Victoria
by Jorja Elepano
Victoria
Capital City
In 1901 Victoria became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. As a result of the gold rush,Melbourne had by then become the finacial centre of Australia and New Zealand. Between 1901 and 1927,Melbourne was the capital of Australia while Canberra was under construction.
Flora & Fauna
Landmarks & Sites
Ocean Road
The Ocean Road skirts the shores of victoria west of melbourne from Geelong to the south Australian border, which is a pathway to the magic of some of the Australians best known coastlines. The road from Angelesa to Apollo bay was begun in 1919, using picks, shovles and horse drawn vehicals. In world war 1 soldiers carved the road out of the limestone cliffs. It was completed in 1932 and provided a land link for coastle towns which before depended on shipping to bring them supplies. Today the much improved and extended road opens the way to such scienic splendours as the shipwrek coast and the otway National Park.
Landmarks & Sites
Since 1934, Healesvill Fauna Park has been a magnet for those interested in Australian animals. Today, more than 350, 000 people visit this santuary 65 kilometres from Melbourne each year. They join Kangaroos and Wallabies in spaicous walk-through habitats, marvel at the power and beauty of birds of prey, are entertained by a koala colony and meet many other sorts of animals . Healesville is noted for breeding and research programs which help native species.
Landmarks & Sites
The historic shripwrek trail signposts twenty-five places where the wild waves of the Southern Ocean brought vessels to disaster on the rocks of the coastlin which now is Port Campbell National Park. Most infamous of these diasters was the wrek of the loch ard, which claimed fifty-two lives. The shipwrek coast, so glorious in good weather, so the Twelve Apostles, the Blowhole, Londoon Bridge, the Bay of Martyrs and the Bay of Islands.
Geographical Features
The iconic golden cliffs and crumbling pillars of the Twelve Apostles can be found 7km east of Port Campbell. They are protected by the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park which covers 7500ha and runs along 17km of stunning coastline. As well as the above water beauty the park protects some of Victoria’s most dramatic underwater scenery. Spectacular arches, canyons, fissures, gutters and deep sloping reefs make up the environment below the waves. Wild and powerful waves of the Southern Ocean constantly pound the coastline which has shaped the area into what you see today.
The remarkable underwater structures provide a complex foundation for magnificent habitats including kelp forests and colourful sponge gardens.
Many animals prosper both above and below the water including seabirds, seals, lobsters, reef fish and sea spiders. The intertidal and shallow subtidal reefs are known to have the greatest diversity of invertebrates on limestone reef in Victoria.
Marine mammals, such as whales, are also known to visit the area. Patient visitors after dark or in the early morning may see Little Penguins which nest in caves below the Twelve Apostles.