Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road

We’re continuing on toward Melbourne. But before we visit the city, we’re taking a little detour to Phillip Island. Apparently, there are penguins to see there. The town just before you cross over to the island is called San Remo. That alone should have given us pause. The island is basically a retreat for Melbourne’s upper middle class. There are countless vacation rentals on the island. The prices reflect that. The climate on the island is very mild, which probably attracts a lot of people. The Penguin Parade is too expensive and commercial for our taste. We skip it and go for a short hike to Nobbies Viewpoint instead. Although we only see one penguin hiding under the planks of the trail, a short-nosed echidna crosses our path. If we’d skipped Phillip Island, it wouldn’t have been a great loss, but we did have two relaxing days there.

The Nobbers Phillip Island, Austrailia

Short-nosed Hedgehog, Phillip Islands, Australia

In Melbourne, the tram is free for the inner-city loop. That’s great because you can park your car in a free or affordable parking spot and be in the city center within 20 minutes. We park first in a parking bay that I managed to squeeze our campervan into with some difficulty. The sign says “maximum parking time: two hours.” That’s pretty tight for sightseeing in Melbourne. A passerby strikes up a conversation with me and asks what we plan to do. I told him we wanted to check out downtown. He pointed out a parking lot that supposedly allows unlimited parking and isn’t far from the last tram stop. It turns out the parking limit is actually only three hours, but the lot isn’t monitored—when we returned after three hours, many cars that had been parked there before us were still in their spots.

Melbourne, Australia

Anyway, we park the car, walk the few meters to the stop, and get on the tram. We get off at Melbourne Central Station. The city is a mix of old and modern architecture. This is worth mentioning because the old buildings are no more than three stories tall, while the new skyscrapers can reach up to 100 stories. Seventy-five skyscrapers over 150 meters tall—the tallest at 316 meters—make up the tallest skyline in all of Oceania. Next to them, the colonial-era houses look like houses on a model train set.

Old and New Architecture in Melbourne, Australia

In addition to wide streets like Queen Street or Collins Street, there are also many narrow alleys where numerous bars and restaurants are tucked away. Locals, of course, know these spots well, but tourists first have to venture into this labyrinth of alleys. In addition to the dining scene, there are many alleys covered in graffiti. This art form, known as street art, can be found, for example, on Finlay Alley, AC/DC Lane, and Hosier Lane.

AC/DC Lane, Melbourne, Australia

Chinatown Melbourne, Australia

A truly special architectural highlight is the building at 333 Collins Street. The entrance hall, with its dome and passageway, is designed in the Art Nouveau style. Water trickles down the slate panels on the walls. But various shopping arcades, such as The Block or The Walk, are also worth seeing. Given the large Asian population in Melbourne, the city naturally has a Chinatown—and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Finding a campground in Melbourne that isn’t fully booked is nothing short of a miracle. Luckily, our campervan fits into any parking spot. However, it’s not allowed to stay overnight everywhere. Plus, the city isn’t exactly quiet. That’s why we headed a bit out of town after the first day. In Altona, we found a quiet stretch of beach where we spent the night. After two days in the big city, we were happy to be back in the countryside. In Geelong, we found Barwon Valley Park, where we spent another night.

333 Collins Street Melbourne, Australia

The Block Melbourne, Australia

The Great Ocean Road is our next destination. At the Memorial Arch at Eastern View, you drive under an arch that makes it clear even to the last person: You are now on this famous road. The memorial was erected there in honor of the road’s builders and is, of course, overrun with tourists. We met the King and Queen of Uganda—or rather, Buganda—there, since Uganda, as everyone knows, is a republic.

Gaby on the Great Ocean Road, Australia

We find a campground in Apollo Bay. The next day, we head to the Twelve Apostles, which—according to my research—were never actually twelve. By now, two of them have been quite badly eroded by the surf, and one is showing significant signs of wear and tear. If you count those, there were originally eleven. Starting in October 2026, you’ll need to book in advance to visit. Of course, we didn’t do that because we didn’t know. At the moment, there also seems to be a grace period, because the friendly lady at the gate quickly registered us on her tablet. The new visitor center is impressively spacious. The old one, which is much smaller, still exists and is also fully furnished. You’ll need a little patience on the trails leading to the steep cliffs. Naturally, many visitors want to see the famous sandstone pillars. On the Great Ocean Road, we encountered the common housefly for the first time. This insect is found in the region by the thousands. I’ve been told that this is still harmless. I’m curious to see what else I’ll experience.

Twelve Apostles, Australia

  

In Port Campbell, we leave the Great Ocean Road and head north. We’re heading to the Grampians, a mountain range that rises to 1,000 meters. We’re excited to see what awaits us there. Until then, may there always be fair winds, and keep a stiff upper lip.