Romantic Holiday Accommodation For Couples Great Ocean Road Victoria

GEELONG OTWAY TOURISM NOVEMBER 2008 UPDATE

GENERAL INFORMATION
· Spring Harvest Picnic at Werribee Park - Once again in 2008 Geelong Otway Tourism will coordinate a regional presence at this event. Opportunities are still available for food and wine producers to participate by taking exhibition space within the regional marquee. Contact Olivia for more information. T: 5244 7105.

· The Enterprize will be visiting Geelong on 31 December and 1 January. One hour sails will depart at 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 4pm. A New Years Eve sail will also operate. For info visit www.enterprize.org.au

· Aire Valley Restaurant is now open 7 days a week. Located just west of Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. Bookings essential, can be made by calling 5237 9223.

· Lamby’s Restaurant & Bar – formerly known as Black Sheep Café, has undergone major rennovations and reopened with a new name and décor. T: 5223 2536 for a booking and experience the changes for yourself.

· Otway Fly –"Otway Ollie" - the Otway Fly's dragon mascot will appear daily over Christmas with giveaways for the kids. Abseiling will also run daily between 27 December - 11 January and on weekends until Australia Day. Visit www.otwayfly.com.au for more info.

HOLIDAYS AND EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER

· Melbourne Cup – Tuesday 4 November.

· Central Geelong Sidewalk Sales – Melbourne Cup Day. See www.centralgeelong.com.au for details.

· Oaks Day At Peppers The Sands - Ladies will enjoy canapés & champagne on arrival followed by main course & dessert. 6 November, 12 noon - 3.30pm. Bookings & enquiries: 5264 3333.

· Ruby Page Jazz Quartet – play last Sunday of every month (excl Dec) at Peppers The Sands Resort. T: 5264 3333.

· “Falls Of Halladale” Centenary Weekend – 14-15 November. Including a community market, B.B.Q, historic display, dinner and fireworks. Contact Rex Mathieson for details: 5566 5245.

· 2 Faces Restaurant – will host a Jacob’s Creek Reserve Wine Dinner on 18 November. T: 5229 4546 to book.

· Seaview Gallery, Queenscliff – Summer Exhibitions @ Seaview Gallery will feature the works of Amanda Hyatt and Paul Margocsy until 11 November. Call 5258 3645 for more information.

Her love for the Otways was unsurpassed

Elsie the Springer Spaniel
Born: 18/11/1996 Died: 14/02/08.No-one loved the Otways more than our old springer spaniel, Elsie. For 11 years her tail wagged...even in her dreams.She loved the freedom and all the smells of the Otways. Together we ran many a bush track, up and down hundreds of wild long grassed hills. But, most of all she loved fishing the reefs between Jan Juc and Bells beach; those lethargic fish caught between tides in large rock pools. Even in her old age she would spring and pounce with ageless energy for hours until she would have to be dragged out before high tide trapped us. To every-one who has had the privilege of having such a wonderful dog in their family, 'A Toast' to one of the best!

Great Ocean road

Self sacrificing effort of Beauty 75th Anniversary.
The Great Ocean Road Divides the Ocean from The Otways. This spectacular road is a credit to the 3000 men that took up picks and shovels to etch sea from forest. It has beened classified by many travel magazines as one of the Top 20 journeys of a lifetime and in the top 10 road trips in the world.

Last year on 26 November, 2007 marked the 75th anniversary of the Great Ocean Road.

To Commemorate this anniversary, Plaques have been installed commencing at Torquay at Spring creek near our Jan Juc Bells Beach Surf Cottage, and follows the Great ocean Road to Lorne and the Cumberland river.

-Howard Hitchcock, president of the Great Ocean road Trust, wrote in the Melbourne Herald, January 3, 1931:
Ever since the first pioneer settlers came to this attractive coast, the only means of reaching it was by bush tracks and, more or less, uneven and rugged roads from the main highway to Warrnambool and Portland, now called the Princess highway.

Perhaps, from the first, people dreamed of a great ocean road which should follow the picturesque coast line, link up the townlets, and make this lovely area more accessible; but if they did it was only a dream which seemed impossible of realisation.

And so our dream comes true. The Great Ocean road will stand as a monument to persistent, self-scarificing effort. It is a highway made as a fitting memorial to the deeds of our soldiers, but it is also a convenient means of outlet for traffic from remote hills and valleys, a stimulus to settlement and a scenic roadway which is unsurpassed in the Commonwealth.

Otways Number 105

Koalas have been sighted in our Eucalypts
There was great excitement recently when our good friends and neighbours at Otways Number 105 sighted a large and healthy koala in one of their eucalypts. This is the first sighting on this ridge of the Otways that we have noticed in the 12 years we have been in the area. Photos are avilable to prove to guests that apart from all the other birdlife and wildlife around start looking up for our furry friends!

Raptors out in force.

We have been privileged to watch the the development of two fledgling wedge tail eagles and two pergrine falcon fledglings causing nervous havoc to every other bird in the sky this summer. The young wedge tail eagles have now mastered the magnificent gliding of the warm air currents but are still awkward and gawky with their landing manoeuvres.

Jan Juc Cliffs have seen the return of the resident perigrines for the fourth season that I have noticed. The other perigrine nest is in an old cypress tree on our farm at Otway Escapes, we were out at dusk, in late January and we were witness to a perigrine soar and capture a magpie in mid air. The whole event seemed so quick and precise that the poor magpie would not have known he was to be the evening meal!