Hi Everyone
We have just returned from a very memorable 7 day walk (104kms is the most
common used total distance) along the coast from Apollo Bay to the Twelve
Apostles. We stayed at a lodge (Both Feet) situated about half way along the
route at Johanna Beach. Both Feet is described as an Eco Lodge , it is well
appointed, with very comfortable rooms and a chef that cooks marvellous meals
(there is a price involved of course). We were provided with packed morning tea
and lunch, taken to the start of the walk around 8 am and picked up at the end
point around 4 pm with walks not exceeding 21kms on any one day. We chose the
self guided option, trails are well marked, mobile phone reception is ok in most
parts, carrying an EPIRB as an emergency (never been used to date). The walks
are not too difficult, mostly rated as moderate with sufficient time to enjoy
the walk and surroundings.
The terrain is ever changing from the towering Mountain Ash, tea tree,
heath, rain forests, beach walking (not too much as this can be very tiring),
throw in the rugged coastline and southerly winds with doses of inclement rainy
weather and it all makes for a great adventure.
We recorded 58 bird species along the way (posted in Eremaea Great Otway
National Park site), with our experience both here and other parts of Australia
confirming that you do not get many birds in rain forest zones. We would welcome
any thoughts on this rather sweeping statement! We expected to see soaring
raptors along the cliff faces but no luck. The special finds for us were the
Blue-winged parrot, Beautiful Firetail, Olive Whistler, Bassian Thrush and the
Hooded Plover (said to be a threatened species along this part of the coast). We
were also hopeful that we may have found the Rufous Bristlebird but no
luck. Disadvantages from a “birder perspective” are that you cannot linger
too long when you are walking 20km in undulating country so you take “pot luck”
that a bird will pop out and sit in the clear area and say hello - of course the
undergrowth is very heavy especially in the coastal heath which makes spotting
and identification that much harder.
All in all a great week, one that we can now cross off our “buckets
list”.
Ray and Sue Ellen
