Mother koala and her cub sleep together high in a tree. The mother has brown fur, the cub on her back has dark grey fur
Mother koala climbs down with her cub to find another tree
Mother koala
Baby koala
Great Ocean Road
Beach near Warrnambool. The Great Ocean Road runs 243 km from Warrnambool to Torquay along Victoria's south coast. The spectacular limestone and sandstone rock formations are a particularly popular destination.
The Grotto
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Port Campbell National Park owes its fame to the steep limestone and sandstone cliffs exposed to the harsh weather conditions of the Southern Ocean
Sea bananas are a juicy, slightly spicy sea vegetable with large violet flowers that resemble daisies
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London Bridge
In 1990, the main arch of London Bridge collapsed (left). The smaller arch (right) undoubtedly will suffer the same fate
Loch Ard Gorge
The Razorback is a unique limestone and sandstone formation that juts out into the sea as sharp as a knife – hence its name. Day after day, year after year, the surf pounds its base every fourteen seconds. The vertical crack in the centre of the photo leaves little doubt—in the long run, this rock formation doesn't stand a chance against the waves
This stretch of coast is known as the Shipwreck Coast. To reach the dreaded Bass Strait between Australia and Tasmania, ships must navigate the turbulent waters between Otway and King Island. This was a tricky business, often with fatal consequences
The Loch Ard was one of them. On June 1, 1878, the ship ran aground here. Only two of the 54 people on board survived the disaster – Thomas Pearce and Eva Carmichael, both 19 years old. Since then, it has been called the Loch Ard Gorge
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The cushion bush, with its silvery-grey, felty stems, is a typical coastal resident. It effortlessly withstands harsh winds and salty air. It even thrives in alkaline sandstone soil. |
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Cushion bush (front), curry plant (back) |
The singing honeyeater is endemic to Australia. Its distinctive feature is its black eye stripe that ends in a small yellow spot
The bunnytail originates from the Mediterranean and was brought over by colonists |
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The curry plant owes its name to its strong scent. The plant is also native to the Mediterranean region. It blooms with sulphur-yellow flowers |
The Island Archway arch collapsed in June 2009. The detached rock pillars are now named after the two survivors of the Loch Ard shipwreck – Tom and Eva
Twelve Apostles
The tiger snake is a large, potentially deadly venomous snake. It is recognisable by its yellow and black bands. Unlike most reptiles, it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to 20 to 30 live young
The Twelve Apostles are perhaps Victoria's most iconic image. The erosion of the limestone cliffs began 10 to 20 million years ago, when the stormy Southern Ocean and strong winds gradually washed away the softer limestone, creating caves in the cliffs
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These caves eventually transformed into arches. When these collapsed, rock piles as high as 45 meters remained, isolated from the coast. During the 20th century, they were given the name Twelve Apostles for tourist reasons, although there have never been more than nine rock formations
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Cushion bush |
Silver gulls
Barham Paradise
Barham Paradise |
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Koala in action, ten meters above the ground floor |
Jaak Palmans
© 2025 | Versie 2025-08-20 14:00