Who remembers when I used to do Weekend Wanderings posts? I haven’t done one for a few years now. However, yesterday’s post reminded me that I have posts on my old blog that aren’t here, so I wanted to share one from 2013 when I went on a trip to Ocean Grove with a couple of friends.
There is a fair bit of information in this post that is relevant or up to date, so I am going to get rid of any links and if you go to Barwon Heads the restaurants may or may not still be there.
Weekend Wanderings – Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove
Our weekend started in Ocean Grove, that is where we were staying, but we didn’t really take any photos there, surprisingly. We seemed to head more for Barwon Heads, except for the one morning at Point Lonsdale.
We booked our accommodation with Ocean Grove and Barwon Head Stays. They were fantastic, and did what they could to help out, especially when it turned out the place we were booked into had an unexpected problem and we had to stay in other accommodation. The other accommodation wasn’t great, there were issues, but nothing to do with Ocean Grove and Barwon Head Stays and hopefully they have spoken to the owners about that.
I have already shown you photos of the first night we were there, and the second night we went to the same place. It was different again. One of the problems we found with this area is that is seems to be largely beaches and finding really interesting places to go and photograph was hard. We didn’t know the area enough. We did try google maps to see if we could find places, and found some, but they weren’t really what we wanted. It is hard when you go to a place for the first time and try to do this, you really need to go on multiple occasions drive around and just see what there is.
The above image, and most of those today were taken on the Ocean Grove side of the river, looking over towards Barwon Heads.
With a place like Barwon Heads, it isn’t that far away that you couldn’t drive there during the day and spend some time looking around for places to photograph. We should have done that during the first day, but we were so tired, that we ended up back at the town house and slept or read. That’s our fault really and I think the next time we go away I might make a point of going up early on the first day, just so I can do that.
In the above photo you can see a white building on the left side of the image. I have photographed that building before, though from the other side. The building was made famous by the Australian television show “Seachange”, and was Diver Dan’s shed. They have made some extensive renovations to it now and it is a restaurant called the At the Heads. We ate here twice, once for breakfast and then for dinner.
It is a great place to eat, you can sit and watch the ocean and the river. The staff are friendly and well, the food was brilliant. They don’t offer the usual breakfast fair, but it was great to be given some different options. For dinner two us shared a seafood platter, one of the best I’ve ever had. It was great because it didn’t have so much seafood that you felt guilty for not eating it all, we did eat most of it, and the price was good for it. I love watching people’s faces when they see a platter like that being brought out. 
Another place we ate at was Barwon Orange. It isn’t the first time I have eaten there, and hopefully won’t be the last. We ate there another time when we went for a day trip to Barwon Heads. The food is fantastic, and while they seem to specialise in pizzas, the mains were to die for. I recommend booking though, or you might be disappointed, it is a popular place to eat.
We did have breakfast at a place called Annie’s, it is a farm store. I didn’t like my breakfast. I ordered poached eggs and they were really well cooked, I like soft yolks. The plate was too small for what I got and the bacon was, well, there wasn’t much of it. I was very disappointed with mine, though my friends really enjoyed what they had. It was an interesting shop and seemed popular, so maybe my meal was just an oddity. I wouldn’t go back to eat though.
I have a heap more photos, so I will put them in a gallery for you to look at, and then will give you some conclusions.
It was a good weekend and I got some nice images, but I haven’t come away thinking oh wow, what a great weekend. I think we need to do more research before we go somewhere. I do love Barwon Heads though, and I know I will go back. I might see about contacting some people before I go again. Do some research.
If you just want to go for the day, then the areas around the river and bridge will give you plenty to photograph. Try and get there for the sunset or, if you do it, the sunrise, both give you different light and different things to see.
These are really cool shots!
Thank you so much Sharon.
I enjoyed your photos of the area I now call home. It all still looks much the same as your images. The soft focus works really well but I agree, it is hard to find places to photograph that aren’t beaches. Have you tried the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve? I haven’t been there for months for it dries out this time of year and often looks quite desolate. I’ll try and get there this week and post some photos on my blog.
You are lucky to live there Suzanne, it is a beautiful area. I haven’t heard of that place. Though there is somewhere in Barwon Heads that I want to photograph, but I need the right timing. lol. Let me know if you post any photos Suzanne so I don’t miss them. Thank you.
Thanks Leanne. I drove past the reserve this morning but the heat and wind put me off going in. Your post has rekindled my interest in photographing the local area though and I will include some recent photos in my next post. These days I usually only do one post a week – most often on Sundays.
This heat has been horrendous, I’m so over it. It is a great area, after my discussion with I started looking up accommodation. lol. There is something I want to do there, but I need the right conditions. I might have to look out. Sounds good I will try to look out for it Suzanne.
Your photo evokes calmness to me. Like a beautiful painting.
That is really nice of you to say Ruth, love it, thank you so much.
The lighting in your photos is magical, Leanne!
Thank you Lois, that is nice to hear.
Looks like a cool place. Is this in Victoria?
Yeah it is Kevin, not far from Geelong. Thank you.
I loved these shots.
Thank you Egidio.
such a pretty place
It is Beth, thanks.
Wow, beautiful images Leanne. In 2013, I had just bought my first DSLR and was just starting out. I didn’t even know what ISO was until another photographer told me it was the same as ASA!
Thank you Anne, yeah, a lot to learn. I did film for many years so digital just meant no more expense with buying film and getting it processed. You have come a long way Anne.
Nice to see your shots from those days, since I didn’t follow you then.
Thank you Margaret, they are a bit different.