Page 25 - Exhaust Notes September

September 2022 Exhaust Notes - Edition No 317 

In Search of Old Growth Mountain Ash in the Otways.

(Part 2)

Found - The Wonders of the Otways. Mait’s Rest

Well, there it is.
At my back yard.
I had visited this place before, many years ago. I either cannot remember or did not appreciate the
grandeur of the forest within.

Through reading the book “The Redwoods of the Otway Ranges” by Roger Smith, and watching the ABC
program on Australia’s iconic trees, I was curious about finding some old growth Mountain Ash. A friend
reminded me of Mait’s Rest on the Great Ocean Road, between Apollo Bay and Lavers Hill.

So, off I went.
And there they were. Some of the biggest trees in the world. Virtually at my back yard.

Also, there were many old growth Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii) throughout this pocket of the
Otways.

This is a beautiful loop of about 800 metres and takes about an hour to absorb the wonders of this forest.

So, take a ride or a drive down there. There are plenty of opportunities to lunch at places such as Forrest,
Apollo Bay, or Laver’s Hill .

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