Portland

 4 - 5 February 2025

We had enjoyed our longer than anticipated stay in Warrnambool and were ready to move on, but still cncerned about fires in the Otways so decided to go in the opposite direction to the one we had intended. Mick was keen to go back to Portland for a night or two so he could get some more photographs of the gannets.

Mick had been out for an early morning birding session with Tony and we left Warrnambool after a final coffee and farewell to good friends. We headed west and were at Portland just on lunch time. We decided to dine again at Mac's Hotel where they have a fabulous, well priced lunch menu. The price had risen slightly since we were there in November but was still great value.

After lunch we checked in to the caravan park and spent some time reorganising our things and doing some shopping. We planned a light dinner after a big lunch and were ready to go out to Point Danger for the 5:30pm tour at the Gannet colony.

Tours are conducted by volunteers each night and all you have to do it meet at the gate - no booking and no charge. We arrived and Mick organised his camera gear including tripod as we knew he would have about 1/2 hour to take photographs. Just before 5:30 a tour bus arrived which had us a bit worried about so many people being there but we need not have been concerned. Because we 'd been before, our guide allowed us to skip the commentary and go straight down to the viewing spot.

Mick was keen to photograph the stray Cape gannet that is part of the large colony of Australasian gannets but it's like finding a needle in a haystack. Our guide was busy with others in the group but generously gave more of his time once almost everyone else had left. He was able to pinpoint the Cape gannet and Mick was finally able to get some photos of it.

Can you see the lone Cape gannet?
No? Neither could I!

With a successful session at the gannets, we were happy to leave Portland after only one night so packed up and headed off the next morning. We had decided to drive east along The Great Ocean Road and had booked a couple of nights at Port Campbell so we didn't need to rush.

We stopped at Peterborough for lunch and so Mick could do a spot of birding and then made our way to Port Campbell.