So back to the helicopter ride.
The first of the 12 Apostles:
And here are the rest:
The 12 Apostles (Actually if you can count from this picture, there are only 8 left! The 9th collapsed in 3rd July 2005):
I dunno but one of those gorges is the Loch Ard Gorge:
See that seahorse-shaped 'island'?:
The 12 Apostles: Originally the site was called the Sow and Piglets. Muttonbird Island near Loch And Gorge was the ‘Sow’ and the smaller rock stacks the ‘Piglets.’ The name was changed in the 1950s to the more majestic "The Twelve Apostles".*
I wanna do that again!
Equally stunning on land:
It was so amazing!:
To learn more about the Loch Ard history (click on the pictures below to enlarge):
The gorge is named after the clipper ship Loch Ard, which ran aground on nearby Muttonbir Island on 1 June 1878 approaching the end of a three-month journey from England to Melbourne.
All but two of the fifty-one passengers and crew perished - Tom Pearce, a ship's apprentice and Eva Carmichael, an Irishwoman immigrating with her family, both of whom were 18 years of age. According to memorials at the site, Pearce was washed ashore, and rescued Carmichael from the water after hearing her cries for help. Pearce then proceeded to climb out of the gorge to raise the alarm to local pastoralists who immediately set into plan a rescue attempt.*
Well, according to legend, they were supposed to get married after falling in love; but the lovers had to be seperated when she went back to Ireland and he back to Melbourne.
The Lord Ard Gorge, 10 minutes drive west from the 12 Apostles:
Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!
Limestone stack:
A cave at the gorge:
Close-up of the cave:
London Bridge (before the collapse; people could even drive their cars on top!):
And now after the collapse:
Click image for more information:
The bridge broke off in 1990. And there happened to be two people on that unbroken part who had to be heli-evacuated!
So that's it folks, drove back the inland way (not along the coast):
