Winter is cold and wet right? So why would you even want to venture outside?
We’ll let you in on a little secret.
Us locals here love winter.
Apollo Bay and the surrounding Otways are at their most spectacular in the wetter months. It’s also the quietest time of the year to visit, so much so, that you can often experience spectacular nature and iconic views all on your own.
Winter is a time to avoid the crowds that the summer sun brings.
The cool temperate rainforest of the Otways absolutely flourishes in winter too. Waterfalls are loud and heavy and make you (and any problems you may have) feel miniscule in the presence of their raw, awesome power.
You can experience gentle mist coming from the trunks of the tallest Redwoods as the sun pokes through to warm their damp bark. The birdlife that callout and scatter in between patches of light showers, seeking shelter in the branches closeby, not scared off by the crowds. The smaller mammals that come out to see what snacks the damp earth has brought to the surface. All the interesting looking fungi growing on the ground beneath your feet and strewn on trees.
It really is a magic and special time of the year.
So do what the locals do, grab your best jacket and beanie and get out there.
And while you’re experiencing the Otways and Apollo Bay in winter, here are 3 reasons Wildlife Wonders is also a special place during these cooler months…
Photography credit: Doug Gimesy
1. Experience the magic of bustling life
Breaks between rain showers brings with it a bustle of birdlife and lesser seen smaller mammals like Potoroos and Bandicoots, who are rarely seen in the wild. These smaller foraging mammals are usually nocturnal but during the winter months can often be seen foraging during the daylight. The rain brings out the absolute magic of the rainforest and ancient ferns who thrive in the wet. And you get to be amongst it all, a part of the bustling life below, around and above you.
2. Winter means Whales
Winter brings the opportunity to witness migrating Southern Right or Humpback whales from the hilltop of our sanctuary, with wide expansive views of the southern ocean. Between May and September, Southern Right and Humpback whales leave the cold Antarctic and start heading north to breed and birth their calves in warmer waters, passing through the Southern Ocean giving us the special opportunity to see them on their voyage with the stunning rugged coast line also in view.
3. Your chances of spotting the more elusive, unique wildlife in our sanctuary increase
Visits when it is quieter in the winter months mean more of a chance of seeing the more elusive wildlife in our sanctuary who may be deterred by too many footsteps. Our sanctuary is a reflection of how the Otways used to be which means all wildlife even if they slither or croak, like our small White lipped snakes, the carnivorous Otway black snails, long necked turtles and Southern brown tree frogs.
So instead of hibernating all winter, we encourage you to get out amongst it all. Winter offers a whole new way of experiencing Wildlife Wonders and the Otways and wildlife who call them home. Just don’t forget your jacket and beanie!
