Coast To Coast

Melbourne has top-notch food, buzzing nightlife, and a world-class coffee culture. But for unspoiled Australian splendour, you must hit the Great Ocean Road.

- Shaikh Ayaz

“IT JUMPED, JUMPED, JUMPED,” says Jimmy Chen, recalling his last trip at Kennett River, Victoria, with an Indian family trying to spot a koala in the wild. Chen is our garrulous Taiwanese-Australian driver-cum-official koala spotter who, along with guide Tony Poletto, has promised us a date with the little munchkin. Chen is a short, sprightly man, who likes to discuss Indian food in graphic details even as he chomps on sumptuous multi-cuisine spreads at our many stopovers dotting the Great Ocean Road. With him around, we are in safe hands. (Or, are we?) So, every time Chen so much as swings a sideways glance, we follow his gaze like students of tai chi, in the hope of spotting the cuddly marsupial who lazes around for 22 hours on the breeziest of tree branches, swaggering out occasionally only to feast on the tastiest of eucalyptus leaves.

“He’s the public servant of the animal kingdom,” says Poletto, wearing a sardonic grin. “So, we have to time our visit exactly in those two waking hours of a moody koala. How do you know which two hours of the day?” our Malay companion quips through his braces.

We have been at Kennett River for over an hour. Our koala-spotting so far has comprised numerous views of the cuddly animal’s butt. If the never-ending lines of curious visitors have taught the koala anything, it’s how not to give a flying fig about anything that happens in the world below. Spring is just making its presence felt here. The breeze is a relief, but the notorious Australian sun blazes down, a free-floating giant on vast skies. Will the koala get down for the gum?