Day 3 - Coast to City

Date: 12/12

This morning began with one of the most beautiful sunrises these eyes have ever seen. Sometimes it's really worth getting up when the alarm goes off.

There weren't any cafes nearby and those that were didn't open until 8, so I made it an hour to Orbost by the time I had time to plan my day. There were a few options but most of them involved adding several hours to my already long driving day. One that seemed like it might be worth a quick detour was the Noojee Trestle Bridge.

It turns out that this meant driving through the stunning Gippsland region and into the Yarra Valley. Winding roads took me through valleys of farmland for hours before plunging me into lush river valleys that had even narrower winding roads with the added fun of trying not to be crushed by logging trucks.

This is especially hard when every 3 seconds you're trying to get a glance at the scenery.

Somehow I managed and even found a few places where I could pull out safely and take some photos. I'm really glad I told Google Maps to avoid highways.

After a few false turns, I managed to find my way to the Trestle Bridge. This is not just your average Trestle Bridge. It is an enormous, towering Trestle Bridge. It also seems a bit pointless, since there are easy walking tracks to either end from below, but still. It makes for a hell of a photo setting. I was there alone and it seemed like not many people could be bothered to trek out to it. I was happily taking a pile of photos when suddenly the car park was overrun with other visitors including a large bike club. It seems all my detours worked to give me the bridge to myself for a half hour.

I'm up there at the top

After the trestle bridge and a spot of lunch in Yarra Junction, I motored my way to the city again. I'll be staying with friends for a couple of days while I get myself together for the Great Ocean Walk.

Tomorrow will probably be a silent day, since I'll mainly be focused on logistics. Even glamorous lifestyle icons like me sometimes just need a day to book hotels and buy toothpaste.