We were less enthusiastic about Vegemite, a salty black goo made from brewer's yeast that Australians spread on toast. After a couple of days in Torquay, the eight of us loaded into a rental van and headed west down the coast. The Great Ocean Road reminded us of California's Pacific Coast Highway, except it is half as wide and twice as curvy. The pavement hugs cliffs that tower above the surf. The scenery, and Mike's lead foot, made the ride truly breathtaking.
Most American tourists go to Sydney, then into the Outback or north to the Great Barrier Reef.
But for scenic beauty and variety, it's hard to beat Victoria, a vacationland Australians seem to save for themselves. We could have spent several days along the Great Ocean Road, strolling the seaside towns of Lorne and Apollo Bay and exploring the majestic Cape Otway and Port Campbell national parks. Cape Otway is a 32,000-acre forest of steep hills, huge eucalyptus trees and fern groves. At Port Campbell, land and sea come together in one of Australia's most-photographed rock formations. Called the Twelve Apostles, these ancient limestone pillars rise nearly 200 feet from the ocean.