Always Fair Weather in Fairhaven
Along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia lies a tourist destination par excellence. Local visitors from Melbourne and those who come from further afield all come here for that dream holiday. As such, and to cater for the visitors who have differing needs, there is a whole range of accommodation, both the hotel variety and rented apartments and holiday homes. Tourist attractions abound here too along with nature at its very best.
What Visitors Love to Do
One of the main reasons to come to this wonderful corner of the globe is the Great Southern Ocean and all its inhabitants. Visitors love to whale watch or go dolphin spotting along this coast and they pass by quite close to shore on their annual migration.
Shore fishing is possible along with a host of other water sports, like paddle and body surfing, and those who always want to be near the water are advised to get holiday accommodation along the coastline.
The Great Ocean Road itself is classed as one of the top scenic drives in the world and views can be quite breathtaking. Apart from views to the ocean, there are rain forests, cliffs, estuaries and local wildlife to be seen so it is well worth spending a few hours on this excursion perhaps in a hire car.
For older folk or parents, try out the Toast to the Coast festival which has fine wines and foods on offer as well as entertainment. More than thirty wineries started up this festival some eleven years ago and it gives them the opportunity to bring regional produce to the masses. For those who are connoisseurs of the grape, try the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Shiraz varieties which this area is renowned for.
In February, see the displays of more than one thousand Ford cars that thirty clubs have put forward. This takes place in Geelong which is a car ride away. There are almost fifty trophies up for grabs and the event is usually attended by celebrity drivers from all over Australia. The kids are not left out since there are rides and entertainment put on especially for them and there is always a food van handy for meal times.
Also situated in Geelong is the Victorian State Collectables and Bottle Show at the show grounds. Here, find more than one hundred tables full of collectables where private collectors and dealers buy and sell antiquities. This is a kind of up market boot sale of sorts but with the chance to see some rare items on display.
One tour not to miss is the Ultimate Tour where a group of just ten or so people will get to visit Philip Island and watch fairy penguins coming ashore. This is a night visit but visitors are given night vision goggles so that they can see everything that is going on. These are the smallest penguins in the world so, if the kids can stay awake long enough, they will just love this one!
Get some exercise in by going on a bush walk or two heading north into the foothills of the Otway Mountain Range. Koalas have been seen amongst the gum trees since this is their favourite meal.
Accommodation
As with all seaside resorts in Australia, there is a wealth of accommodation on offer which suits every budget. Campers and caravan aficionados are not left out but most people opt for serviced apartments or rental holiday homes where they can relax and have fun. There is also top notch accommodation in private villas or in luxury hotels so it all depends on personal taste.
Weather
There is not really a bad time to visit though December through to February can get extremely hot. Visitors from abroad rarely feel the cold so just take along something light to cover the arms in case of strong winds or rain.
Getting there from the UK
Possible the most popular airline, Qantas, is the one that everyone knows but there are several other operators which now offer a service to Australia. Those who suffer from jetlag may well want to take a day or two in a stopover point on the way to let their body recover. Flying into Melbourne where a hire car can be picked up means that the traveller is free to drive on to their holiday home in Fairhaven at his own pace. Transfers can be booked when the ticket is being bought and this may well serve the weary traveller better in the long run. However, to get the most out of the holiday, and because of the vastness of Australia, a car is the perfect way to explore.
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