Travelling the Great Ocean Road
...a journey through time and place…

'When H.G.Wells lunched at the Cosy Corner Café in Apollo Bay in 1939
little did he know how close he was to 'the abysses of the Cretaceous
sea' he so vividly imagined in his great time travel novel of 1895 
'The Time Machine'' says Apollo Bay author Cate Cousland in her new
book Travelling the Great Ocean Road…a journey through time and place.
In the book she tracks the long and fascinating history of Victoria's 
south west coast from Torquay to Port Fairy.

The book provides a compelling narrative exploring the coast from the
time of Gondwana to the present era. It tells of ancient forests,
indigenous nations, sealers and whalers, European settlement, great
sailing ships harnessing 'the roaring forties', shipwrecks, the 
opening of the forests and the building of the Great Ocean Road;
exploring the diverse characters of the towns along the road.

This book takes you through the ever changing landscape of the new
Great Ocean Walk beginning in Apollo Bay and continuing for 90
kilometres to an exhilarating end at the spectacular limestone stacks
of the Twelve Apostles in the Port Campbell National Park. 
'Whether you rough it or take the comfy route, the walk offers an
essential connection to the natural world' the author says. The
compact history manages to convey the natural beauty and also conjure
up the spirit of this extraordinary place with its tales of bygone
days. It pays tribute to the special geology, plants and animals that
make both the Otway coast and the forest of the Great Otway National
Park so precious.

Author Cate Cousland has lived near Apollo Bay for 25 years and has a
long standing commitment to the protection and preservation of marine
and forest environments for the benefit of future generations. She
hopes the book will sharpen focus on the need to draw on our 
understanding of past history to address the pressing problems of
global warming and climate change which are predicted to have major
impacts on both coastal and temperate forest regions.

The delightful illustrations are by well known environmental artist
Sharyn Madder who has holidayed along the south west coast for over 30
years.
Travelling the Great Ocean Road…a journey through time and place is 
available at bookshops, newsagents and Information centres along the
coast from Torquay to Port Fairy.