We flew on the red-eye from Penang, arrived first thing in the morning, and then headed into the city in search of a hip coffee spot to brunch at. After navigating some crazy downtown streets, we finally found parking and walked to an open courtyard where we enjoyed tasty cappuccinos and pizza while soaking in the gorgeous cool weather. (Only the beginning of summer in Australia, highs all week were low 70s, with 50s in the evenings--perfect!!) We spent the next few hours exploring downtown and Federation Square and watching people bustle about. Then we buckled the kids all in a row in the backseat (doing without the minivan for a week was QUITE a bit cheaper and worth the tight squeeze!), and drove to the town of Cowes on Philip Island. I vastly underestimated distances and was a little too ambitious for what my kids could handle for arrival day, but after about two hours (and one potty accident), we made it to our hotel and checked in. If I had know how wonderful this island was and how much there was to do there, I would have stayed longer!
We stayed at the Waves Apartments in one of their beachfront suites, which had a separate room with bunk beds for the kids. After grabbing some dinner at a local Italian restaurant, we walked on the beach and let the kids play on the playscape across the street. The next day we visited the Koala Conservation Center, where we got to learn all about these cute furry marsupials and see them up close from boardwalks among the eucalyptus trees. Afterwards, we headed over to ride tandem go-carts on a reduced-scale model of the adjoining F1 race track. I drove with Abigail, and Adam took Mark. (The boys won with their fast times.) They even waved the checkered flag for us! Rachel was also able to get into the action with the remote-controlled slot cars, but hers kept flying off the tracks. =)We returned to our hotel to spend a few hours playing on the beach and enjoyed beer and pizza on our patio, then we headed over to watch the world-famous Penguin Parade, a nightly procession of hundreds of fairy penguins that emerge from the ocean after a day's swimming and waddle back to their burrows. They were so cute, and I was glad that I had paid a little extra ("Penguins Plus") to view them from a more private boardwalk. We were within 2 feet of some of them! This was one of my favorite parts of our trip, but sadly, photography was prohibited.
We next day we did quite a bit of driving, but before we left Philip Island, we stopped at the Nobbies. It was sprinkling, but we were still able to enjoy the boardwalks and see the beautiful rocky cliffs, a sea cave/blowhole, and even a lonely sea lion! We then drove down the Mornington Peninsula, stopping along the way to have lunch and explore the Ashcombe Maze and Lavendar Gardens. Our kids had lots of fun finding their way through various hedge and rose mazes and searching for gnomes and fairies among the gardens! It was a truly lovely place, and a great respite from the long drive, but I wished my mother-in-law was there to enjoy the gardens with us.
After driving a little farther, we found our way to the Sorrento Car and Passenger Ferry, connecting Sorrento and Queenscliff. (And only just in time; if we'd missed the last ferry of the day, we would have seriously been hosed!!) Once across, we continued our drive into Lorne, a wonderful little town along the Great Ocean Road. We stayed at the Cumberland Lorne Resort in one of their penthouse suites, which was worth splurging for. This modern two-bedroom apartment was complete with a full kitchen, a loft, and a private rooftop terrace!
The next two days were spent in and around Lorne, eating yummy food (Adam loved the kangaroo!), hiking short trails (Erskine Falls, Teddy's Overlook, and Sheoak Falls), playing in the sand and at the playground, and browsing among the many cute shops. Our kids' favorite thing about staying here was the outdoor trampolines along the shore, and we all had fun jumping around! One afternoon, we drove as far as Apollo Bay, but the windy road made Abigail feel sick so we weren't able to go as far as the Twelve Apostles. We did, however, stop along the way at a wonderful beach in Wye River. It was a lovely spot for exploring and shell hunting, with numerous rock pools and a small river running into the sea.
On our last full day, we drove back into Melbourne, stopping to explore Split Point lighthouse along the way. We spent our final night in the Novotel St. Kilda, and I had planned to spend the afternoon at the nearby historic amusement park (Luna Park) but should have checked the operating hours prior! Instead, we found a playground and had a tasty Mexican feast and wonderful margaritas at Bluecorn along Acland Street. After, we explored the alleyways decorated with street art and enjoyed dessert from one of the many cake shops on the street. In the morning we only had time to walk along the St. Kilda pier before heading to the airport. We loved our trip to Australia and will always remember the wonderful week we spent "down under"!
