The trip to see the Twelve Apostles and the Great Ocean Road, near Melbourne, Australia started at Federation Square (across from St. Paul’s Cathedral) where I got to see the possible tour options at the tourism office located there.
I returned there to take the bus on the day of the tour and a long but rewarding day began. Along the way we stopped to see some of the flora and the wildlife (koalas, kangaroos and birds). It was amazing to see koalas and kangaroos just freely roaming around, not in a zoo or animal park.
The Twelve Apostles (who knows if there are really 12 at any given point, one of the more famous ones had collapsed not long before my visit) are fascinating as they “show” the process of water and wind shaping our landscapes.
As the water washes away softer terrain, these “islands” of stone become separated from the mainland. 
You can tell where new ones will appear: any of those fingers or peninsulas are apostles-in-the-making.
At some point, the underside of a finger begins to hollow until an arch forms. The arch eventually collapses separating part of the former peninsula from the mainland (see next photo). In turn, an arch may form on the newly-formed “island” and, when the arch collapses, it will just leave just a column which over time will also collapse leaving nothing behind. The cycle of life!
Now, the park has very easy trails to walk and get good vantage points, and the tour goes to other interesting spots such as Loch and Gorge.
But what really captivated me was the brief helicopter ride to see the apostles from above. I had never ridden a helicopter before so there was a double thrill aspect to the experience for me.
Finally, if you decide to drive the Great Ocean Road and you are not from Australia or the U.K. (or some other places like them), please mind what this sign says as you explore this beautiful road!
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