A Long Weekend on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road

Recently, Cayla and I set off on an adventure, driving along the Great Ocean Road to spend a long weekend in the small town of Johanna. It was our first time in an Unyoked cabin, a little off-the-grid thing that was advertised as an opportunity to reconnect with nature. I was excited by the concept and had picked Govind (the name of our cabin) from a long list as it was one of only a few that I could see that had photos of wildlife nearby.

I’d battled a headache for days in the lead-up, but it evaporated the minute I saw the towering eucalyptus trees at the entry to the property. It was breathtaking. Just beyond the gate a group of Eastern Grey Kangaroos stood grazing.

They spotted us enter and hopped leisurely into the distance, clearly unbothered by human comings-and-goings.

The hike to the cabin was surprisingly challenging, especially for us — the perennial over-packers.

Part of the charm of the experience was that you had to leave your car at the entrance of the property and hike in with your belongings, hauling them along in a little wheelbarrow. The rain and damp weather had turned the path into sludge, making the process of lugging firewood and camera equipment surprisingly strenuous! The moment we laid eyes on our little cabin however, all our previous struggles were forgotten.

Govind had all the amenities of home. We immediately lit the fire, had a snack and watched the drizzling rain from the large windows.

The rest of the first day passed peacefully. I found a large gathering of Red Kangaroos in the field below the cabin and we cooked dinner over an open campfire. I worried in the lead-up to the trip that it would be cold, but the wood-heater in the cabin kept it toasty and warm.

Around 4am the next morning, something peculiar happened. I woke up to a blazing red sky. The evening before, we’d watched the film adaption of Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden and I’ll admit, my initial thoughts were scattered and worried. Before too long however, I realised what I what I was witnessing must be an aurora.

I didn’t have phone reception to double-check, but assuring myself it wasn’t the apocalypse, I settled in to watch the show.

Once it faded, I popped a new log on the fire and read until sunrise.

Overall, it was a brilliant weekend away and one that Cayla and I are both excited to do again. The trip included everything I love, adventure, mud, campfire cooking, unusual weather events and smores!